FAFSA data errors to schools: will my son's financial aid be affected?
I just saw the news about incorrect FAFSA data being sent to colleges, and I'm FREAKING OUT. My son is starting college this fall (first in our family!) and we submitted his FAFSA back in February. Got his SAI score and everything seemed fine, but now I'm worried his financial aid package will be messed up because of these errors. Has anyone else received communication from their school about this? Should I be contacting financial aid offices? I spent hours getting all our tax info right and now I'm terrified his scholarships and grants might disappear. Anyone know what's actually happening??
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Xan Dae
I'm in the same boat! My daughter got her financial aid package 3 weeks ago from her top choice school, but now I'm wondering if they'll send a revised (and worse) package. The whole FAFSA rollout this year has been a complete disaster. First the 3-month delay, then the website crashes, now THIS. I called my daughter's school this morning but couldn't get through to anyone who knew anything.
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Isaiah Sanders
•Did you leave a message? I'm thinking about emailing the fin aid office at my son's school but worried they're getting bombarded right now.
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Fiona Gallagher
Financial aid counselor here. First, take a deep breath. While the situation is concerning, most schools are still sorting through this. The issue primarily affects contribution calculations for some families with multiple students and certain income adjustments. Here's what you should do: 1. Wait for communication from your school - many are still assessing impact 2. Don't call repeatedly - financial aid offices are overwhelmed 3. If you don't hear anything within a week, send ONE email asking if your son's package is affected 4. Check your portal for updates Most schools will prioritize fixing packages for incoming freshmen, so there's a good chance your son will be addressed quickly.
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Isaiah Sanders
•Thank you so much! That helps calm my nerves a bit. Do you know if they're more likely to adjust Parent Plus loans or the grant amounts? We're really counting on the Pell Grant amount staying the same.
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Fiona Gallagher
•The Pell Grant is federal funding determined directly by your SAI, so if that number doesn't change, your Pell amount should remain stable. Institutional aid and scholarships are more likely to be adjusted if changes are needed. Parent Plus loans are credit-based and not directly tied to the SAI calculation, so those shouldn't be affected by the data transmission errors.
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Thais Soares
my kid got into 3 schools and we already made a deposit at one based on the aid package they gave us. if they change it now we're screwed because we turned down the other offers!!!! this is absolute BS, i spent HOURS on that stupid FAFSA form
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Nalani Liu
•You might have recourse if the aid package changes significantly. Many schools have policies about material changes in financial circumstances. If your aid package is revised dramatically after you've committed, you should immediately contact the financial aid office to discuss your options. Document everything and be prepared to explain why you made your decision based on the original offer.
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Axel Bourke
I work in admissions (not financial aid) at a university. From what I'm hearing, our financial aid team is working around the clock to identify affected students. The good news is that many students won't see any change at all. The bad news is that it's a slow process and communication has been limited because they're trying to avoid giving out incorrect information.
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Isaiah Sanders
•Do you know if they're prioritizing certain types of students? My son is an incoming freshman with high financial need.
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Axel Bourke
•Yes, most schools are prioritizing incoming freshmen first, especially those with high need. They understand that many enrollment decisions are being made right now and want to minimize disruption. If your son has high need, he's likely in the priority group.
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Aidan Percy
Been trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid for THREE DAYS about this issue and my daughter's updated SAI calculation. Endless hold times and then disconnected. If anyone else is in the same boat, I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ
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Isaiah Sanders
•Thank you for this! I've been avoiding calling because I heard wait times were insane. Did you actually get useful information when you finally got through?
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Aidan Percy
•Yes! The agent was able to confirm my daughter's actual SAI score and explained that even though some incorrect data was sent to schools, the FSA system itself has the correct information. She suggested I print out her official SAI from studentaid.gov and email it to her school's financial aid office as a backup.
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Fernanda Marquez
does anyone know which colleges r affected??? my son got into state university but we havent got his financial aid package yet. were supposed to decide by may 1st but how can we without knowing???
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Fiona Gallagher
•The data transmission errors affected schools across the country, not specific institutions. Each college is working through their applicant pool to identify affected students. Since you haven't received a package yet, the good news is that when you do get it, it should be based on corrected information. I'd recommend emailing the financial aid office explaining your May 1st deadline concern. Many schools are extending decision deadlines because of these issues.
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Isaiah Sanders
Update: Just got an email from my son's college saying they're reviewing all financial aid packages but don't anticipate major changes for most students. They're extending the deposit deadline to May 15th to give families more time once the corrected packages are sent out. Feeling a bit better now!
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Thais Soares
•lucky you! still nothing from my kid's school. this whole thing is RIDICULOUS
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Xan Dae
•That's great news! Which school if you don't mind sharing? Wonder if other colleges will follow suit with the extended deadline.
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Nalani Liu
Financial aid director here - I want to provide some clarity on what's happening: 1. The issue stems from incorrect data transmission between FSA and institutions, primarily affecting contribution calculations for certain family situations 2. Not every student is affected - early estimates suggest 5-20% of applicants may see adjustments 3. For most affected students, the changes will be minor 4. Federal aid (like Pell Grants) will be corrected automatically once the data is fixed 5. Institutional aid policies vary by school If you've already received a financial aid package, contact your specific institution rather than FSA for the most accurate information about your situation.
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Isaiah Sanders
•Thank you for this breakdown! Do you know how long it typically takes schools to review and reissue packages if needed?
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Nalani Liu
•It varies widely by institution and how many students are affected. Most schools are prioritizing incoming freshmen and trying to complete reviews within 1-2 weeks. Some larger institutions with more complex systems might take longer. The key is that schools understand the urgency given enrollment deposit deadlines.
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Andre Dupont
As someone who went through the college financial aid process last year (before all these FAFSA issues), I just want to say hang in there everyone! I know it's incredibly stressful when you're dealing with unknowns around college funding. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like the professionals are saying most students won't see major changes, and schools are working hard to prioritize incoming freshmen. One thing that helped me last year was keeping a spreadsheet with all the financial aid office contact info, deadlines, and notes from any conversations. It made it easier to stay organized when I needed to follow up. Also, don't be afraid to ask schools about their appeal process if you do end up with a significantly different package - many have procedures in place for situations like this where the change wasn't due to your family's circumstances. You've got this! The finish line is in sight even if it feels chaotic right now.
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