This is really helpful insight from someone who works in the system. It's amazing how the lack of transparency creates so much anxiety for students. Would you say calling the financial aid office is more effective than emailing at this stage?

calling is ALWAYS better than emailing especially this time of year when were drowning in emails. but be prepared to wait on hold for a long time. if you call first thing in the morning (like right when the office opens) you usually get through faster. also be super nice to whoever answers because we deal with angry people all day and are more likely to go the extra mile for someone who treats us like humans lol

After helping three kids through college, I've found that the best approach is actually a hybrid one. Take the institutional loan for part of the need (maybe half) and a private loan for the rest. This gives you some of the benefits of both - deferred payments on part of the debt while securing a lower interest rate on the rest. Also, make sure you've exhausted all federal loan options first through your FAFSA - Direct Subsidized loans don't accrue interest during school and have the best protections.

Update: After talking with the financial aid office, we discovered that the institutional loan actually has a 1% origination fee that wasn't clearly disclosed, which adds about $780 to the first year's loan cost. We've decided to go with a combination approach - taking the maximum federal Direct Subsidized loans first, then splitting the remaining need between the institutional loan and a fixed-rate private loan at 5.7%. This gives us some payment flexibility while controlling the total interest cost. Thanks everyone for your insights - they really helped us make a more informed decision!

Remember that the free market will adjust to whatever changes happen. If federal loan forgiveness becomes more restricted, private companies will step in with alternative solutions. Competition will force colleges to lower prices if federal funding dries up. It's basic economics - less

This perspective ignores how the higher education market actually works. When state funding for public universities declined over the past 20 years, tuition didn't decrease - it increased dramatically to make up the difference. Private loans typically have higher interest rates and fewer protections than federal ones. The idea that market forces alone will solve accessibility issues in higher education isn't supported by historical evidence or current economic research.

I just wanted to follow up - were you able to find your SAI or speak with someone at Federal Student Aid? Sometimes the system displays differently depending on your specific application circumstances. Also, make sure you're looking at the 2025-2026 FAFSA confirmation page, not a previous year's application.

An SAI of 2750 is generally considered to be in the low-to-moderate range, which is good news for your financial aid prospects. The lower your SAI, the more need-based aid you may qualify for. Many Pell Grant recipients have SAIs below 6000, so you might be eligible depending on your enrollment status and the cost of attendance at your chosen schools. Each school will use this number differently in their aid calculations, so you'll need to wait for your financial aid packages to see exactly what you qualify for. Congratulations on getting this resolved!

the whole system is BROKEN. i even wrote to my congressman and guess what?? NOTHING HAPPENED. good luck getting any real help from anyone in the system!!

To answer your follow-up question about correcting a FAFSA that's already submitted - yes, you can absolutely make corrections! Log into studentaid.gov, go to the FAFSA application section, and select "Make FAFSA Corrections." You can add your older daughter to your younger daughter's form this way. This is important to get right, as it directly affects how your SAI gets divided. Regarding the Statement of Non-Tax Filing - if you did file taxes, you don't need this form. It's only for people who weren't required to file. From your mortgage comment, I'm guessing you did file taxes, so you likely just need to submit your tax transcript instead. For the processing time on your younger daughter's application, unfortunately patience is required, but if it goes beyond 4-5 weeks, that's when you should start making calls to check on the status.