FAFSA 2025-26 gave us ridiculous SAI scores - anyone else getting higher numbers?

Same boat here. My daughter's SAI jumped by $6,400 from last year to this year's application, and I'm baffled. The new FAFSA formula definitely hits middle-income families harder. The weight they're giving to parent income vs. assets has shifted, and families with multiple students don't get the same break they used to. It's like they completely reformed the system without warning families who were already budgeting based on previous aid packages.

yep our sai went up like crazy too. single parent household and somehow they think i can magically pay $12k more per kid this year?? no explantion anywhere on the site about why the numbers changed

My cousin works in financial aid at a state university and said they're getting FLOODED with appeals this year because of the SAI increases. Apparently the "simplification" made things worse for a lot of middle-income families. You should definitely appeal directly with your kids' schools - don't just accept the federal calculation.

Financial aid counselor here - this is unfortunately an expected outcome of the FAFSA Simplification. Three major changes that are causing these higher SAI scores: 1. The removal of the sibling discount (multiple children in college no longer divides the family contribution) 2. Changes to the income protection allowance calculations 3. Adjustments to asset calculations and how retirement accounts are factored Your best approach is a two-pronged strategy: 1. File a special circumstances appeal with EACH school's financial aid office (not with FAFSA directly). Each school handles these independently. 2. Ask specifically about institutional aid options to offset the federal formula changes. Many schools anticipated this issue and have set aside additional institutional funds to help families caught in this transition.

Do both - reference that you understand the policy change (particularly the elimination of the multiple-student benefit) has affected your family, but focus on the practical reality that your family cannot absorb a sudden $16,000 increase in college costs ($8,000 × 2 students). Schools are very aware of this issue - it's affecting thousands of families.

I was absolutely LIVID when I saw our SAI this year. Called FSA like 20 times and couldn't get a human. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual FSA representative in under 15 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. The rep confirmed what others here are saying - it's the new formula, not an error. Total garbage policy change, but at least I got an explanation. Now I'm working with the schools on appealing.

I've been helping families navigate FAFSA for over a decade, and this year's changes are some of the most significant I've seen. Beyond the appeals process (which you should absolutely pursue), consider these additional steps: 1. Look into private scholarships - many deadlines are still open for 2025-26 2. Check if your state has grant programs with different formulas than the federal SAI 3. Explore whether either student qualifies for departmental scholarships at their schools 4. Consider if a Parent PLUS loan would be manageable as a gap measure Also, when appealing, bring specific documentation of any unusual expenses - medical costs, care for elderly parents, significant home repairs, etc. These can strengthen your case for additional institutional aid.

Most schools were aware this was coming and prepared additional institutional aid funds specifically for families caught in this transition. Success rates vary by institution, but I've seen about 60-70% of appeals getting some additional assistance, especially for returning students who had established aid packages under the old formula. STEM departments often have restricted scholarships that aren't widely advertised, so definitely have your students speak directly with their department advisors or chairs.

This is actually part of a broader shift in federal financial aid policy. The intent was to simplify the formula, but the elimination of the sibling discount is particularly painful. For the long term, you might want to contact your congressional representatives. There's already growing pressure to address this specific issue, but it would require legislative action to fix.

Thanks everyone for the advice and commiseration. I've scheduled meetings with both financial aid offices for next week and started researching departmental scholarships. I'll definitely look into Claimyr to get some clarification directly from FSA as well. It helps to know we're not alone in this struggle, even though it's cold comfort given the financial reality we're all facing. Will update after my meetings with the schools!

This whole situation is such a nightmare - I'm dealing with the exact same thing! My son's SAI jumped from $15k to $22k this year with virtually no change in our income. What's really frustrating is that nobody prepared families for this massive shift. I've been budgeting for his remaining two years based on previous aid amounts, and now I'm scrambling to figure out how to cover an extra $7k per year. Has anyone had success negotiating payment plans with their schools while waiting for appeals to process? I'm worried about missing enrollment deadlines while trying to sort this mess out.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation and feeling so overwhelmed! My daughter's SAI went from $11,500 last year to $18,200 this year - that's almost a $7,000 jump with barely any change in our financial situation. What's really frustrating is that we're caught completely off guard by this. I've been planning and saving based on her previous aid packages, and now suddenly we're expected to come up with thousands more dollars we don't have. Reading through all these comments has been both helpful and terrifying - at least I know it's not just us, but wow, this policy change is going to devastate so many middle-class families. I'm definitely going to try the appeal process and look into those departmental scholarships mentioned here. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and advice - it's nice to know we're not alone in this financial nightmare, even though I wouldn't wish it on anyone!

This is absolutely infuriating! My son's SAI jumped from $14,200 to $21,800 this year - that's a $7,600 increase with almost no change in our household income. I'm a single mom working two jobs just to keep up with current expenses, and now they expect me to magically find an extra $7k+ per year? The worst part is that nobody warned us this was coming. I've been budgeting and planning based on his previous aid packages, and now I feel completely blindsided. Reading all these comments makes me realize this isn't an isolated issue - it's a systematic problem affecting thousands of families. I'm definitely going to pursue the appeal process and look into those departmental scholarships mentioned here. Has anyone had luck with state grant programs that might use different calculations than the federal SAI? I'm in California and wondering if there are any state-level options that might help offset this disaster.

This thread has been so validating - I thought we were the only ones dealing with this nightmare! My daughter's SAI went from $9,800 to $16,500 this year, which is completely devastating for our family budget. What's really hitting me hard is realizing that we're only halfway through her degree program and now facing two more years of these inflated costs. I've already started the appeal process with her school after reading the advice here, and I'm also looking into those departmental scholarships for her nursing program. Has anyone successfully gotten their school to honor previous aid estimates for returning students? I feel like there should be some kind of grandfathering clause for students who started under the old formula. This policy change is going to force so many students to drop out or transfer to cheaper schools mid-degree, which seems like the opposite of what financial aid is supposed to accomplish.

This is absolutely heartbreaking to read through all these comments. I'm a financial aid administrator at a mid-size state university, and I can tell you we've been completely overwhelmed with appeals this year. The elimination of the sibling discount has been devastating for families with multiple students - we're seeing SAI increases of $5k-15k per family, which is simply not sustainable for most middle-income households. What's particularly frustrating is that while the FAFSA "simplification" was supposed to help students, it's actually created more barriers for the families who need aid most. We've had to completely restructure our institutional aid programs and set aside emergency funds just to help students stay enrolled. For those of you in the appeals process - please don't give up. Document everything, emphasize your status as continuing students, and ask specifically about emergency aid funds. Most schools are taking these appeals very seriously because we understand this isn't a reflection of your family's ability to pay, but rather a flawed policy implementation. We're fighting for you behind the scenes and pushing for legislative fixes to address these unintended consequences.