my son and i had to do the fafsa thing 3 times before it worked right lol. the new system is so confusing compared to last year!! but we finally got it working when we both made separate accounts. good luck!!!

UPDATE: I called the Federal Student Aid number this morning using that Claimyr service someone mentioned (which actually worked!). The agent confirmed I need to have my incorrect FSA ID deactivated before creating a new parent one. She took care of it on the spot and said I can create the new parent ID tomorrow (there's a 24-hour waiting period). Then my daughter needs to create her own student ID, and she'll start the application and add me as a contributor. Thanks everyone for the help - would have been completely lost without your advice!

Wait are we supposed to be filling out for 2025-2026 already? I thought we were still doing 2024-2025??

Quick update for everyone on this thread: Federal Student Aid just announced on their Twitter account yesterday that they've identified the parent signature bug and are rolling out a fix this week. They recommend NOT creating a new application, but instead waiting for the fix. If your deadline is imminent, they suggest having your school financial aid office submit a case number through their professional portal. This should prioritize your application.

I went through this exact situation 2 years ago when my overtime pushed us above the Pell threshold. The most successful approach for us was completing BOTH: 1. A special circumstances appeal with the financial aid office (got $1500 in university grants) 2. Applications to external nursing organizations like the American Association of Colleges of Nursing scholarship program Also, look into whether your state has a nursing shortage initiative - many states provide forgivable loans (effectively grants) if your daughter commits to working in that state for 1-2 years after graduation. Our daughter got $5000/year this way.

One option nobody's mentioned yet is the AmeriCorps Education Award. If your daughter can fit in a summer service program with AmeriCorps (many have healthcare placements), she could earn around $6,495 towards her education costs. It's not technically a grant, but functions similarly. Also, make sure to check your daughter's specific subsection of nursing for specialized grants. Pediatric nursing, geriatric care, and mental health nursing all have separate grant foundations that many students don't know about.

Have you considered whether accelerating graduation is actually worth it financially? Sometimes taking an extra semester with full financial aid coverage is cheaper than paying for summer classes out-of-pocket or with loans. Calculate the difference between: 1. Cost of summer classes + potential loan interest 2. Income you'd earn by graduating early 3. Cost of an extra fall/spring semester (which would be covered by your full aid package) Many students assume graduating early always saves money, but that's not always true when full aid is involved.

Another option worth exploring: some schools allow you to take summer classes at a community college and transfer the credits. Community colleges are typically much cheaper, and some have their own summer aid programs. Just make sure the credits will transfer to your degree program by checking with your academic advisor first.

my kid got private loans from our credit union!! the rates were waaaaay better than the big banks. like 3% better! definitely check local credit unions if you belong to one

Don't give up on your FAFSA yet! My daughter's application was stuck in verification for over 2 months too. I finally got through to someone at Federal Student Aid and they resolved it in a single phone call. The issue was just a small discrepancy between our tax return and what we entered on the FAFSA. Keep trying the Federal Student Aid phone line at different times of day. Early morning (right when they open) or late afternoon (an hour before closing) sometimes has shorter wait times.