FAFSA application stuck in 'In Review' status - Can I still make changes?

While your FAFSA is 'In Review', you technically can't make changes through the normal correction process. However, you have two options: 1) Wait until the review is complete and then submit a correction, or 2) Contact Federal Student Aid directly to explain the situation. Small work-study earnings adjustments typically don't dramatically impact your daughter's SAI calculation, especially if the difference is under $1,000. How significant is the error you're concerned about?

i had the EXACT same problem last yr with my son's application!! the 'in review' thing lasted almost 5 weeks and i couldnt change ANYTHING. then when it finally processed, it was too late for some scholarship deadlines at his top school. so frustrating!!!!

For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, 'In Review' status means they're verifying your information, and unfortunately, the system does lock you out from making changes during this period. However, the $2,300 work-study earnings might not affect her as much as you think. Work-study income is treated more favorably in the SAI calculation - it's subject to an income protection allowance and isn't assessed at the same rate as regular income. If you're trying to reach FSA by phone, good luck - their current wait times are absolutely ridiculous right now with all the new FAFSA changes.

To clarify about work-study: The FAFSA does ask about work-study earnings, but there's a separate question specifically for Federal Work-Study that lets the system identify this income source. Work-study wages are considered 'need-based aid' rather than regular income when determining future aid eligibility. The system is designed to prevent students from being penalized for participating in work-study programs. So @confused_aid_mom, while accuracy is important, this specific correction might not impact your daughter's aid package as severely as you fear.

I went through a similar situation and found that using Claimyr (claimyr.com) actually helped me reach a real FSA agent without the endless hold times. They have this system that waits on hold for you and calls you when an agent is available. I was skeptical, but their video demo convinced me: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent I spoke with was able to flag my application for a specific correction even while it was in review. Explained my situation was time-sensitive because of scholarship deadlines, and they actually helped expedite it.

man this whole FAFSA thing is SO BROKEN this year!!! my kids application has been "in review" for SIX WEEKS now!!! SIX!!!! and every time i call nobody knows anything. im starting to think nobody actually reviews these things they just say that to make us wait. how is anyone supposed to make college decisions when the system is this messed up??

Just to give everyone some context on the 'In Review' status - this is part of the new FAFSA verification process. FSA is now cross-checking data with IRS records automatically, which should actually reduce the number of applications selected for manual verification later. The process typically takes 2-4 weeks, but with the system changes and high volume, we're seeing longer times this year. @confused_aid_mom - If your correction is specifically about work-study earnings, I recommend documenting your attempt to correct this now (email the FSA help center so you have a timestamp), then make the formal correction once the review is complete. Most schools have a process for considering updated information even after initial aid packages are created.

i had a similar issue last month but i was worried about reporting my daughters scholarship from high school wrong. called fsa for three days straight and couldnt get thru to anyone!! finally i just gave up and figured id fix it later if needed. her application status finally changed to complete after 27 days lol

Update: I took everyone's advice and documented my correction request via email to FSA, and I also managed to speak with someone on the phone today after using the Claimyr service that was mentioned. The agent confirmed that work-study earnings are treated differently in the calculation, just as @financial_aid_advisor mentioned. They also added notes to my daughter's file about the correction. The application is still in review, but I feel much better knowing I've done everything I can for now. Thank you all for your help!

As a newcomer here, I'm really grateful to see this discussion! I'm dealing with a similar situation - my son's FAFSA has been "In Review" for about 2 weeks now and I've been panicking about whether I reported his summer job earnings correctly. Reading through all your experiences has been incredibly helpful. It sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Document any correction attempts via email, 2) Work-study income is treated more favorably than regular income, and 3) The review process is just taking much longer this year due to the new system changes. @confused_aid_mom - so glad you were able to get through to someone and get notes added to your daughter's file! That gives me hope that persistence will pay off.

As someone new to this community and dealing with FAFSA issues for the first time, this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening! My daughter's application has been stuck "In Review" for almost 4 weeks now, and I was starting to panic thinking something was seriously wrong. Reading everyone's experiences - especially the 5-6 week wait times some of you mentioned - helps me realize this is unfortunately just the new normal with the updated system. The tip about documenting correction attempts via email is brilliant, and I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service if I need to reach FSA directly. It's reassuring to know that even if corrections can't be made during review, there are still options afterward. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and creating such a supportive space for parents navigating this stressful process!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed experiences with the FAFSA review process! I'm currently facing a similar situation with my twin daughters' applications - both have been "In Review" for 3 weeks, and I've been losing sleep wondering if I made errors on their forms. Reading through this thread has been incredibly reassuring, especially learning that the extended review times are system-wide issues rather than problems with our specific applications. The advice about documenting correction attempts via email and the distinction between work-study and regular student income has been invaluable. It's also helpful to know that financial aid offices at colleges are aware of these delays and may be more flexible with deadlines. This community seems like such a supportive resource for parents navigating what feels like an increasingly complex financial aid process!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so relieved to find this discussion! My son's FAFSA has been stuck "In Review" for nearly 3 weeks now, and I was starting to think we'd done something terribly wrong. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both reassuring and informative - it's clear this is a widespread issue with the new system rather than individual application problems. The advice about documenting correction attempts via email is something I hadn't thought of but makes perfect sense. I'm also grateful to learn about the distinction between work-study and regular student income, as my son had both types of earnings last year and I wasn't sure how they'd be treated differently. The tip about contacting schools directly about deadline flexibility is also really valuable - I hadn't considered that they might be accommodating the FAFSA delays. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space for parents dealing with this frustrating but apparently normal situation!