


Ask the community...
I think people are overthinking this. My daughter applied for fafsa last yr and we're a military family too. She just listed me (mom) as parent even though my husband is the service member. We got all the military benefits and she got a great financial aid package. As long as you check the military box and list his service correctly you should be fine.
UPDATE: I spoke with my daughter's college financial aid office, and they confirmed that either parent can be the contributor! I'm going ahead with completing the application as-is. Thanks everyone for your help and advice - especially about marking my husband's military status correctly. So relieved we don't have to start over from scratch!
One more thing to consider - look at WHEN each twin's financial aid package was finalized. Schools have limited loan funds, and sometimes it's first-come-first-served. If Twin A's school processed their FAFSA earlier than Twin B's school, that could be a factor. Also, make sure to check if Twin B can still request loans directly. Many schools allow students to request loans up to their full eligibility even if they weren't initially included in the aid package. Just go to Twin B's financial aid office and ask about submitting a loan request form.
Update on what you find out! I work in higher ed (not financial aid specifically) but from what I've seen, this is almost certainly due to different institutional packaging policies rather than FAFSA itself. The FAFSA just provides your family's financial data and calculates your SAI score - it doesn't directly determine who gets what loans. Each institution creates their own methodology for how they use that data to construct financial aid packages, including whether they automatically include subsidized loans or not.
I'll definitely update! Called Twin B's financial aid office this morning and you were right - they don't automatically include loans in their initial packages. They said we can request federal loans up to $5,500 for the year, which is exactly what Twin A was offered automatically. Mystery solved! Thanks everyone for your help!
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!! My daughter is in her 3rd year of medical school, TWENTY-THREE YEARS OLD, hasn't lived at home in 5 years, files her own taxes, pays all her own bills, yet STILL has to put our information on her FAFSA because she's not 24!!! She lost out on so much aid because of our income even though we can barely help her at all with the astronomical cost of medical school. And don't even get me started on the CSS Profile some schools require - it's even MORE invasive than FAFSA! The system is designed to prevent students from getting aid, not help them.
While the frustration is understandable, I want to clarify that the system isn't designed to prevent aid - it's just operating on outdated assumptions about family financial responsibility. The 24-year age threshold was established decades ago when fewer students were financially independent before that age. For medical students specifically, there are targeted loan forgiveness programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and state-specific programs for practicing in underserved areas. These can be more valuable in the long run than the need-based aid she might have qualified for as an independent student.
Thank you everyone for the helpful information! We've decided to: 1. Complete the FAFSA with our information as required 2. Request a professional judgment review with detailed documentation of her situation 3. Research nursing-specific scholarships and loans 4. Look into hospital tuition reimbursement programs in her area It's frustrating that the FAFSA rules don't account for these intensive healthcare programs where students truly are living independently year-round, but at least we have some options to explore. I'll update if we have any success with the professional judgment review!
Great plan! One more tip: when submitting the professional judgment request, focus on any unusual financial circumstances your family might have rather than just the independent living situation. Financial aid offices have more flexibility to adjust for things like medical expenses, job loss, or supporting multiple college students simultaneously than they do for changing dependency status.
also don't forget to check ur email spam folder daily!! my daughters aid notification went to spam and we almost missed a deadline to accept it!!
To answer your question about estimating aid from the SAI - it's complicated. Each school uses the SAI differently based on their funding formulas. Some schools meet 100% of demonstrated need, others only a portion. You can use each school's Net Price Calculator (required on every college website) to get a rough estimate. Just know that these calculators vary in accuracy. If you're trying to plan your budget, I'd recommend assuming the worst case (minimal aid) until you get official offers. Many families are shocked by how different the actual offers can be from school to school, even with the same SAI.
Sophia Long
I sent both - email first, then followed up with a physical letter mailed to the director specifically (found his name on the school website). I included a brief paragraph about my daughter's academics and extracurriculars, but mainly focused on the FAFSA timeline with documentation. I also mentioned that we had received aid offers from their competitor schools, which might have helped!
0 coins
Royal_GM_Mark
•That's smart! My daughter did get decent offers from College of Charleston and UNC Charlotte, so I'll definitely mention those in our appeal. I'll work on drafting the appeal letter tonight. Thanks again for the advice!
0 coins
Angelica Smith
TBH maybe take this as a sign... my kid went to USC and they were HORRIBLE with financial aid all 4 years. constantly losing documents, changing aid amounts last minute, making us jump through hoops for everything. if they're already doing this before u even start maybe consider somewhere else
0 coins
Royal_GM_Mark
•That's concerning to hear about your ongoing issues with them. My daughter is really set on their business program, but I'll definitely discuss this with her. Did you find their actual education quality was good despite the administrative nightmares?
0 coins