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I remember when I was applying for college back in 2017, we didn't have this SAI thing at all! We had EFC instead. The entire system keeps changing every few years and honestly it just makes everything more confusing for families. I spent weeks trying to figure out my brother's financial aid stuff last year because everything was different from when I applied. Why can't they just make a simple system that tells you exactly what you'll get??
You're right that the change from EFC to SAI has been confusing for many families. The good news is that negative SAI numbers are generally more straightforward to interpret than the old EFC system. The change was actually intended to make aid eligibility clearer and expand Pell Grant access. But your frustration is completely valid - the financial aid system should be more transparent about outcomes!
This FAFSA reform has been a disaster from start to finish. First the three-month delay in even launching the form, then all the glitches when it finally opened, and now schools can't process the information. I work in higher education (not financial aid) and this has been a major topic in administrative meetings. Just want to validate your frustration - it's completely justified. The Department of Education did not adequately prepare institutions for these changes, and students and families are bearing the brunt of these implementation problems. Many schools are considering extending decision deadlines because of these delays.
update: my daughter's school (UW Madison) just sent an email saying they expect to start releasing aid packages in mid-June. might be similar timeline for parkside since they're in the same system?
Mid-June?! That's so late! Thanks for sharing though - at least gives us some idea what to expect. I'll be following up with Parkside directly to see if their timeline is similar.
This timeline is consistent with what many state university systems are communicating. The UW System likely has a coordinated approach to implementing these changes, so mid-June is probably a reasonable estimate for Parkside as well. For planning purposes, if your daughter's financial circumstances haven't changed dramatically from last year, her aid package will likely be similar to what she received previously. The new FAFSA formula has some changes, but returning students generally see consistency in their aid from year to year unless there's been a major change in family finances.
try printing out the confirmation email your husband got. my sons college financial aid office said they're accepting those as proof if the system is glitching. better safe than sorry
Just wanted to follow up - did your husband's contributor information show up on the dashboard yet? The system updates sometimes happen in batches overnight, so many people see changes the next morning.
i dont think your supposed to do filing separately on fafsa if your married and live together the irs website says that filing status is for if your separated or don't live together maybe thats why its messing up
That's a common misunderstanding. For tax purposes, "Married Filing Separately" is available to all married couples regardless of living situation. For FAFSA, you select the tax filing status you actually used. The confusion here isn't about the filing status selection - it's a known technical issue with the signature process for non-filing spouses in the new FAFSA system.
UPDATE: I followed the advice here and submitted with just my signature, then called my son's school financial aid office. They said this is happening to LOTS of families and gave us a special form for my wife to sign confirming her non-filing status. They put a note in our file and said it won't delay his aid package. Thank you all for the help!!!
Alicia Stern
Financial aid counselor here - just to clarify some timeline expectations for the 2025-2026 FAFSA cycle: - "Processed" status means your application was received and initial checks were completed - SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation typically takes 3-10 business days after "processed" status appears - Schools don't receive your information until the SAI is calculated - If your application is selected for verification (about 35% are), the SAI will be delayed until that process is complete If you're approaching the 10 business day mark, I'd recommend contacting Federal Student Aid directly. Also make sure to check both the student and parent portals, as sometimes the information appears in one but not the other due to access permission differences.
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Alexander Zeus
•WHY doesn't the website just SAY THIS?? Would save everyone so much stress!! The whole point of the new system was supposed to be making things clearer!!!
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Chloe Boulanger
UPDATE: Thank you everyone for your helpful advice! I had my daughter log into her student account and the SAI was actually there! It wasn't showing in my parent portal for some reason. For anyone else with this issue - definitely check both accounts. I appreciate all your help!
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Olivia Harris
•That's great news! This seems to be a common issue with the parent/student portal syncing. Glad you found your SAI and can move forward with the college financial planning process!
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