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My daughter's FAFSA sat for months then suddenly started moving too. I think they're processing them in batches or something. Her school actually extended the deposit deadline from May 1 to May 15 because so many students were still waiting on financial aid packages. Might be worth asking your schools if they're offering any extensions.
That's good to know about the possible extensions! I'll definitely ask about that when I contact them. Did your daughter end up getting her aid package in time for the extended deadline?
Did you have any special circumstances on your application? My son's application got stuck in processing because we had a recent divorce situation and had to submit extra verification documents. The system never notified us - we only found out when we called the school directly.
We do have a somewhat complicated situation - my parents are separated (not legally divorced) and one parent's business had a significant loss in 2022. I wonder if that could be causing extra review? I didn't get any notification about verification though.
That could definitely be triggering additional review! The new FAFSA is supposed to handle these situations better, but in practice, it seems to just cause more delays. I'd specifically mention these circumstances when you contact each school's financial aid office. They might need additional documentation that the system hasn't properly requested.
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One other option to explore is a CSS Profile, which some private colleges use in addition to FAFSA. Unlike FAFSA, the CSS Profile considers more nuanced financial situations and may take into account that you're helping support multiple households. It costs money to submit ($25 for first school, $16 for each additional), but fee waivers are available for eligible students. The CSS Profile gives a more complete picture of financial circumstances and may result in better institutional aid at schools that use it. Check if your daughter's college accepts it.
Thank you! I didn't realize CSS Profile might give different results. Her school is public, but I'll check if they use CSS too. The fees aren't much compared to what we could save if she gets better aid.
If I can add one more thought - make sure your daughter talks directly with her school's financial aid office. While FAFSA rules are strict, many schools have institutional funds they can distribute at their discretion. Having your daughter meet in person (not just email) to explain her situation might help. Financial aid officers often have some flexibility with school-based scholarships and grants even when federal aid is limited. Sometimes it takes persistence and building a relationship with the financial aid office to access all available resources.
This is really great advice. She's pretty shy about these things and has been doing everything online. I'll encourage her to make an in-person appointment and prepare to explain her situation in detail. Thank you so much!
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I herd Biden canceled all student loans but the supreme court said no. so unfair!!! my friend said they might try again with a different approach but nobody knows when
The Biden administration attempted a broad $10,000-$20,000 forgiveness program that was indeed struck down by the Supreme Court. However, they've been successful with targeted relief through existing programs. Over $137 billion in student loan debt has been forgiven through PSLF improvements, borrower defense claims, school closure discharges, and disability discharges. They're also implementing new programs like SAVE that provide much better terms than previous options.
One more thing to consider - interest rates on federal student loans are fixed for the life of the loan. If you took out loans several years ago when rates were higher, and you now have good income (but not good enough to pay them off quickly), refinancing with a private lender might give you a lower rate. HOWEVER, this is generally not recommended because you permanently lose all federal benefits (forgiveness options, income-driven plans, hardship deferments, etc.). Based on your situation, I'd strongly recommend staying in the federal system and getting on the SAVE plan. Your credit score will recover as you continue making on-time payments and as the loan age increases.
Thanks for this advice. I was actually considering refinancing with SoFi because they sent me an offer, but I didn't realize I'd lose all those federal protections. I'll definitely stay federal and apply for SAVE tonight. Really appreciate everyone's help here - feeling less panicked now that I have a plan.
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The financial aid system is DESIGNED to be confusing and predatory. My daughter had a similar situation and we accepted the aid package only to realize later we'd unknowingly signed up for the highest interest Parent PLUS loans when she qualified for much better options. These schools prey on confusion and fear with these fake "deadlines" to maximize their revenue. It should be criminal how they operate.
I understand your frustration, but I want to clarify that Parent PLUS loans require a separate application and credit check - they can't be unknowingly included in an acceptance of a financial aid package. You must specifically apply for them. And the interest rates are standardized by the federal government, not set by individual schools. While the system is definitely complex, it sounds like there might have been some miscommunication in your specific case.
Maybe at YOUR school, but that's not how it worked for us! The "acceptance" page had everything bundled together and the fine print was deliberately misleading. And they absolutely pushed the most expensive options first!
One thing nobody has mentioned - you can actually NEGOTIATE your financial aid package! After you accept this one, gather information about better offers from other schools, documentation of any special circumstances, and examples of your daughter's academic achievements. Then request a financial aid appeal meeting. Many schools have additional institutional funds they can offer, especially for students with strong academics. Don't just take their first offer as final!
I had no idea we could negotiate! That's really helpful. We did get a slightly better offer from another school - can I use that in the negotiation even though we already committed to this school for other reasons?
Absolutely! Other school offers are your strongest negotiating tool. Just be respectful in how you present it - frame it as "We're committed to your school, but the cost difference is significant. Is there any way you can help us bridge this gap?" Have the other offer letter ready to share. Many schools have special scholarship funds they can tap into for students they really want to enroll.
Liam O'Reilly
For anyone in this situation in the future: I learned from an aid advisor that the reason this happens is because the new FAFSA system needs to run the student's information through the income verification process with IRS data before they open up the parent contribution section. The delay is built into the system design. Just an explanation for why it works this way - doesn't make it less frustrating!
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ApolloJackson
•Thanks for explaining that! I wish they would just tell us these things upfront instead of making us panic.
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Jacob Lee
In my experience, the deadline refers to when the student submits - not when all signatures are complete. My son's college explicitly told us this. The parent signature can come a few days later without affecting your place in line for financial aid. The school cares about when you initiated the FAFSA, not when every last step was completed.
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ApolloJackson
•Thank you! I've emailed her school just to be safe, but this makes me feel much better about the situation.
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