FAFSA SAI of 2500 but only got loans and merit aid - did school miscalculate need-based aid?

doesn't sound right to me. with an SAI that low, should definitely be more aid. call the fin aid office asap and ask for total COA breakdown + why no need-based aid with 75% meets need policy.

You're right to question this. To determine if they're meeting 75% of need, you need the full COA. The formula is: Need = Cost of Attendance - SAI Then they should meet 75% of that need with grants/scholarships (not loans). If COA is $50,000 for example: - Need = $50,000 - $2,500 = $47,500 - 75% of need = $35,625 in grants/scholarships So far you have $29,859 in grants/scholarships ($20k merit + $5k grant + $4,859 Pell), which might or might not meet their 75% promise depending on the actual COA. Request a detailed breakdown from financial aid and ask specifically how they calculated the 75% need coverage.

my son had similar issue last yr... ended up being that they counted merit scholarship AGAINST the need-based aid calculation!! so they were like "we already gave u merit money so that counts toward our 75% promise" which seems totally unfair cuz he worked hard for that merit $$$. definitely call and ask specifically if theyre double-counting the merit against need-based aid!

Financial Aid Counselor here. This is a classic case of misleading marketing from colleges. When schools advertise "75% meets need," they often include ALL forms of aid in that calculation - including merit scholarships that aren't technically need-based. And yes, they almost always count federal loans as part of meeting your "need." You should request: 1. Complete COA breakdown (tuition, fees, room, board, books, etc.) 2. Written explanation of how they calculated the 75% of need 3. Clarification on whether merit scholarships are counted separately from or as part of need-based aid With an SAI of 2500, your son should qualify for significant need-based aid at truly generous institutions. I'd recommend appealing this award and comparing with offers from other schools.

Try calling Federal Student Aid directly to verify your SAI calculation is correct at 2500. Maybe there's an error there? I spent WEEKS trying to get through to them about a similar issue last year - constant busy signals and disconnections. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through without the wait. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration and my daughter got her aid package recalculated correctly. Worth checking if your SAI is accurate before fighting with the school.

I would definitely call the financial aid office ASAP. It sounds like they're not meeting their 75% promise OR there's some confusion about how they calculate need. My daughter's school pulled something similar - turned out they were counting federal loans AND work-study as part of their "meeting need" percentage, which felt really dishonest. Also, make sure to specifically ask if they're "front-loading" freshman aid (giving more the first year to entice you, then reducing it for sophomore-senior years). Some schools do this and don't disclose it clearly. Good luck!!

Congratulations on your son's acceptance and scholarship! $20,000 merit is excellent! Why are you complaining when he got almost $30k in free money? My daughter had an SAI of 1800 and got way less. Some families are just never satisfied...

Update for anyone following this thread: I've seen this issue frequently this year. The Department of Education's switch to the SAI system has created confusion at many financial aid offices. Some schools are still working with outdated formulas or haven't properly adjusted their institutional aid calculations to align with SAI instead of EFC. OP, when you call, specifically mention that you want to understand how they're calculating need with the new SAI system. Ask if they've updated their institutional methodology to match the federal changes. Many schools are making adjustments mid-cycle as they realize discrepancies.

After you speak with the financial aid office, I strongly recommend submitting a formal appeal letter. Include: 1. Documentation of unusual expenses not captured by FAFSA 2. Any changes in financial situation since you filed 3. Competing offers from other institutions 4. Specific calculation showing how they're not meeting their 75% promise Be polite but firm. Many families don't realize appeals are standard practice and schools expect them. With an SAI of 2500, your son should qualify for substantial need-based aid at a school claiming to meet 75% of need.

As someone who went through this exact situation last year, I'd recommend creating a spreadsheet to track all your son's aid offers as they come in. Include columns for COA, SAI, calculated need, grants/scholarships, loans, and actual percentage of need met. This will help you see which schools are truly generous vs. just good at marketing. Also, don't forget to factor in indirect costs like travel home, personal expenses, and potential summer storage. These can add thousands to your actual family contribution even if the school "meets need" on paper. When you call the financial aid office, ask for their estimated indirect costs too - some schools lowball these numbers to make their aid packages look more attractive. Your instincts are right to question this package. With an SAI that low, most genuinely need-blind schools would offer significantly more institutional aid.