FAFSA SAI score dropped 4000 points - will this destroy my aid package?

A lower SAI score is generally better for financial aid purposes. The Student Aid Index is basically what colleges use to determine your eligibility for need-based aid. The lower your SAI, the more financial need you demonstrate, which typically means more aid. The 4,000 point drop could be due to several factors: 1. The new FAFSA formula calculations changed significantly 2. Family size or number in college changed 3. Income or asset protection allowances shifted Most schools are still adjusting to the new system, but a lower SAI should theoretically qualify your daughter for more aid, not less. Have you received any preliminary aid offers from the school yet?

my SAI went down by like 2000 points and i got MORE aid this year lol. dont stress.

Financial aid professional here. The SAI drop you're experiencing is actually likely to HELP your daughter's aid package, not hurt it. The Student Aid Index replaced the old Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and while they serve similar functions, the new formula calculates need differently. With two students in college now, that's a significant factor. Under the new FAFSA, having multiple students in college affects the SAI calculation differently than the old system. The protection for additional family members enrolled is calculated differently but can still significantly lower your SAI. Each institution has its own methodology for awarding institutional aid based on the SAI, but federal aid eligibility is directly tied to your SAI number. A SAI of 8,300 versus 12,500 could potentially qualify your daughter for additional subsidized loans or possibly higher grant amounts depending on the cost of attendance at her school. I would recommend contacting the financial aid office at her first choice school to discuss how they're handling the transition and what the lower SAI might mean for her specific package.

I'd recommend calling first, then following up with email. Many financial aid offices are overwhelmed right now with the FAFSA changes, so getting through can be challenging. Be prepared to wait on hold for quite a while or get sent to voicemail. When you do connect with them, ask specifically about how their institutional methodology has changed to accommodate the new SAI system and how having multiple students in college might affect your daughter's aid package.

If you're having trouble getting through to the financial aid office by phone, you might want to try Claimyr (claimyr.com). I used it last month when I couldn't get through to the Federal Student Aid helpline about a similar SAI question. They basically hold your place in line and call you back when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a demo video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ For your specific situation, I'd recommend asking exactly how the institution is transitioning from EFC to SAI in their aid formulas. Some schools are gradually adjusting while others have completely overhauled their systems.

I think evryones stressing about the new FAFSA changes but honestly they seem better for most people? My family's SAI went down too and we got better offers. The whole point was to make it more generous right??

wait i'm confused - i thought SAI was the new name for EFC? isn't a lower number always better no matter what? why would you be worried about your number going DOWN? mine went UP and THAT'S why i'm freaking out lololol

update from my experience: our SAI went down 2k points and we got an extra $1,750 in grants for the year plus slightly more sub loans. so ya, lower is definitely better!

nope, just filled out FAFSA like normal! the new aid package just showed up in my portal. but my cousin had to actually email the fin aid office to get them to recalculate hers after the SAI changes, so maybe different schools do it different.

The key thing to understand is that while the SAI is used by all schools to determine federal aid eligibility, each institution has its own formula for awarding institutional aid. Your daughter's decreased SAI will almost certainly increase her eligibility for federal aid programs, but how it affects institutional scholarships and grants depends on the specific school. I work with several families navigating this transition, and most are seeing improved aid packages with lower SAIs. However, it's worth noting that some schools are still adjusting their institutional methodologies to account for the SAI calculation changes. One important step: make sure your daughter's FAFSA is fully processed and sent to all her schools. With the FAFSA delays this year, some schools haven't received complete information for all students yet.

The entire FAFSA system is such a MESS this year!! First the massive delays, then the calculation errors, now everyone's confused about what their numbers even MEAN! Why can't they ever implement changes smoothly?? My daughter's SAI is completely different from what we expected based on all the preview calculators, and now we're scrambling to figure out what schools we can even afford. So tired of this broken system!

I'm going through the exact same situation! My son's SAI dropped from 11,800 to 7,200 this year and I was initially panicking because I didn't understand if this was good or bad. After reading through all these responses, I'm feeling much more optimistic. We also have two kids in college now instead of one, which seems to be a major factor in the calculation change. One thing that helped me was using the Federal Student Aid estimator tool on studentaid.gov to double-check our numbers. It confirmed that our SAI calculation was correct given our family size change. I'm still waiting on aid packages from his schools, but based on what others are sharing here, it sounds like we might actually be in better shape than last year. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's so helpful to hear real examples instead of just the confusing official explanations!

As someone who just went through this transition with my daughter, I can definitely relate to the confusion! Our SAI dropped about 3,500 points from last year and I had the exact same panic - especially since all the online forums had conflicting information about whether this was good or bad news. Here's what I learned after speaking with three different financial aid offices: the lower SAI is generally better for aid eligibility, but each school is handling the transition differently. Some are being more generous in their interpretations while others are still figuring out their new formulas. The multiple kids in college factor seems to be huge this year. We went from one to two kids as well, and that appears to be the biggest driver of our SAI decrease. The new formula calculates this differently than the old EFC system, but in most cases it's working in families' favor. My advice: don't stress too much until you see the actual aid packages. We ended up getting about $2,200 more in combined grants and subsidized loans than last year, even though I was convinced we'd get less aid with all the system changes. The waiting is definitely the hardest part!

I'm a college junior who went through this SAI transition last year, and I wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease some worries! My family's SAI dropped by about 3,800 points when we switched from the old EFC system, and I was terrified it meant something was wrong with our FAFSA. Turns out it was the best thing that happened to our financial aid situation! I ended up qualifying for an additional $1,900 in Pell Grant money and got a better subsidized loan package. My younger brother is starting college this fall, so we'll have two in school, and our preliminary SAI for next year dropped even more. The thing that really helped me understand what was happening was scheduling a phone appointment with my school's financial aid counselor. They walked me through exactly how the new calculation worked and why our number changed so dramatically. Most schools are offering these "SAI interpretation" meetings now because so many families are confused. Your daughter's 4,000 point drop with two kids in college sounds completely normal based on what I've seen in my friend group. I know the waiting for aid packages is stressful, but based on my experience and what others are sharing here, you're likely looking at better aid, not worse!

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and honestly feeling pretty overwhelmed by all the changes this year! My daughter is a high school senior and we just got our SAI back - it's around 9,400. I keep reading conflicting information online about whether this is a good number or not, and I have no idea how it compares to the old EFC system since we never went through that. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful though! It sounds like most people are seeing better aid packages with the new SAI system, especially families with multiple kids in college. We only have one going this year, but it's reassuring to hear that the lower numbers generally mean more aid eligibility. Can anyone share what they think a SAI of 9,400 might mean for aid eligibility? I know it varies by school, but I'm just trying to get a general sense of whether we should be optimistic or start preparing for full-pay scenarios. The waiting for actual aid packages is killing me!