FAFSA SAI doesn't account for multiple kids in college - now facing $100K cost

You're absolutely right to be confused and frustrated. The new FAFSA/SAI system eliminated the adjustment for multiple children in college that existed in the old EFC formula. It was one of the most significant and problematic changes. This means families with multiple children in college simultaneously are getting hit HARD. What's happening is that your SAI is calculated based on your family income and assets, but unlike before, it's no longer divided by the number of college students in your household.

We're in the same boat!!! Got $52k SAI for my twins EACH. That's $104,000!!! Who has that kind of money laying around?? The financial aid officer literally laughed when I asked if there was an adjustment for multiple students. She said "that's what Parent PLUS loans are for" 🤬

The multiple children in college adjustment was eliminated during the FAFSA Simplification Act. While the intent was to streamline the process, this particular change has created significant hardship for families like yours with multiple students. Here are your options: 1. File a special circumstances appeal with each college's financial aid office specifically citing the multiple students issue 2. Look into merit scholarships that aren't need-based 3. Consider whether one student might benefit from starting at a community college 4. Compare your financial aid packages carefully - some schools may offer institutional aid to offset this issue Importantly, each school has discretion to adjust your aid package through professional judgment. Be persistent about requesting adjustments based on the multiple student issue.

I spent 4 HOURS on hold with the Federal Student Aid hotline trying to get clarification on this exact issue, and when I finally got someone, they couldn't give me a straight answer. Then got disconnected when they transferred me to a "specialist." Total waste of time!!

Have you considered that maybe this is actually MORE accurate? If you think about it, having two kids in college doesn't actually reduce your income or assets. The old system essentially gave a discount that wasn't really justified by financial reality. The new system simply recognizes what you can actually contribute based on your financial position, regardless of how many children you have enrolled. I know that's not what you want to hear, but the FAFSA is designed to calculate what you CAN pay, not what you WANT to pay.

I want to add that while the federal methodology no longer accounts for multiple students, some colleges will still consider this in their institutional methodology. Private colleges that use the CSS Profile often have more flexibility. Even if your kids aren't at schools that use CSS Profile, ask specifically about institutional adjustments for multiple children in college. Schools have the authority to make professional judgment adjustments to your aid package based on special circumstances, which can include having multiple students in college. The key is to be specific and persistent in your requests.

my cousin had to take a gap year because of this exact issue. his sister was already a junior and they couldn't afford both at once with the new sai system. its totally messed up tbh

Here's a practical strategy that's working for some families: If your SAI is inequitable due to the multiple children issue, approach your financial aid offices with competing offers. Colleges have discretionary funds they can use to match or beat offers from peer institutions. This strategy works best when: 1. Your students have strong academic profiles 2. You're transparent about your multiple-student challenge 3. You have an offer from a comparable institution Collect all your aid offers, then schedule appointments with financial aid officers (not just emails) to discuss adjustments. Be specific about what would make attendance possible. Many schools are aware of this FAFSA deficiency and have internal policies to address it.

I heard they're going to fix this in the next FAFSA update but who knows when that will actually happen. Too late for us anyway!

The irony is that the FAFSA simplification was supposed to make things MORE equitable and accessible. Instead, they've created a system that's actually LESS fair to families with multiple students. And don't get me started on how they now completely ignore medical expenses when calculating SAI. My husband has chronic health issues with $18k in annual out-of-pocket costs, and that's not considered either!

This is exactly why I joined this community - to connect with other families going through the same nightmare. We're facing a $95K combined SAI for our twins (both juniors in high school, so this is just a preview of what's coming). I've been researching this issue extensively, and what I've found is that some state schools are actually creating their own institutional policies to address this gap. For example, several state university systems are now offering "multiple enrollment grants" specifically to offset the federal formula's shortcomings. It might be worth reaching out to your state's higher education office to see if they have any programs in development. Also, I've heard that starting the appeals process early in the financial aid cycle (like January/February) gives you better chances than waiting until summer when discretionary funds are depleted. The whole system is broken, but at least we're not alone in fighting it!