FAFSA completed for 2025-26 - when to complete loan counseling and next steps?

Congrats on getting your FAFSA submitted! Here's the general timeline of what happens next: 1. Wait for your SAI (Student Aid Index) - this usually takes 1-3 business days as mentioned 2. Your FAFSA info will automatically be sent to the schools you listed on your application 3. Schools will use your FAFSA to create your financial aid package 4. You'll receive financial aid offers from each school 5. THEN you complete entrance counseling only after you decide which school to attend and which loans to accept Don't do loan counseling yet! That only happens after you've accepted a specific loan offer from your chosen school. Right now, just wait for your SAI and for schools to put together your aid package.

i did mine last week & my SAI showed up in 2 days!! make sure u check your email cuz thats how i knew mine was ready

DO NOT do loan counseling yet!!! I made that mistake last year and had to redo it because it expires after like 6 months or something. Total waste of time. Wait until your school sends you their financial aid offer and THEN do the counseling when you're actually accepting loans.

Financial aid counselor here. After FAFSA processing (1-3 days), you'll receive your SAI calculation by email. Schools typically begin sending aid packages 4-8 weeks after receiving your FAFSA data, though timelines vary by institution. Regarding loan counseling: This is completed AFTER you've chosen a school and accepted a loan offer. Entrance counseling is specific to the type of loan you accept (Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized vs. PLUS) and must be completed before funds disburse. To verify schools received your FAFSA: Wait 5-7 business days after your SAI calculation, then contact each school's financial aid office to confirm receipt. They can verify your FAFSA is in their system.

Anybody else notice how the FAFSA website keeps logging you out while trying to do anything? So annoying! I had to submit mine FOUR TIMES because it kept timing out during processing. OP, just make sure your confirmation email actually comes through and doesn't get lost in spam.

I've been trying to call the FAFSA helpline for 3 days to ask these exact questions and can't get through to anyone. Just endless hold music and then disconnects. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to a human being there? I need to make sure my application is being processed correctly since I had some unusual circumstances this year.

Since we're talking about next steps, here's a timeline to help you plan: - Days 1-3: FAFSA processing and SAI calculation - Days 3-7: Schools begin receiving your FAFSA data - Weeks 4-8: Schools create and send financial aid packages - By May 1, 2025: National Decision Day (when you pick your school) - After accepting aid: Complete loan entrance counseling and sign Master Promissory Note (MPN) - August/September 2025: Loan funds disburse to your school account The most important thing right now is to watch for your SAI calculation and then check with each school to confirm they received your information. Each school will have their own financial aid portal where you can monitor your status.

my financial aid office said they wont even START reviewing FAFSAs until March for next year so dont stress about it right now

The whole financial aid system is RIDICULOUS. I submitted my FAFSA last year the day it opened and still didn't get my complete aid package until April!!! Then they wanted me to make a college decision by May 1st with barely any time to compare offers. And don't get me started on the loan counseling - it's full of information they SHOULD have given us BEFORE we even applied for aid, not after we're already committed to loans. The system is designed to confuse students and parents.

Hey Ethan! I just went through this whole process last year and wanted to add a few tips that helped me stay organized: 1. Create a spreadsheet to track each school's financial aid deadlines and requirements - some schools have additional forms beyond FAFSA 2. Set up a separate email folder for all financial aid communications so nothing gets lost 3. Screenshot your FAFSA confirmation page as backup proof of submission 4. Check each school's student portal regularly - sometimes they post updates there before sending emails Also, regarding verification - about 1/3 of students get selected for verification where you have to submit tax documents and other paperwork to confirm your FAFSA info. If that happens to you, respond ASAP because it can delay your aid package significantly. The whole process feels overwhelming at first but you've got this! The hardest part (submitting FAFSA) is already done.

Great question about verification rates! From what I remember, the verification rate varies each year but it's typically around 30-40% of students who get selected. It sounds scary but it's really just confirming the info you already put on your FAFSA with documents like tax returns, W-2s, and bank statements. The key is responding quickly if you do get selected. As for additional forms - yes! Several of my schools required the CSS Profile (which costs money to submit, ugh), and a couple wanted their own institutional aid applications. Some also required separate scholarship applications with essays. The CSS Profile was the big one though - it's used by many private schools and some state schools for institutional aid. Check each school's financial aid website under "required forms" or "how to apply" - they usually have a checklist. One more tip: if you're applying to schools in different states, some state aid programs have earlier deadlines than the federal FAFSA deadline, so double-check those too!

Just wanted to jump in as someone who's helping their younger sibling through this process right now! One thing I wish I had known earlier is that some schools have their own financial aid portals where you can check the status of your application even before they send out official aid packages. It's worth creating accounts on each school's student portal if you haven't already - sometimes they'll show "FAFSA received" or "under review" which can give you peace of mind that everything went through properly. Also, if you're planning to apply for any merit scholarships at your schools, don't wait! Many have deadlines in the next few months and some require separate applications. The financial aid office can usually tell you what scholarships you might be eligible for based on your academics/activities. Good luck with everything - you're definitely ahead of the game getting your FAFSA submitted this early!