Those are good stats! Look for public universities in neighboring states that might be trying to boost enrollment or improve their academic profile. Many have specific scholarships for out-of-state students with GPAs above 3.5 and SATs in her range. Check their financial aid websites for

Thank you so much! This gives us a whole new direction to explore. I appreciate the detailed advice.

This is a known issue with the new studentaid.gov platform. I work in a university financial aid office, and we've been seeing this problem frequently. The technical explanation is that there's a synchronization issue between the FSA ID database and the main FAFSA database after the simplified FAFSA rollout. Important: DO NOT create multiple FSA IDs as some have suggested. This can cause more problems with your account and could potentially flag your application for verification. The fastest solution is to speak with an FSA agent who can manually reset the database connection for your account. If you're up against a verification deadline, make sure to ask the agent to note this in your file. They can add an extension code that will give you additional time for document submission while this technical issue is resolved.

Update: Finally got through to FSA! I used the Claimyr service someone recommended above and got a callback within 30 minutes. The agent confirmed there's a system-wide issue affecting parent/contributor access, especially for accounts that have gone through verification. The fix was that they had to clear some kind of "authentication flag" on our account and then had us do one more password reset while they monitored the system. We're back in now and can access everything! They also added a 14-day extension to our verification deadline because of the technical issues. Thanks everyone for your help! If anyone else runs into this, definitely ask about the authentication flag and request an extension if you're close to a deadline.

did u try using a different browser? worked for me when chrome kept locking me out

UPDATE: Finally got in!!! What worked was a combination of things: 1. Used Firefox instead of Chrome (thanks @casual_browser!) 2. Cleared ALL cookies and history 3. Used the Forgot Username option as suggested 4. Called FSA using the Claimyr service someone mentioned - actually got through to a person who manually removed the security lock while I was on the phone with them The Parent PLUS application is now DONE and submitted! They said the approval should come through in 3-5 business days. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help!

can i ask a related question? does adding schools later through a correction put u at a disadvantage for aid compared to including them in the original submission? heard this from a friend but sounds like a myth to me

UPDATE: I got it figured out! For anyone with a similar issue: 1. I had to use a different device to see the "Make FAFSA Correction" option 2. Went through all sections (they were saved!) and completed the missing school selection 3. Properly submitted the form 4. Got my confirmation page and now it shows an actual SAI score Thanks everyone for your help! The studentaid.gov interface is definitely confusing this year with all the changes they made to the form.

An update on timing since you asked: verification usually takes 2-4 weeks once all documents are submitted, but it can be longer during peak periods (which we're in right now). If your daughter needs to make decisions by May 1st, I recommend submitting everything within the next week if possible. Also, you can request a preliminary aid package from schools explaining that you're in verification - most schools will provide an estimate based on your current SAI with a note that it may change.

this whole system is ridiculous. my brother got flagged for verification too and it turns out they had his ssn wrong the whole time. wasted months and almost missed enrollment deadline. good luck!