FAFSA SAI calculated in just 3 days - Spring 2025 processing seems faster?

ur super lucky!! ive been waiting 2+ weeks now and still nothing. just says "processing" every time i check. what did u do differently??

Consider yourself EXTREMELY fortunate! I submitted our FAFSA for my twins on 4/3 and we're STILL waiting for their SAI calculations. The system is completely inconsistent and it drives me CRAZY!! The financial aid office at their college keeps telling us "just be patient" but HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO MAKE DECISIONS without knowing what aid they'll qualify for?! The whole process is BROKEN. 😡

Processing times for FAFSA applications can vary widely depending on a few factors. In my experience working with students, I've noticed these patterns: 1. Applications with direct IRS Data Retrieval Tool usage tend to process faster 2. First-time applications often take longer than renewals 3. Applications with unusual financial situations (business ownership, foreign income, etc.) face longer processing 4. Applications submitted during low-volume periods process more quickly The Department of Education has been trying to improve processing times, but it's still highly variable. Your 3-day turnaround is definitely on the faster end! For other students still waiting, I recommend checking that your application shows "submitted" not just "started" on studentaid.gov.

Lucky you! My son's FAFSA has been "processing" for nearly a month now. Every time I call the Federal Student Aid number, I either get disconnected or wait for hours. This is our 3rd time applying and it's never been this frustrating. His university needs his SAI by May 1st for scholarship consideration. Anyone know how to actually speak to a human being about this??

We submitted in early April and got our SAI in 5 days. But then we got an email saying we've been selected for verification? Now we have to submit all these extra documents and who knows how long that will take. The SAI might change after verification too, so don't get too excited when you first see your number! The process isn't over until it's over...

I noticed something weird this year with my processing time too. My son's FAFSA went through in 4 days but my daughter's took 3 weeks even though we submitted them on the same day. When I finally called (after being on hold forever), they said it was because my daughter had a previous FAFSA correction from last year that flagged her account for manual review. So sometimes the quick processing has nothing to do with what you did right - it's just random luck about whether you get flagged for extra review.

Just to clarify for everyone - the SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation is just the first step. After your FAFSA is processed and your SAI is calculated, each college still needs to create your financial aid package based on that SAI, their own funding, and their institutional methodology. So while getting your SAI quickly is great, you'll still need to wait for each college to send their official financial aid offers. Those typically come out 2-4 weeks after they receive your FAFSA information, sometimes longer at schools with rolling admissions.

I think they might be prioritizing certain applications right now? My wife and I filed our daughter's FAFSA late (last week) and it was processed in 2 days. My coworker filed his son's in March and it's still processing. Maybe they're focusing on getting newer applications through the system first? Either way, definitely faster than when I went to college!

Update: I just got an email that we've been selected for verification too, despite the quick initial processing! Ugh, back to waiting I guess. They're asking for 2023 tax transcripts and W-2 forms. Is this happening to a lot of people this year?