Confused about negative SAI (-1079) with Pell Grant eligibility - is this all we get?

Actually, this is GOOD news! A negative SAI (Student Aid Index) means your daughter has high financial need. The -1079 is extremely low (technically they don't go below -1500). The Pell Grant is just the federal grant portion - each school will use this SAI number to determine their own institutional aid package, which could include grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans. So no, the Pell Grant isn't all you'll get.

the savings account def reduced ur aid tho. student assets count at like 20% against u while parent assets only count at like 5%. its dumb but thats how it works. shoulda kept it in ur name or spent it on something she needed before filing :/

To provide some clarity here: The -1079 SAI (Student Aid Index) is actually quite favorable and indicates high financial need. The Pell Grant ($7,395) is just one part of potential aid. Each college will develop their own financial aid package based on your SAI. Regarding the savings account - yes, student assets are assessed at 20% while parent assets are assessed at a maximum of 5.64%. However, with your income level, your daughter still qualified for maximum Pell, so the impact wasn't catastrophic. Next steps: 1. Wait for financial aid award letters from each school 2. Compare the packages (they'll likely include institutional grants, work-study, and loans) 3. Appeal if you feel the offers don't adequately address your financial situation

I went thru this last yr with my son. The negative SAI is good! What was TERRIBLE was trying to reach anyone at Federal Student Aid when we had questions. I spent DAYS trying to get through on their phone lines. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a FAFSA agent in under 20 minutes when I'd been trying for literally weeks. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ But yeah, the Pell Grant is just federal money. Each school will offer different aid packages beyond that. My son got WAY different offers from different schools - some were generous, others barely offered anything beyond the Pell.

ur so lucky!! my daughter got an SAI of 3500 and we got NOTHING. no pell grant, barely any aid at all. and i only make 65k with 2 other kids. the whole system is rigged against middle class families i swear

My daughter had a similar SAI last year and ended up getting pretty decent aid packages from most schools. Some things to know: 1. Private schools often have more institutional money to give (despite higher sticker prices) 2. State schools may offer less additional aid beyond the Pell 3. Some schools require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA (more paperwork but worth it) 4. WAIT FOR ALL OFFERS before deciding - they can vary by $20K+ per year between schools Don't stress about the savings account too much. At that income level, you still qualified for maximum Pell. The system is weird but you're in a good position.

The CSS Profile is College Board's supplemental financial aid application that many private schools require. It's more detailed than FAFSA and considers factors FAFSA doesn't. Check if her dream school requires it - if they do, it's not too late but do it ASAP through the College Board website. Most schools have priority deadlines but will still accept it afterward (though early applicants may get more aid).

When my son was applying, I was SHOCKED at how different the final costs were between schools. His SAI was around -900 (similar to your daughter's). One state school offered basically just the Pell Grant and federal loans, bringing the cost to about $17K/year. A private college that initially seemed way more expensive ($68K sticker price!) ended up costing us only $11K/year after their institutional grants. WAIT FOR ALL THE FINANCIAL AID LETTERS before making decisions!!!

To address your question about receiving award letters - most schools send them out between February and April. Some will send them shortly after acceptance, while others batch process them. If your daughter was accepted but hasn't received financial aid info yet, it's perfectly fine to contact the financial aid office and ask about their timeline. They can also tell you if they're missing any documents from you.

Hey Malik! Just wanted to add some reassurance - you're actually in a really good position with that negative SAI! I'm a financial aid counselor and see this all the time. That -1079 puts your daughter in the highest need category, which means schools will prioritize her for their best aid packages. A few quick tips: - Don't panic about the savings account impact - at your income level, it likely only reduced your Pell by a few hundred dollars max - Schools typically release aid packages 2-4 weeks after acceptance letters - If you get a lowball offer from a school she really wants to attend, you can always appeal with documentation of your circumstances The fact that you're being so proactive about understanding this process shows you're doing everything right. Your daughter is going to have good options!

Don't worry, you're definitely not alone in feeling confused by this process! I went through the same panic last year with my son. That negative SAI is actually fantastic news - it means your daughter will be prioritized for need-based aid at every school she applied to. One thing I learned the hard way: make sure you respond quickly to any requests for additional documentation from the schools' financial aid offices. Some schools wanted tax transcripts, verification worksheets, or other forms even though we'd already submitted FAFSA. The faster you get those back to them, the sooner you'll get your aid packages. Also, don't be afraid to negotiate! If one school offers significantly more aid than another, you can contact the financial aid office of your daughter's preferred school and ask them to reconsider their offer. Many schools will match or come close to matching better offers from comparable institutions. You're doing great advocating for your daughter - that negative SAI is going to open doors for her!