Can FAFSA professional judgment be requested with multiple siblings in college? Effects on SAI?
We're in a tight spot financially with 3 kids in college at the same time next year. Our FAFSA SAI came back WAY higher than expected ($28,500) even though we're stretched super thin. Someone mentioned 'professional judgment' could help when multiple kids are in college simultaneously, but the 2024-2025 FAFSA doesn't seem to consider this anymore? Has anyone successfully requested professional judgment for multiple students in college? What documents did you need to provide? Did it actually lower your SAI enough to matter?
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Melissa Lin
YES!! Professional judgment saved us about $7,000 per kid last year. The new FAFSA doesn't automatically adjust for multiple students anymore, but financial aid offices still can through professional judgment. Each school has different processes though. For my twins, I had to submit: - Letter explaining our situation - Copy of tuition bills for both kids - Monthly budget showing the impossible math - Latest pay stubs It took about 3 weeks but was 100% worth it. Start with the more expensive school first, then use that adjustment to help with the others.
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Effie Alexander
•That's really helpful! Did you have to submit the request to each school separately or did they share the information?
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Lydia Santiago
They got rid of the sibling discount in the new formula!!!! This is EXACTLY why the new FAFSA is a DISASTER for middle class families. My sister-in-law works in financial aid and said they're completely overwhelmed with professional judgment requests this year. The government just wants us all in debt!!!!
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Romeo Quest
•While it's true the automatic sibling adjustment was removed, professional judgment remains an option specifically designed for these situations. The process isn't a conspiracy - it's just more manual now. Many schools are prioritizing multiple-student families for professional judgment reviews.
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Val Rossi
i think u need to ask each school separately? my cousin did this last yr for her 2 kids at different colleges. one school gave more $ than the other one did. kinda depends on who reviews ur case i guess
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Effie Alexander
•That's what I was worried about - the inconsistency between schools. I guess we'll have to apply at each one separately. Thanks for sharing your cousin's experience!
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Eve Freeman
Financial aid counselor here. You absolutely can and should request professional judgment for multiple students in college. While the FAFSA formula no longer automatically adjusts for this, colleges recognize this hardship. For professional judgment requests regarding multiple children in college, provide: 1. A formal letter explaining your situation 2. Enrollment verification for each student 3. All tuition bills/financial aid offers 4. Documentation of any special circumstances (medical bills, job loss, etc.) 5. Updated income information if different from tax returns Be aware that each institution handles these differently. Some may adjust your SAI directly, while others might increase grant aid without changing the actual SAI. I recommend contacting each school's financial aid office individually.
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Clarissa Flair
•My niece has twins in college and one school wanted their birth certificates as proof they were actually siblings lol. Is that normal or just that school being weird?
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Eve Freeman
•That's uncommon but not unheard of. Some schools have unfortunately encountered fraudulent sibling claims, so a few have implemented verification steps. Most schools simply cross-reference the students' FAFSA information, which includes parent information that would confirm the sibling relationship.
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Caden Turner
When I tried calling the financial aid office about professional judgment, I was on hold for TWO HOURS before getting disconnected. Then tried again the next day and same thing happened. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to a human being at these places?
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Melissa Lin
•Try using Claimyr.com - it worked amazingly for me when I couldn't get through to the Federal Student Aid helpline. They wait on hold for you and call when a real person answers. Saved me hours of frustration! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ
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Effie Alexander
I just got off the phone with our most expensive school's financial aid office. They said they're prioritizing professional judgment cases for families with multiple students because they know the new FAFSA isn't accounting for it. I'm feeling a bit more hopeful now. Going to start gathering all our documents this weekend!
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Eve Freeman
•That's excellent news! One strategic tip: make sure the professional judgment form or letter is specific about requesting adjustment for multiple students in college. Some schools have specific forms for this situation, while others use a general special circumstances form. Always follow up within 2 weeks if you haven't heard anything.
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Lydia Santiago
•Good luck but don't get your hopes up. My brother tried this and only got a tiny adjustment that barely helped. The whole system is rigged against families trying to put kids through college!
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Clarissa Flair
wait im confused, I thought the sibling thing was still part of FAFSA? Are they changing it for 2025-2026 or did it already change? My daughter's going to college next fall and her brother will be a junior...
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Romeo Quest
•The multiple student adjustment was removed starting with the 2024-2025 FAFSA that became available in December 2023. Previously, the EFC (now called SAI) was automatically divided by the number of college students in the household. That automatic adjustment no longer exists, but schools can still make manual adjustments through professional judgment.
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Clarissa Flair
•Oh no! I didn't realize that changed already! We're going to be in trouble then... thank you for explaining!
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Amelia Martinez
I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Just wanted to add that when you're gathering documents for professional judgment, make sure to include a clear breakdown of your total college costs across all three kids. I created a simple spreadsheet showing tuition, room & board, and other expenses for each child, then totaled it against our income. It really helps the financial aid officers visualize the impossible math we're facing. Also, don't forget to mention if any of your kids are at different types of schools (public vs private) since that can affect how they view the request. Fingers crossed for all of us dealing with this!
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Brianna Muhammad
•This is such great advice about the spreadsheet! I hadn't thought about breaking it down that way but it makes total sense - seeing the numbers laid out like that would definitely help them understand the full picture. Two of our kids are at state schools and one is at a private college, so I'll make sure to highlight that difference. Thank you for sharing your approach, it's really helpful to hear from someone going through the same thing!
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