


Ask the community...
btw has anyone gotten their SAI score yet? mine seems super high compared to the old EFC from last year...
UPDATE: I finally got this resolved! I used Claimyr to reach an FSA agent (thanks for that suggestion), and they confirmed my corrected FAFSA was fully processed. They gave me a case number and told me which transaction number the school should be looking for (#03 in my case). I called my school's financial aid office, gave them this info, and they were able to manually pull my corrected FAFSA within a few hours. They said lots of students are having this issue. For anyone else dealing with this - don't wait for the systems to fix themselves, be proactive and contact both FSA and your school directly!
Based on your responses to everyone's suggestions, this does sound like a system error that will require FSA intervention to fix. When you do connect with them, make sure to have the following ready: 1. Your FSA ID login information 2. Your son's FSA ID (but not his password) 3. The exact date/time he sent the invitations 4. Confirmation that your husband successfully completed his portion The agent will likely need to manually link your account to your son's FAFSA application. They might also need to send a special invitation link directly to you. Good luck!
UPDATE: Problem solved! I used the Claimyr service that @profile5 recommended to get through to FSA without the long wait. The agent found that there was a system glitch where my FSA ID wasn't properly linking to the invitation even though my email was correct. They had to manually link my account to my son's application. Now I can see and complete my portion! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.
For anyone worried about making decisions without financial aid information, I recommend taking these steps: 1. Contact your schools' financial aid offices directly to ask about their contingency plans 2. Ask if they're extending their May 1 deposit deadlines 3. Request an estimated aid package based on last year's FAFSA if you're a returning student 4. If you're a first-year student, ask if they can provide a preliminary estimate based on your self-reported information 5. Document all communications in writing when possible Most institutions want to work with students during this unprecedented situation, but they need to hear from you directly about your concerns.
This is really helpful advice. I'll start making these calls tomorrow. The whole situation is so stressful - my daughter got into her dream school but we have no idea if we can afford it without seeing the financial aid package. I'm worried all the good dorm options will be gone by the time we can make a decision too.
I'm still confused why they changed the whole system this year anyway? The old FAFSA worked fine for me last year...
The FAFSA Simplification Act was passed to make several improvements to the financial aid system, including reducing the number of questions from 108 to about 40, expanding Pell Grant eligibility, eliminating the sibling discount, and changing from EFC to SAI calculations. The changes are generally positive for students, but the implementation has been problematic. The new system will be better long-term, but this transition year is causing significant challenges.
I swear the Department of Education is run by CLOWNS. How do you launch a completely redesigned FAFSA system in JANUARY without basic correction functionality until MARCH?! Students are losing scholarships and housing placements because of these delays! My daughter might have to live off-campus now because on-campus housing priority required financial aid verification by March 1st. Completely UNACCEPTABLE!
UPDATE: I just talked to my daughter's financial aid office and they've been amazing! They're fully aware of the correction delay and are extending their deadline to May 1st. They also said they can process her application with the incorrect SSN for now and update it once we make the correction. Just sharing in case anyone else is in a similar situation - definitely contact your school directly!
Malik Johnson
Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I've checked my dashboard more carefully and found the specific issues I need to address (parent marital status inconsistency and some tax info that doesn't match their records). I'm definitely NOT going to submit a paper form now after hearing all your experiences. Going to upload the correct documents tonight and hopefully that resolves everything. Fingers crossed!
0 coins
Freya Thomsen
That's great you found the specific issues! One quick tip - when you upload corrected documents, take screenshots of the confirmation pages. I've had situations where documents seemingly disappeared from the system, and having proof of submission saved me a ton of headache. Good luck with your aid!
0 coins