As a newcomer to this community, I'm so thankful I found this thread! My daughter also received Federal Work Study for next year and I was completely overwhelmed trying to understand how it actually works. The financial aid materials we received were incredibly vague and left me with so many questions. Reading through everyone's experiences has been eye-opening. I had no idea that the award amount was a maximum limit rather than guaranteed money, or that FWS earnings don't count against future FAFSA applications - that's such a huge benefit that wasn't clearly explained anywhere in our paperwork! The strategic advice about starting the job search over the summer, asking specific questions about what happens when FWS funds run out, and distinguishing between true FWS positions versus regular campus employment is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm also grateful for the tip about contacting the Student Employment office separately from Financial Aid - I never would have known that resource existed. One quick question: for parents helping their kids with this process, is it appropriate for us to help with the initial research and job search, or should students handle this entirely on their own? I want to be supportive without overstepping, especially since this is part of her learning to navigate college independently. Thank you to everyone who has shared such detailed and practical guidance - this community discussion has been infinitely more helpful than any official materials we've received!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful I found this incredibly detailed discussion! My son just received his FWS award for next year ($800/semester) and I was completely lost about how it actually works until reading through everyone's experiences here. The practical insights shared have been game-changing - especially understanding that the award amount is a maximum limit rather than guaranteed tuition credit, and that FWS earnings don't impact future FAFSA applications. I had no idea about the FAFSA protection benefit, which makes these positions so much more valuable than regular student employment! Based on all the advice here, I'm planning to have my son: 1. Start researching FWS positions over the summer (not wait until orientation) 2. Contact the Student Employment office for department intel 3. Ask those two crucial interview questions about post-FWS employment policies and typical weekly hours 4. Look specifically for "Federal Work Study" positions rather than just any campus job One question I still have: given that my son is interested in engineering, are there typically FWS opportunities in technical departments like engineering labs, or do those positions tend to be funded through different sources (grants, etc.)? I'm wondering if he should focus his search on more traditional campus jobs or if technical positions might be available through FWS as well. Thank you to everyone who has shared such detailed real-world experiences - this thread has been infinitely more helpful than any official materials we received!

I'm a newcomer here but this entire thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm dealing with the exact same situation - my son's SAI came back at $31,800 on our family income of $49,200, which seemed absolutely impossible. I was honestly starting to lose hope thinking we'd never be able to make college work financially. After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm now pretty confident I made the same home value mistake. When the FAFSA asked about assets, I definitely included our primary residence (worth about $184k) because the questions really weren't clear about what should be excluded. I thought being thorough and reporting everything was the right approach! It's incredible to see how many families have successfully resolved this exact issue. The stories about SAI dropping by $20k+ once the home value gets corrected are giving me so much hope. I had no idea the primary residence was supposed to be excluded from FAFSA assets - that distinction really should have been clearer on the form. I'm submitting my correction tonight and will email his target schools first thing tomorrow to give them a heads up. Thank you all for sharing such detailed advice and encouragement - this community support has been amazing during what felt like an impossible situation. I'll definitely post an update once our corrected numbers come through!

I'm a newcomer here but this thread has been absolutely incredible to find! I'm dealing with what sounds like the exact same nightmare - my daughter's SAI came back at $29,100 on our family income of $47,600, which seemed completely unrealistic for our situation. As a working parent trying to navigate this whole college financing process, I was honestly starting to panic thinking we'd been priced out entirely. After reading through all these detailed experiences, I'm now almost certain I made the classic home value mistake that so many families have encountered. When the FAFSA asked about assets, I definitely included our primary residence (worth about $176k) because honestly, the asset questions weren't clear at all about excluding your main home. I genuinely thought I was supposed to report everything we own! It's both frustrating and incredibly reassuring to see how widespread this calculation error has become with the new FAFSA system. Frustrating that the form wasn't more explicit about these exclusions, but so reassuring to see all these successful corrections and supportive financial aid offices. The stories about SAI dropping by $20k+ once the home equity gets removed are giving me real hope that this is fixable. I'm planning to submit my correction this weekend and reach out to her target schools early next week to proactively explain the situation. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences and practical advice - this community has been such a crucial resource during what initially felt like a completely overwhelming situation. I'll definitely post an update once we get our corrected SAI back!

I'm a new parent going through this process for the first time, and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My daughter's FAFSA was just processed yesterday and we're already getting similar emails from her colleges. Reading everyone's experiences here has really put my mind at ease - it sounds like this timing lag is completely normal and something most families deal with. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about checking the studentaid.gov portal and taking screenshots for documentation. It's amazing how stressful this whole process can be when you don't know what to expect! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so reassuring to know we're not alone in dealing with these kinds of issues.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now with my daughter's applications! Her FAFSA was processed about a week ago and we're getting automated emails from three different schools saying they still need it. After reading all these responses, I feel so much better knowing this is completely normal. I had no idea there was such a significant delay between federal processing and when schools actually receive the data. I'm definitely going to log into studentaid.gov tomorrow to check which schools were sent our information and take screenshots like everyone suggested. It's such a relief to find this community - the college application process feels so overwhelming when you're doing it for the first time, but hearing from experienced parents really helps! Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and advice.

I'm brand new to this community and currently dealing with my own FAFSA correction disaster! My son submitted his application in January, but we made several major errors - incorrectly included some of my 401k information in the assets section, mixed up his W-2 income amounts, and somehow used the wrong tax year for part of the financial information. Like everyone else here, I was desperately searching for a "delete and start over" option before finding this incredibly helpful thread! Reading through all the shared experiences, especially @Evelyn Rivera's success story and the detailed systematic approach from @Arjun Patel, gives me real hope that this mess can actually be fixed. I think our biggest mistake was exactly what others have mentioned - trying to make quick corrections without proper preparation, which just created more confusion and errors. I'm definitely going to follow the proven strategy everyone has outlined: print out the blank worksheet first, gather all the correct documentation, contact our school's financial aid office directly, and set aside dedicated uninterrupted time to make all corrections systematically. @Yara Campbell's point about schools only seeing the final version is such a relief - I was worried about how all our failed correction attempts would look! And @Daniel Price's screenshot tip is brilliant - we actually experienced that exact system timeout issue. Thank you all for creating such a supportive community with real practical solutions. It's amazing how much less overwhelming this feels knowing there are proven methods that actually work, even when the FAFSA system seems designed to drive families crazy!

I'm new to this community and currently going through my own FAFSA correction nightmare with my daughter's application! We made several errors including incorrectly reporting some scholarship money as income and mixing up asset values from different account statements. Like so many others here, I was desperately hoping to find a way to just delete everything and start fresh. This entire thread has been absolutely incredible - thank you to everyone who shared their experiences! @Evelyn Rivera, your success story gives me so much hope, and @Arjun Patel, your systematic approach is exactly the roadmap I needed to see. I think we made the same mistake many others did - trying to rush through corrections without proper organization. I'm definitely going to follow the proven strategy outlined here: print out the blank worksheet first, gather ALL correct documentation, contact our school's financial aid office directly, and set aside dedicated time to make all corrections systematically. @Yara Campbell's point about schools only seeing the final version is such a huge relief, and @Daniel Price's screenshot tip is brilliant - we've already lost progress once due to system timeouts! It's so reassuring to find a community where people share actual solutions instead of just complaining about the broken system. Thank you all for proving that even when the FAFSA seems impossible, there are proven methods that actually work with patience and the right approach!

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm currently in my second year dealing with FAFSA corrections (transferred schools last year so had to go through this twice), and I wish I had found resources like this community earlier. One additional tip I'd share - if you're working with multiple schools during the correction process, create a simple spreadsheet to track which corrections you've made, when you submitted them, and which schools have been notified. It really helps keep everything organized when you're juggling deadlines and following up with different financial aid offices. Also, some schools have online portals where you can submit documentation about pending corrections, which can be faster than email. The FAFSA system definitely has its issues, but seeing how everyone here has found solutions gives me hope that they'll hopefully streamline the process for future years!

As a new member here, I have to say this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm just starting my FAFSA journey for 2025-26 and had no idea the correction process could be so complex. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me such valuable insights - from the one-correction-at-a-time limitation to all the workarounds like contacting financial aid offices directly and using Claimyr to avoid those brutal hold times. I'm definitely going to bookmark this thread and implement the prevention strategies everyone mentioned (triple-checking before submission, having all documents ready, creating that spreadsheet Eduardo suggested). It's really reassuring to see how this community comes together to help each other navigate these bureaucratic challenges. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - you're helping so many people avoid the stress and delays that come with FAFSA mistakes!