Update from my earlier comment: Are you comparing the 2024-2025 awards with 2025-2026? Remember the new FAFSA simplification changed how aid is calculated. Many schools are still adapting their systems to the new SAI formula (which replaced EFC). This might also explain why your school is taking longer to process awards this year compared to last year.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My FAFSA was processed weeks ago but my school portal still shows that message. It's so stressful when you're trying to plan for next year. Reading through all these responses is really reassuring though - sounds like it's just a waiting game. I'm definitely going to check my to-do list and maybe give them a call next week if nothing changes. Good luck with your housing decisions!

Welcome to the community! I see you're getting some great advice here already. As someone who works in student financial aid, I'd also suggest checking if your previous school offers any kind of "fresh start" or amnesty program - some schools will temporarily waive past balances to help students re-enroll, especially if you've been out for several years. It's worth calling their student accounts office to ask. Also, when you do check studentaid.gov, pay attention to your remaining eligibility percentages for Pell grants and loan limits - you'll want to know how much aid you have left to work with. The fact that you're in a better place mentally and financially now is huge, and it sounds like you're approaching this methodically which is exactly the right way to do it!

Hey there! I'm new to this community but I'm in a very similar situation - took a break from college about 6 years ago and now trying to figure out how to get back. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I had no idea about the difference between default and regular repayment status, or that there were state programs for returning students. It's really encouraging to see so many success stories from people who've made it through this process. I'm definitely going to start with checking studentaid.gov like everyone suggests. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed advice - this community seems amazing for navigating these complicated financial aid situations!

One more critical thing - if your divorce isn't finalized yet but you're legally separated, you may still qualify for the adjustment. Each school handles this differently. Some will adjust based on a legal separation, while others require a final divorce decree. Also, timing matters for future years. If your divorce is finalized before you submit next year's FAFSA, you'll only need to include the custodial parent's information on the form from the start - no special appeal needed.

I just wanted to add that you should also ask the financial aid office about the timeline for when any additional aid would be disbursed. In my experience with a special circumstances appeal, the school was able to retroactively apply the additional aid to cover charges that had already been billed for the semester. Also, don't be discouraged if the first person you talk to at the financial aid office seems hesitant - sometimes you need to speak with a supervisor or the financial aid director who has more authority to make these adjustments. Be persistent but polite, and make sure you have all your documentation organized before you call. Good luck with everything! Divorce is stressful enough without worrying about college costs on top of it.

Has anyone actually SEEN their student's SAI score for grad school??? My daughter submitted her grad FAFSA 3 weeks ago and we can't figure out where to view her SAI calculation. The website looks completely different for grad students and we're LOST!

Congratulations on your daughter's acceptance! This is such an exciting milestone. I went through this exact same situation with my son two years ago and had all the same questions. The responses here are spot-on - graduate students are automatically independent, so no more parent financial info needed! One additional tip: have her submit her FAFSA early in the process (like right now for 2025-2026) even before she's fully enrolled. Some schools have limited work-study funds that get allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Also, if her program has any graduate assistantships or teaching positions available, those often come with tuition waivers or significant reductions that can be way more valuable than loans. Best of luck to her!

btw make sure ur filling out CSS for schools that actually need it!! we wasted $25 submitting to a school that only needed FAFSA, such a waste of $$$

Just wanted to jump in as someone who completed this process last year with my daughter. The CSS Profile setup is definitely much simpler than FAFSA when it comes to accounts! Your son uses his existing College Board account to start the application, and when he gets to the parent section, he can invite you via email to complete your portion. You'll create a basic parent login (just username/password) through that invitation link - it's not a full College Board account and takes maybe 2 minutes to set up. One tip: gather all your financial documents beforehand because CSS asks for WAY more detail than FAFSA - they want info on home equity, medical expenses, retirement accounts, etc. Also double-check which of your son's schools actually require CSS before submitting, since there's a fee for each school after the first one. Most public universities only need FAFSA, while private colleges typically require both. Good luck!