my SAI is -3400 and im getting the maximum pell grant so ur advisor is absolutely full of 💩 lol. doesnt matter if ur online or not. but yeah verification is normal, they made me do it too. super annoying but i just sent all my tax docs and they approved it pretty quick. the waiting is the worst part!!!

One thing to remember: ensure you're enrolled full-time (typically 12+ credit hours per term) to receive the maximum Pell Grant. If you're enrolled part-time, you'll receive a prorated amount: - Full-time (12+ credits): 100% of eligible Pell - Three-quarter time (9-11 credits): 75% of eligible Pell - Half-time (6-8 credits): 50% of eligible Pell - Less than half-time (1-5 credits): 25% of eligible Pell (in most cases) Since you mentioned being an online student, double-check that you're registered for enough credits to qualify for the full amount. Even with a negative SAI, your award will be reduced if you're taking fewer than 12 credits per term.

Just to clarify some misinformation in this thread: The Beta FAFSA deadline from schools is NOT the same as the federal FAFSA deadline. Beta access is just early access to the 2025-2026 FAFSA form. If you can't get in through Beta, you can still complete the regular FAFSA when it opens fully, and you won't be penalized for financial aid eligibility. However, some schools use Beta participation for their internal priority deadlines, so do email your financial aid office to document your attempt and ask about any potential impact on school-specific aid.

UPDATE: Success! I finally got in using Microsoft Edge at 4:45 AM (couldn't sleep anyway from stressing about this). For anyone else having this issue, try super early morning hours with Edge browser, no extensions active. Email from the financial aid office confirmed they're extending the Beta deadline by 5 days due to widespread technical issues. Thank you everyone for your help!

let him live on campus its SO WORTH IT!!!! my kid tried commuting from home for first semester to save $ and it was awful, he missed out on making friends and felt disconnected. when he moved to dorms second semester his whole college experience improved! your only a few minutes away which is perfect - close enough if he needs something but far enough for independence lol

To directly answer your questions: 1. Regarding the SAI of -1235: This qualifies your son for significant federal aid, likely including the full Pell Grant (currently $7,395 for 2025-2026). A negative SAI indicates high financial need. 2. For the New Century Skills scholarship: You need to verify two things: - Whether your state's program allows funds to be used for non-tuition expenses - Whether the community college has any policies about "scholarship stacking" 3. For using financial aid for housing: Federal aid (including Pell Grants) can absolutely be used for any component of the official cost of attendance, including housing. Since his tuition is covered by the band scholarship, his Pell Grant can go directly to housing, books, etc. One important note: Make sure your son completes the housing application ASAP. Many community colleges have limited on-campus housing that fills quickly. Don't wait for the financial aid package to be finalized before securing his spot in the dorms.

Wait I'm confused... I thought with the new FAFSA simplification for 2025-2026 they changed how they calculate the student aid index or something? Don't they only count the household income where the student lives now? Or am I thinking of something totally different

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I called the financial aid office at my son's university this morning and specifically asked about both the Professional Judgment Review and the non-custodial parent waiver. They're sending me forms for both processes. They explained that for federal aid (through FAFSA), we technically only need my information as the custodial parent. But for their institutional scholarships and grants, they normally want both parents' information via CSS Profile. However, they do have a waiver process for my situation. I need to provide: court documentation from our divorce, my tax returns showing I've claimed him as dependent, and documentation showing I've paid his university bills. They also suggested getting a letter from our family therapist who's aware of the situation with his father. I feel much more hopeful now! Will update when we get a decision. Thanks again for all your help!

Update: I called my top 2 schools today. First one said they received my FAFSA but I was selected for random verification 😭 and they need tax transcripts from my parents. Second school said they're still processing aid packages and should send mine out next week. I also used that Claimyr service to reach FSA and the agent confirmed my FAFSA is complete and properly processed on their end - the delay is just on the college side. Guess I need to get those verification documents together ASAP. Thanks everyone for your help!

Glad you got some answers! For the verification, here's a tip: use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if possible instead of sending tax transcripts. It's faster and automatically verifies the information. If that's not an option, request the tax transcripts directly from IRS.gov rather than sending copies of returns - schools prefer official transcripts. And don't be afraid to follow up with the financial aid offices weekly. It keeps your file on their radar, especially during busy season.