FAFSA delay caused my son to miss registration for best professors - any way to get override?

same thing happened with my daughter!! its total bs if u ask me. she couldnt register for anything until may because her fasfa was "under review" forever and now shes stuck with all 8am classes and the professors with terrible ratings 😡

I work in a college registrar's office (not your son's school), and I can tell you that we've seen a LOT of this issue this year because of the FAFSA delays. Some schools have actually implemented special override policies specifically for students affected by FAFSA delays. Here's what I recommend: 1. Have your son email the department chair (not just the advisor) explaining the situation 2. Include documentation showing when his financial aid was finalized 3. Be specific about which course sections he's trying to get into 4. Have him offer to attend the first week of classes even if not officially enrolled yet Many departments have some discretion for these situations, especially for incoming freshmen.

Speaking from personal experience, the registration system at most colleges is ridiculous. My son faced the same issue (not FAFSA related but medical leave timing), and what worked was having him physically go to the professors' offices during the first week. Many professors have the ability to override registration caps if they choose to, especially if your son explains the FAFSA delay wasn't his fault. Don't give up!

DONT WASTE UR TIME WITH THE REGISTRATION OFFICE lol they literally dont care. i had the exact same prob and calls to the school did nothing. my advise is get on the waitlist for ALL the classes u want and then email the professors directly like every other day. be annoying but nice. it worked for me for 2 out of 3 classes

I've helped hundreds of families with FAFSA issues, and this registration problem is unfortunately common this year. While you're working on the registration angle, make sure your son is also: 1. Checking his aid package carefully - many schools rushed processing and errors are common 2. Making sure all documentation is complete - sometimes they release a "preliminary" package but still need additional verification 3. Confirming his SAI score matches what's on studentaid.gov vs. what the school is using I've seen cases where students thought their aid was finalized but the school still had holds that weren't communicated clearly.

If you're still struggling to get anyone on the phone at the financial aid office to sort this out, I recently discovered a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual person at Federal Student Aid. You can check them out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. It basically holds your place in line so you don't have to stay on hold forever. I used it to get clarification about our FAFSA verification that was causing registration delays for my daughter.

This happened to my son too. The school was NOT helpful until we escalated to the Dean of Students office. His advisor kept giving us the runaround, but once we framed it as an access/equity issue (some students disadvantaged due to federal aid delays), they suddenly found space in 3 of the 4 classes he wanted. Don't give up - go above the advisor's head if needed.

btw has anyone elses kid had trouble with their dorm assignment too bc of this?? my daughters roomate already moved in but they still havent confirmed her housing bc of "pending financial aid" even tho we can see the package online!!

Just a quick update based on what I'm seeing at my institution - many schools are now implementing "FAFSA delay forgiveness policies" for fall 2025 because this has been such a widespread issue. If your son's school hasn't announced anything like this yet, it might be worth specifically asking if they have any accommodations for students impacted by the federal FAFSA delays. Some schools are setting aside seats in high-demand courses specifically for these students.

After reading through all the comments, I think your best approach is a two-pronged strategy: 1. Have your son email department chairs with documentation of the FAFSA timeline 2. Then have him show up in person to the classes he wants during the first week Almost every school has a drop/add period, and professors have significant discretion during this time. If he's physically present and demonstrates interest and commitment, many professors will add him even if officially "full.