Different SAI scores for my triplets on FAFSA - what does 16,000-17,000 SAI mean for aid eligibility?

Same thing happened with my twins!!! Different SAI scores even tho its the EXACT same financial info for both. The financial aid system is BROKEN. One of mine got 14,850 and the other was like 15,300. Makes absolutely no sense. I called them 15 times and kept getting disconnected or stuck on hold forever.

The difference in SAI scores likely comes from small variations in how your children answered other questions on their FAFSA applications. Even identical financial information can result in different SAIs based on other factors. With SAIs of 16,000-17,000, your triplets may not qualify for Pell Grants (which typically require an SAI under 6,000), but they could still be eligible for: 1. Federal Direct Student Loans (both subsidized and unsubsidized) 2. Work-study programs at many schools 3. Institutional aid from the colleges themselves Also, having multiple dependents in college simultaneously should lower each student's SAI. On the 2025-2026 FAFSA, this is handled differently than in previous years, but it's still considered in the calculation.

my kid got an SAI of 19000 and still got some money from the state university so don't panic yet. different schools have different cutoffs for their own scholarships and stuff. call the financial aid offices at the schools they applied to.

I had this issue when I tried getting through to FAFSA for my kids last year too! After failing to get anyone for days, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a Federal Student Aid agent without the endless wait. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. The agent explained that sometimes even slight differences in how questions are answered can cause different SAIs, and they helped me understand what my kids qualified for with similar SAIs to yours.

Financial aid specialist here. The small difference between your triplets' SAI scores may be due to slight variations in how each child completed their portion of the FAFSA. The new 2025-2026 FAFSA calculation handles multiple children differently than the old EFC system. With SAIs in the 16,000-17,000 range, here's what your triplets likely qualify for: 1. Direct Unsubsidized Loans ($5,500-$7,500 per year depending on year in school) 2. Some Direct Subsidized Loans may be available 3. Federal Work-Study (varies by institution) 4. Parent PLUS loans (up to cost of attendance minus other aid) 5. Institutional aid and merit scholarships (varies widely) Your best next step is to wait for all three SAIs, then contact each school's financial aid office directly. Many schools have their own institutional aid that isn't tied to the federal SAI cutoffs. Having multiple students in college simultaneously often qualifies families for additional consideration.

A small difference in SAI can happen for a million reasons! My twins had a $900 difference and we eventually figured out it was because one of them put a different answer on the scholarship search permission question (which shouldn't affect SAI at all!) and one also had a tiny bit of income from a summer job. Definitely contact each school, because even with SAIs of 16-17k they might get institutional scholarships. The FAFSA is just one part of the puzzle!!!!

U might wanna double check that they all put the same number of ppl in the household. My kids accidentally put different numbers and it caused different SAIs. Also check if maybe one filled out something about having their own income or assets that the others didn't. If there's a big enough difference might be worth asking for a professional judgement review from the schools.

To answer your follow-up question - yes, you should contact each school's financial aid office directly about your triplets. The newer FAFSA doesn't automatically adjust for multiple students in college the way the old formula did. Many schools have their own forms or processes for considering this situation, often called a "special circumstances" or "professional judgment" review. Each school will handle this differently, so reaching out to each one individually is crucial. Have documentation ready showing that all three are enrolled. This could significantly impact their final aid packages, especially at private institutions that have more flexibility with their institutional funds.

The whole system is rigged anyway. My friend's kid got a waaaaay lower SAI than mine with basically the same financial situation. Literally the only difference is they own their house and we rent!! FAFSA is SO UNFAIR to the middle class!!

My daughter got an SAI of 15000 last year and still qualified for $7500 in federal loans plus got a decent merit scholarship from her school. Don't just look at the FAFSA results - apply for every private scholarship you can find too!

Don't lose hope! I went through something similar with my twins a few years back. Even with SAIs around 16-17k, they both ended up with decent aid packages. Here's what I learned: 1. The small differences in SAI could be from tiny variations in how they answered questions - even things like student income from part-time jobs can affect it 2. Federal loans are still available at those SAI levels (both subsidized and unsubsidized) 3. Many schools have their own institutional aid that kicks in regardless of SAI 4. Having triplets in college simultaneously should help - make sure each school knows about this! My advice: Wait for that third SAI, then contact each school's financial aid office directly. Mention you have triplets all attending college and ask about their process for multiple children. Some schools have special consideration forms for this exact situation. Also, don't forget to apply for outside scholarships - there are tons out there that aren't tied to SAI at all. The FAFSA is just the starting point, not the end of the road!