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THIS IS WHY THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE!!! SAI means STUDENT AID INDEX and is supposed to show what you can pay but then they ignore it completely!! They know EXACTLY what you can afford (-1500 means you can pay NOTHING) and then leave a $20k gap anyway?? I've been through this with 3 kids now and it's gotten worse each time. The financial aid system is completely broken. Negative SAI should mean FULL COVERAGE of costs, period.
That's exactly what I thought too! Why even calculate an SAI if they're going to ignore what it says about what we can afford? It feels intentionally misleading.
After reading through all the comments, I'd suggest taking these specific steps: 1. Have your son accept the current aid package to hold his spot but don't pay any deposits yet 2. File a Special Circumstances form (different from regular appeal) documenting your fixed income situation 3. Contact your state's Vocational Rehabilitation Services about funding for ASL interpreter training 4. Look for program-specific scholarships from organizations like RID and NAD (National Association of the Deaf) 5. Consider having your son take the minimum federal loans ($5,500) to reduce the gap Despite the frustrating system, there are ways to piece together funding, especially for specialized programs like ASL interpretation that address critical workforce shortages.
This is really helpful, thank you. I've started researching the vocational rehabilitation option and we have an appointment next week. I'll also look into the Special Circumstances form. He's willing to take the student loans, but even with that, we'd still need to find another $15k somehow.
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Update: I finally got through to the financial aid office today. They explained that their institutional funds were depleted by the time they processed our application, even though we submitted everything by the priority deadline. Apparently they process in batches and we were in a later batch despite submitting early. They agreed to review our package and put us on a waiting list in case additional funds become available. They also suggested appealing based on the fact that we have another child starting college next year, which wasn't captured in this year's FAFSA. Regarding loans, I'm leaning toward the Parent PLUS for the federal protections, but I'll compare rates with a few private options first. Thank you all for your advice - it really helped me approach this conversation prepared!
That's great you got through! The "processed in batches" explanation is unfortunately common but rarely disclosed upfront. Definitely submit that appeal about your second child - that's exactly the kind of situation that can result in additional aid. Keep us posted on how it goes!
wait i'm confused about something... doesn't the FAFSA already tell schools what your SAI is? how can they estimate one amount then give you something completely different if they're using the same formula? something doesn't add up here
Good question! The FAFSA calculates your SAI (Student Aid Index), but schools have their own institutional methodology for allocating their non-federal aid. Many schools, especially private ones, use a formula that differs from the federal formula, often considering assets the FAFSA doesn't count or weighing factors differently. Additionally, most schools don't have enough institutional funds to meet 100% of demonstrated need for all admitted students, so they prioritize certain students (high academic achievers, underrepresented populations, early applicants, etc.) when allocating their limited institutional grants and scholarships.
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Update: I just checked the studentaid.gov help center, and they added a new guide specifically for this issue. If you're on the signature page but need to go back: 1. Click on the three-line menu icon in the top corner 2. Select "Return to FAFSA form" 3. This will take you back to the section-by-section view 4. Complete any missing sections 5. Then return to the signature process Hope this helps! The redesigned system is definitely creating confusion for many applicants this year.
Thank you for the update! I'll try these exact steps tonight. Really appreciate everyone's help with this frustrating situation!
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Just to clarify an important point - once your FAFSA is processed, what you'll see is your SAI (Student Aid Index), which replaced the old EFC. This is just a number that schools use to determine your aid eligibility. A lower SAI means you're eligible for more need-based aid. Don't panic if your SAI seems high - each school has different formulas for awarding aid, and you might still qualify for merit scholarships, work-study, and federal loans regardless of your SAI. The schools will put together financial aid packages based on their own budgets and your information.
Thank you for explaining this! I was so confused about what happens after processing. Once I get my SAI, how long does it typically take for schools to send their aid packages?
It varies by school, but typically anywhere from 2-6 weeks after they receive your FAFSA information. Some schools are faster than others. You can always contact your schools' financial aid offices directly to check on the status once your FAFSA shows as processed.
Update us when your status changes! I'm curious how long it ends up taking with the new FAFSA system. My sister is applying next month, so I'm trying to gather real experiences to set her expectations.
Just checked this morning and it FINALLY changed to "Form Processed"! So it took exactly 7 days from submission to processing. Now waiting to see my SAI and hear from schools. Tell your sister to be patient - it definitely takes longer than they say on the website!
Lauren Johnson
no you just link the new ID to your social security number and it connects to your existing application at least thats what happened for my brother
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Jade Santiago
•I would strongly advise against creating a new FSA ID in this situation. This can create serious verification problems and potentially flag your application for fraud review, which would delay processing by 6-8 weeks. The issue is with the signature system, not your FSA ID. Creating multiple IDs tied to the same SSN often triggers automated security protocols.
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Caleb Stone
Update on my earlier comment - I just checked the FSA Twitter account and they posted that the signature issue should be resolved by tomorrow morning. They're doing server maintenance tonight between 11pm-3am Eastern Time. Might be worth waiting until tomorrow afternoon before trying again.
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Ella Knight
•That's great news! I'll hold off until tomorrow afternoon then. Thanks for the update!
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