FAFSA SAI of 18,422 - Why no Pell Grant eligibility for educator parents?

the cutoff for pell grants is usually an SAI around 6,200-6,300 for full pell and partial pell up to like 9,000ish. Your SAI is double that so thats why no pell. The SAI is basically what the govt thinks u can pay each year for college. It's calculated based on income, assets, family size, etc. Your income as educators puts u in a tough spot - not poor enough for big aid but not rich enough to just write checks. Did u fill out the CSS profile too??? Some private schools give better aid thru that.

Hi there! I work in financial aid at a community college, so I can help break this down. The SAI (Student Aid Index) replaces the old EFC and is calculated based on your income, assets, household size, and number of college students. For the 2025-2026 year, Pell eligibility generally requires an SAI below 9,000. At 18,422, you're unfortunately above that threshold. However, don't lose hope! There are still options: 1. Check with your state's higher education agency - many states have grant programs specifically for residents attending in-state colleges 2. Look into institutional scholarships at your son's school 3. Ask about work-study opportunities 4. Consider whether your teaching careers qualify you for loan forgiveness programs down the road 5. If your financial situation has changed significantly since your taxes were filed (which is what FAFSA used), contact the financial aid office for a professional judgment review What state are you in? That would help me suggest more specific resources.

Yep, that's why we took out parent plus loans for our kids. Middle class gets squezed hard by FAFSA. The system is broken... to rich for aid, to poor to pay cash. We just accepted the debt and move on unfortunately. Good luck

The SAI calculation is frustrating for many middle-income families, especially educators. One thing to consider is that your son should still qualify for the maximum Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans (about $5,500 for first-year students), even without Pell eligibility. While not ideal, these federal loans have much better terms than private options. Also, check if your state has a teaching fellows or future educators program. Many states offer forgivable loans or grants to children of teachers who plan to go into education themselves. Lastly, income-driven repayment plans have become much more generous recently. If your son does need to take loans, programs like SAVE can cap payments at 5% of discretionary income after graduation.

Unpopular perspective, but I find it infuriating that two educators with a household income under $100k can't qualify for the Pell Grant. I'm a high school teacher myself, and we literally spend our careers trying to get kids to college, then can't afford to send our own. Have you contacted your congressperson? I've been writing mine regularly about the flaws in the FAFSA algorithm. The SAI doesn't account for regional cost of living AT ALL, which is a major oversight.

Try calling Federal Student Aid directly to ask if there's any reconsideration process. I spent DAYS trying to get through to them last month when we had issues with our FAFSA verification. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real FAFSA agent in under 15 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ showing how it works. The agent I talked to explained some special circumstances adjustments I hadn't known about, and we ended up getting additional aid.

Look into the TEACH Grant if your son is considering education as a career path. It provides up to $4,000 per year for students who agree to teach for four years in high-need fields at schools serving low-income students. Since you're both educators, he might be interested in following that path. Also, double-check if your school district has any tuition benefits for children of employees. Some larger districts partner with local colleges for discounted tuition. For your specific situation with the income change due to your ankle injury, you absolutely should request a professional judgment review. Document your reduced work hours and current pay stubs compared to the tax year FAFSA used. This can significantly adjust your SAI.

I want to emphasize something important: don't just accept your initial financial aid package. Once you receive offers, you can appeal them. Write a professional, detailed letter to the financial aid office explaining your situation as educators with limited disposable income, your medical expenses, and how dedicated your son is to attending their institution. Many schools hold back some institutional funds specifically for appeals. This strategy helped us secure an additional $3,500 per year for our daughter.

Thank you everyone for all this incredible advice! I feel much less lost now. I'm going to: 1. Request a professional judgment review due to my reduced income 2. Look into Ohio-specific grants and scholarships 3. Have my son apply for every institutional scholarship possible 4. Consider the federal direct loans (but try to minimize) 5. Learn more about appealing the final aid package It's still frustrating that the system puts families like ours in this position, but at least we have some direction now. I'll update once we hear back from the financial aid office!

Hi Gabrielle! As a newcomer here but someone who just went through this exact situation last year, I wanted to share what worked for us. My husband and I are both teachers (combined income around $95k) and faced the same "too much for aid, not enough to pay" dilemma. A few things that really helped: 1) Ohio College Opportunity Grant - make sure you apply! It's income-based and goes up to families making around $100k. 2) Many Ohio public universities have specific "Educator Family" scholarships that aren't well-publicized - call admissions directly and ask. 3) The professional judgment review was a game-changer for us when I had reduced hours due to a family emergency. Also, don't overlook having your son work part-time during college. Work-study positions at universities often pay better than typical student jobs and are more flexible with class schedules. Our daughter covers about $4k/year of her expenses this way. The system definitely feels rigged against middle-class families, especially educators. But there ARE options if you dig deep enough. Wishing you the best of luck!