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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Make sure both you and your daughter use different email addresses and different phone numbers when creating FSA IDs. The system gets extremely confused if there's any overlap. Also, have all your tax documents ready before starting - the process goes much smoother when you can directly transfer tax information using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool rather than entering everything manually.
Zara Rashid
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!
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Mateo Hernandez
•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!
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Carmen Lopez
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
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Nia Jackson
•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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