FAFSA correction lowered our SAI to 6130 - Will schools update aid packages before May 1 deadline?

Your SAI of 6130 is actually pretty good - generally anything under 10,000 means you'll qualify for decent aid at most schools. The Pell Grant eligibility is definitely a positive change! About your second question - schools won't automatically update your offers. You need to contact each financial aid office ASAP (like today) and tell them about the corrected SAI and new Pell eligibility. They can update your package, but only if you notify them and request it.

same thing happend to us!!! our SAI went from 8,245 to 5,890 last week and now im scrambling to contact all the schools. this whole FAFSA rollout has been a COMPLETE DISASTER

To directly answer your questions: 1) An SAI of 6130 is in the low-to-moderate range, which is good for financial aid purposes. It typically qualifies students for significant need-based aid at most institutions. The Pell Grant eligibility is particularly important - for 2025-2026, that SAI range should qualify for approximately $4,700-$5,200 in Pell Grant funding (which is free money that doesn't need to be repaid). 2) Regarding updating packages: This is where it gets complicated. Schools are NOT automatically notified about SAI corrections. Their systems only receive the original FAFSA data unless: - You specifically request they pull updated information - The school has a policy of refreshing FAFSA data periodically Call each financial aid office immediately and explain the situation. Use these exact words: "The Department of Education initiated a correction to our FAFSA. Our SAI has been reduced from 9400 to 6130, and we're now Pell-eligible. Can you please pull our updated ISIR and revise our aid package before the May 1st deadline?" Many schools will work with you on the deposit deadline given the extenuating circumstances of FAFSA's problems this year.

I've been dealing with the EXACT same situation! Our SAI also changed (went from 12,400 to 8,900) and we suddenly qualified for a small Pell Grant. I called all 5 schools my son was considering and had completely mixed results: - 2 schools updated his package within 48 hours - aid increased by about $3,200 at one school and $4,700 at another - 1 school refused to update anything since it was "too close to the deposit deadline" - 2 schools said they'd try but couldn't guarantee anything before May 1 Definitely call every school ASAP and be persistent!!

Follow up to my previous comment - the most effective approach was calling first and then immediately sending an email to document the conversation. I included our student ID number, the old and new SAI numbers, and the date we received the correction notification from FAFSA in every email.

Honestly, this whole FAFSA system is broken. They roll out a "simplified" version that's months late, full of glitches, and then randomly change people's information right before commitment deadlines? I'm so sick of it. My daughter just decided to go to her safety school because it was the only one where we knew for sure what we'd be paying. The whole system is rigged against families trying to make informed decisions.

I tried calling the Federal Student Aid helpline for days about a similar issue and kept getting disconnected after waiting 90+ minutes. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual FSA agent in under 15 minutes. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent explained that many 2024-2025 FAFSA applications were being automatically corrected due to income verification adjustments in their system. They also told me schools have been instructed to be flexible with deposit deadlines specifically because of these automated corrections.

Here's a practical solution for your May 1st deadline problem - most schools will accept a small deposit (even the minimum amount) to hold your daughter's spot while you sort out the final financial aid details. Put down deposits at her top 2-3 choices if you can afford it, then make the final decision once all the updated packages come in. Many schools have a deposit deadline but allow you to withdraw with a partial or full refund for several weeks after.

did anyone actually get there pell grant ammount? my letter just says we qualify but dosent say how much. my daughters SAI is 5,890

Update for anyone in a similar situation: I've now contacted all 6 schools and the responses have been mixed: - 3 schools immediately agreed to update the packages (one already sent the revised offer with almost $4,000 more in grants!) - 2 schools said they'd try but can't guarantee before May 1st - 1 school flat-out refused, saying they've "finalized all aid packages for the year" I also reached out to that last school's admissions office (not just financial aid) and explained our situation, and they agreed to extend our decision deadline to May 15th. So don't just take no for an answer!

My nieghbor works in a college financial aid office and she said there swamped with these SAI correction issues. She said its best to email AND call and use the phrase "SAI correction" in your subject line so it gets flagged as urgent.

This is such a stressful situation and you're definitely not alone! I went through something similar last year (though not quite this close to the deadline). A few additional tips that might help: 1. When you call the schools, ask to speak with a "financial aid counselor" rather than just whoever answers the phone - they tend to have more authority to make immediate changes. 2. If a school says they can't update before May 1st, ask them specifically about getting an extension on the decision deadline. Many schools are being more flexible this year because of all the FAFSA issues. 3. Document everything! Keep notes of who you spoke with, when, and what they promised. This has saved me multiple times when following up. Your new SAI of 6130 should definitely result in better aid packages, so it's worth the effort to get those updates. The timing is terrible, but don't let that school that "finalized" everything discourage you - keep pushing back through different departments if needed!

I'm in almost the exact same boat! Our SAI dropped from 8,950 to 5,620 just last week and we're scrambling to get schools to update packages before May 1st. One thing that's worked for me is calling early in the morning (like 8 AM when they open) - I've gotten through to actual counselors much faster than calling later in the day. Also, if you're calling multiple schools, batch your calls in the morning when your energy is highest because some of these conversations can be really draining. The good news is that your new SAI should qualify for substantial Pell Grant money - probably around $5,000+ based on what others have shared. That alone could make a huge difference in affordability between schools. Hang in there! This whole process has been a nightmare for so many families this year, but you're doing all the right things by being proactive and persistent.