FAFSA SAI score between 24797-25865 - what does this actually mean for my kids' aid?

isnt SAI the same as EFC from before? i think its just how much they think you can pay for college. lower number = more aid

The Student Aid Index (SAI) replaced the old Expected Family Contribution (EFC) in the 2024-2025 FAFSA. Your twins' SAI range of 24797-25865 is essentially what the federal formula calculated your family could contribute annually toward their education costs. This doesn't mean you actually have that cash available - it's just their calculation. With SAIs in that range, your children would not qualify for Pell Grants (those typically go to students with SAIs under 6000). However, they might still qualify for subsidized loans and various institutional aid. The reason different schools offer different aid amounts is because each institution: 1. Has different total costs of attendance 2. Has different institutional funds available 3. May use their own formula (especially private schools) in addition to the SAI For example, if School A costs $35,000/year and your SAI is $25,000, they might offer $10,000 in aid. But if School B costs $65,000, they might offer $40,000 to cover that larger gap.

I just went through this with my kids. Your twin situation could actually make a big difference! Many schools will consider the fact that you have multiple kids in college simultaneously, even though the FAFSA SAI calculation already somewhat accounts for this. About a month after we submitted the FAFSA, I was trying to figure out why we got different aid offers too. I couldn't reach anyone at the financial aid office for weeks (kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours). Finally tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a Federal Student Aid agent who explained everything. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. The agent walked me through exactly how the SAI is calculated and how different schools interpret it. Basically, you're right in that sweet spot where you won't get Pell Grants, but you'll likely get substantial institutional aid, especially from private colleges that have more flexibility with their own funds.

Same exact SAI range for my son last year. Have you compared both financial aid letters side by side? In our case, School A offered mostly loans with a small scholarship while School B gave us a massive merit scholarship despite having the same SAI. ASK FOR MORE MONEY! We appealed 3 of the 4 offers and got more $ from 2 schools. With twins, definitely emphasize that - schools have discretion to adjust for multiple students.

My child got 26789 SAI and we didnt get ANY pell grants but got work study and a subsidized loan. Different schools gave different scholarships though. One gave $5k, another $22k!! SAME SAI! Its all a scam if you ask me.

OK BUT ARE WE JUST GOING TO IGNORE THAT THE OP HAS TWINS?? The FAFSA supposedly adjusts for multiple students but IT DOES NOT DO IT PROPERLY!!!! My twins got completely screwed by this calculation. You need to call each financial aid office DIRECTLY and explain your situation. The system is BROKEN. With your SAI range you should definitely be getting more aid for two students than what they're probably offering.

i think some private schools use the CSS profile too, not just FAFSA. did you fill that out? it asks for more stuff like home equity and might get you more aid

To answer your original question more directly - an SAI in the 24797-25865 range typically means: 1. No Pell Grant eligibility (cutoff is much lower) 2. Eligible for subsidized federal loans 3. Eligible for unsubsidized federal loans 4. Might qualify for work-study depending on the school 5. Will likely need to cover about $25K/year through some combination of personal funds, PLUS loans, or private loans 6. Will be considered for merit scholarships separately from need-based aid 7. Twins/multiple students situation should help your case in appeals Remember the SAI is just a starting point. Each school's final offer depends on their total cost, available funds, and how much they want your students.

Just want to add that you should also look into state-specific aid programs! Many states have grant programs that consider different income thresholds than federal aid. With your SAI range, you might still qualify for state grants depending on where you live. Also, don't forget about smaller local scholarships - community organizations, employers, religious institutions, etc. These often have less competition and can really add up. My neighbor's twins each got several $500-2000 local scholarships that made a real difference in their final costs.