FAFSA awarded my family ZERO financial aid - what options do we have now?

I've been through this exact situation with my son last year. First, take a deep breath - you still have options! The SAI calculation is pretty rigid and doesn't account for special circumstances like medical expenses well. Here's what I suggest: 1. File a professional judgment appeal with each college's financial aid office ASAP. Explain your medical expenses with documentation. 2. Contact each school directly - sometimes they have institutional aid not tied to FAFSA. 3. Look into Parent PLUS loans - they have higher interest rates but can cover the full cost. 4. Have your daughter apply for private scholarships - sites like Fastweb and Scholly still have options even this late. 5. Consider having your daughter start at community college for core classes then transfer. Don't lose hope! The FAFSA is just one piece of the financial aid puzzle.

same thing happened to my family!! the system is BROKEN. we make 92k and they gave us NOTHING. my brother had to join the military just to pay for school. its a complete joke

The FAFSA formula significantly changed for the 2025-2026 academic year. The Student Aid Index (SAI) replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), and many middle-income families are seeing less aid eligibility. However, you should definitely pursue an appeal based on your medical expenses, as these can qualify as "special circumstances" under Section 479A of the Higher Education Act. Keep in mind that individual colleges have their own institutional aid that isn't tied to federal calculations. This is especially true for private colleges - they often have merit scholarships based on GPA and test scores, not financial need. Another option is to strategically compare financial aid offers. If your daughter received better aid from one school, you can sometimes use that as leverage with her preferred school. Financial aid offices have discretionary funds they can use in competitive situations.

have u looked into work study? my daughter didn't get any grants either but she got work study which helps a little

THE ENTIRE FAFSA SYSTEM IS A SCAM!!! I filled out that stupid form every year for both my kids and never got a PENNY. They expect middle class families to either go into massive debt or not send their kids to college. Meanwhile families making TWICE what we make somehow get their kids free rides because they know how to game the system. It's all about who you know and how you arrange your assets. The whole thing is COMPLETELY RIGGED against honest, hardworking families!!!

my cousin had this happen last year and she called the school financial aid office like everyday for 2 weeks straight until they finally gave her some scholarships lol. sometimes u just gotta be annoying af

I work in a financial aid office, and I strongly recommend calling each school to request a special circumstances review. Medical expenses are one of the most common reasons we make adjustments to FAFSA calculations. The documentation you'll need includes: 1. All medical bills from the previous year 2. Proof of payment or payment plans 3. Any insurance reimbursement documents 4. A letter explaining how these expenses impact your ability to pay for college Be aware that many financial aid offices are experiencing very high call volumes right now with the FAFSA changes. I had to call the Federal Student Aid helpline about 20 times last week before getting through to verify a student's data. If you're having trouble reaching someone, you might want to try Claimyr.com - I've had several students use it to get through to FSA agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ showing how it works. It basically holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available.

my daughter applied for like 40 scholarships in her senior year and got maybe 5 but they added up to about $8000 for freshman year. try scholarships.com and the local credit unions sometimes have them too

Update: I called all three schools today! Two said they could do a special circumstances review, but one said they've already allocated all their institutional aid. I'm meeting with the financial aid counselor at her top choice school next Tuesday. I'm also looking into Parent PLUS loans as a backup. Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions - I was feeling completely lost yesterday.

has anyone tried getting their kid classified as an independent student? i heard thats how u get more aid

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the stress must be overwhelming. As someone new to navigating financial aid, I'm finding this thread incredibly helpful. It sounds like you're taking all the right steps with the special circumstances appeals and meeting with financial aid counselors. One thing I wanted to mention - have you looked into whether any of the schools offer payment plans that could spread the costs over monthly payments? Some schools will let you pay tuition in 10-12 monthly installments without interest, which might make the Parent PLUS loans more manageable if you only need to borrow for part of the cost. Also, I've heard that some employers offer tuition assistance programs for employees' children - might be worth checking if either you or your husband's company has anything like that available. Keeping my fingers crossed that your meeting on Tuesday goes well!