Does a 21939 SAI mean I'm getting zero FAFSA aid?

dont panic yet. SAI isnt the whole story. my SAI was around 18000 and i still got some subsidized loans and work study. no pell grant tho. depends on the cost of the school too

The 21939 SAI doesn't automatically disqualify you from all federal aid. Here's what you need to know: - Pell Grants typically go to students with SAIs under 6500, so you likely won't qualify for that - You may still be eligible for Direct Unsubsidized Loans (these aren't need-based) - Work-study and subsidized loans depend on your school's cost of attendance - Having a sibling in college is factored into your SAI calculation already Your school's cost of attendance minus your SAI equals your financial need. Higher-cost schools might still offer you institutional aid even with this SAI.

I work in a college financial aid office. With an SAI of 21939 and family income around $92k, here's what you're likely looking at: 1. No Pell Grant (cutoff is around 6500 SAI) 2. Eligible for Direct Unsubsidized Loans ($5,500-$7,500 depending on your year in school) 3. Possible subsidized loans depending on school cost 4. Institutional aid varies WIDELY by school Most important: complete the rest of your applications! Many schools have their own funds they can award regardless of your federal eligibility. And having a sibling in college is actually already factored into your SAI calculation.

not to hijack ur thread but im confused about something - i thought they dont use EFC anymore and now its SAI? is that the same thing? my older sister had EFC when she applied 2 yrs ago

I had an SAI of 23000 and still got aid! Don't give up. Your school's cost of attendance is super important here. I got unsubsidized loans ($7500), some institutional grants from my private university, and outside scholarships. My parents make around $98K with two kids in college. TIP: Apply for private scholarships like CRAZY. I got about $4500 in outside scholarships that really helped make up the difference. Check with local community foundations, your parents' employers, etc.

Just FYI, I spent HOURS trying to call the Federal Student Aid office to ask questions about my SAI calculation and couldn't get through. Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me skip the wait and got me connected to an actual human at FSA in minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent was able to explain exactly how my SAI was calculated and what options I had for appealing it. Totally worth it when you're stuck with questions the website doesn't answer.

MY SAI WAS 22,500 AND I GOT NOTHING!!!! The whole system is rigged. My parents make good money on paper but we live in an expensive area and they can't help me at all. Now I'm stuck with $30K in private loans EACH YEAR because apparently we're "too rich" for help. Watch out because even with a slightly lower SAI you might be in the same boat. I wish someone had warned me.

my cousin had an sai around 20000 and still got enough aid to go to state university but not the private one she wanted. depends on the school cost!!!

One more thing I should mention - your SAI is used for federal aid calculations, but many private colleges also require the CSS Profile, which calculates aid differently. If you're applying to private schools, make sure you complete that too (though it does cost money to submit). Some private colleges have very generous aid even with higher SAIs.

also dont forget to check if ur school does preffesional judgment reviews if u have special circumstances. my family had medical bills and job loss that wasnt on fafsa and we got our sai lowered after we showed proof

Your SAI of 21,939 definitely puts you in a challenging position, but don't give up yet! I'm in a similar situation - my family makes about $95k and my SAI came back at 20,500. Here's what I've learned so far: 1. You're right that you won't qualify for Pell Grants (cutoff is around 6,500 SAI), but you can still get unsubsidized federal loans 2. The key is applying to schools strategically - some state schools and private colleges with good endowments still offer institutional aid even with higher SAIs 3. Definitely pursue that professional judgment appeal for the medical expenses others mentioned I'm also focusing heavily on merit scholarships since need-based aid will be limited. Have you looked into your state's merit programs? Some states have automatic scholarships based on GPA/test scores regardless of income. Don't let this SAI discourage you from completing applications - you won't know what aid you can get until you try!