FAFSA SAI number changed by 200+ points after submission - normal or error?

This happens more often than you'd think. The SAI shown during submission is preliminary, and the final calculation happens during processing. That +200 point jump usually means there was an automatic adjustment based on one of these things: 1. Asset protection allowance recalculation 2. Income protection allowance adjustment 3. Different treatment of untaxed income 4. State tax allowance corrections If you're worried about your Pell eligibility, check the specific SAI cutoff for the upcoming year - the threshold actually increased to 7395 for full Pell eligibility for 2025-2026, so you should still qualify.

OMG THE SAME THING JUST HAPPENED TO ME!!!! My SAI jumped by like 300 something points from when I first submitted vs the final calculation. Its absolute BS how they do this to us. No explanation, no warning, just "surprise, you're getting less aid now!" The whole system is designed to screw over students!

The change is likely due to the verification selection process. About 30% of FAFSA applications get flagged for verification, where additional calculations and checks occur. During this process, the system may apply standard adjustments based on federal formulas that weren't visible during your initial submission. You should receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) that explains any changes made. Check the "Comments" section of your SAR - it should list codes that explain what was adjusted. Common ones are comment codes 361-368 which relate to SAI adjustments.

Shouldnt even stress about this tbh. Had wayyy worse when i applied. My SAI jumped like 1200 points and I called and called for WEEKS trying to get thru to someone who could explain it. Just kept getting voicemail or disconnected. Total waste of time.

My daughter had the exact problem! Her SAI increased by 215 points between submission and the final calculation. I spent almost an entire day trying to figure it out and eventually discovered they had applied an additional asset calculation to her small savings account that wasn't counted in the preliminary number. Apparently, the initial calculation uses simplified formulas in some areas, then the final processing applies more detailed calculations.

To answer your follow-up question - yes, they absolutely can recalculate without warning. It's frustrating, but it's built into how the system works. The preliminary SAI is just that - preliminary. For comment code 365, that specifically relates to an adjustment in the Asset Protection Allowance based on the age of your parents (or you, if independent). This is a common adjustment that happens during final processing. Also worth noting: even with your new SAI of 4583, you're still well under the 7395 threshold for maximum Pell Grant eligibility for 2025-2026, so this shouldn't affect your Pell amount.

random but has anyone noticed that the whole FAFSA site is super glitchy this year? like when i tried to check my SAI it kept logging me out and then my parents contribution number looked wrong too

I work in a financial aid office, and I can confirm this is actually normal (though admittedly confusing for students). The SAI you see initially is based on a simplified formula that doesn't include all factors. During processing, the Department of Education runs your information through the complete federal methodology, which can result in adjustments. For the 2025-2026 aid year specifically, there were some formula updates that affect asset calculations. If you have concerns about your final SAI, you can request a professional judgment review from your school's financial aid office. Bring documentation of any financial changes or special circumstances not reflected in your FAFSA.

Based on what you've shared, if your new SAI of 4583 still qualifies you for the maximum Pell Grant (which it should), then a professional judgment review probably isn't necessary. Those reviews are typically more beneficial when your SAI is just over a threshold or when you have significant financial changes not reflected in your FAFSA. However, if you have substantial unusual circumstances (medical expenses, job loss, etc.) that weren't reported on your FAFSA, it might still be worth discussing with your aid office. They can determine if you might qualify for additional institutional aid beyond federal programs.

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and honestly finding it pretty overwhelming! Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and terrifying at the same time. It sounds like these SAI changes during processing are more common than I thought. For those of you who've been through this before - is there anything you wish you had known going into your first FAFSA submission? I'm planning to submit mine soon and want to avoid any surprises if possible. Should I just expect my preliminary SAI to change, or are there ways to get a more accurate estimate upfront? Also, @Sayid Hassan - thanks for sharing your professional insight throughout this thread! It's really helpful to get perspective from someone who works in financial aid.

As someone who just went through this exact situation last year, I can totally relate to that initial panic! My SAI jumped by about 180 points between submission and final processing, and I was convinced I'd made some major error. What I learned from my financial aid counselor is that the Department of Education uses different calculation engines for the preliminary vs. final SAI. The preliminary one is designed to give you a "ballpark" estimate quickly, while the final processing runs through all the detailed federal methodology formulas. One thing that really helped me was using the Federal Student Aid Estimator tool (studentaid.gov/aid-estimator) before submitting my FAFSA. It's not perfect, but it tends to be closer to the final SAI than the preliminary one you see during submission. Might be worth checking that out for future years! The silver lining is that once you understand this is just how the system works, it's way less stressful. Your SAI is still well within Pell Grant range, so you should be good to go for aid. Just one of those FAFSA quirks we all have to deal with unfortunately!