Just to add a bit more context - that negative SAI is definitely favorable for aid eligibility. The more negative the SAI, the more need-based aid a student typically qualifies for. Since your niece has an SAI of -1500, she'll likely qualify for the maximum Pell Grant (around $7,395 for the 2025-2026 year) plus potentially significant institutional aid depending on the schools. Once the official packages come out after March 15th, make sure she compares them carefully. Sometimes schools with higher sticker prices actually end up being more affordable after all aid is applied. And don't hesitate to contact financial aid offices if she has questions about her packages - that's what we're here for!

One more thing - tell your niece to check her state's grant deadline!! Many states have FAFSA deadlines in February or early March for state grants, which can be thousands of dollars. If she misses those deadlines she could lose out on free money even with that awesome SAI score.

Muchísimas gracias por esta información tan detallada. Me tranquiliza saber que sí están procesando las solicitudes en papel aunque tarden más. Voy a seguir sus consejos.

¡Actualización! Finalmente pude hablar con un agente de FSA (gracias a la recomendación de usar Claimyr) y confirmaron que recibieron mi aplicación en papel hace 2 semanas. Me dijeron que el tiempo de procesamiento actual es de aproximadamente 8 semanas para aplicaciones en papel, así que todavía me toca esperar. El agente me recomendó crear una cuenta en studentaid.gov de todas formas porque ahí podré ver cuando esté procesada, aunque haya aplicado en papel.\n\nGracias a todos por sus consejos y por compartir sus experiencias. Me ayudaron mucho a entender el proceso.

I almost forgot - be ready for the SAI confusion! Many immigrant families don't understand why their SAI is so high when they have low income. It's often because they're sending money to family in their home countries, which FAFSA doesn't recognize as a necessary expense. Have resources ready about appealing for professional judgment at their target colleges when the SAI doesn't reflect their actual ability to pay.

make sure to tell them what info will be asked from parents! my dad refused to provide his info for my FAFSA because he was scared of deportation and I nearly lost my chance at college. If they're really worried the students can try to apply for a dependency override but thats SUPER hard to get and just being undocumented isnt enough reason. Financial aid officers at the colleges can actually help with this sometimes if the parents refuse to participate.

not to make things worse but you should also check if ur application is stuck in verification. my son's app showed processed for like 2 months but turns out they were waiting for verification documents but never sent us a notification lol. the whole system is a mess this year

Just to clarify something important: Make sure you understand the difference between your SAI (Student Aid Index) and your FAFSA completion. Your FAFSA can show as processed/completed but that doesn't automatically mean your SAI was calculated and transmitted. When you access your Student Aid Report (SAR), you should specifically see your SAI number listed there. If the SAI is missing from your SAR, that confirms there's a technical issue that needs resolution. If the SAI is present on your SAR but schools aren't receiving it, that's a different transmission problem. Also, contact your schools' financial aid offices and ask if they can make a professional judgment decision to provide you with a preliminary aid package while this gets resolved. Many schools have processes in place for FAFSA system failures this year.

Am I the only one who thinks it's RIDICULOUS that they keep making the FAFSA more complicated every year?? Like why would they gray out a section without ANY explanation? The new FAFSA is supposed to be "simpler" but I swear they're just making it worse. My nephew had to submit his 3 different times because of glitches. The whole system needs to be scrapped and rebuilt from scratch.

Just wanted to follow up - did your son manage to add his schools? Hope everything worked out!