FAFSA formula changes cost my son scholarship and grant - any appeal process?

we lost aid too... our SAI went up by like 4k for no reason. my kid might have to transfer now

Yes, there is an appeal process, but it's very specific. You can't appeal just because the new FAFSA formula gave you a less favorable SAI - that's not grounds for appeal on its own. However, you CAN appeal for special circumstances like: 1. Job loss or significant income reduction 2. Excessive medical expenses not covered by insurance 3. One-time income that inflated your AGI (inheritance, IRA withdrawal, etc.) 4. Support of extended family members 5. Natural disaster expenses The appeal must be made directly to your son's college's financial aid office, not to Federal Student Aid. Each school has their own Professional Judgment process. They'll need documentation to support whatever circumstances you're claiming.

THIS NEW FAFSA FORMULA IS A DISASTER!!! My daughter lost her entire Pell Grant - we went from $4100 to ZERO!!! Called financial aid office and they said there's nothing they can do because it's federal formula. This is criminal what they're doing to middle class families.

Financial aid counselor here. The FAFSA Simplification Act did change how the Student Aid Index (SAI, formerly EFC) is calculated in several significant ways: 1. Different treatment of small businesses and family farms 2. Changes to the income protection allowance 3. Elimination of the sibling discount (multiple students in college) 4. Different calculation for divorced/separated parents 5. Changes to how certain assets are counted For many middle-income families, especially those with multiple students in college, the new formula has resulted in higher SAI scores. While you can't appeal simply because you don't like the new formula, you should absolutely pursue a Professional Judgment review if you have any special circumstances (medical expenses, income changes, etc.). Each college has their own appeal process, but generally you'll need to write a detailed letter explaining your circumstances and provide substantial documentation.

I was in the exact same situation last month with my daughter's financial aid package. Lost about $6,400 in institutional grants because our SAI went up by nearly $9k despite no real income changes. I was getting absolutely nowhere with the financial aid office on the phone - constant transfers, long waits, and no real answers. I finally tried using Claimyr to reach an actual Federal Student Aid agent (claimyr.com) and was able to get through in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours. The agent explained exactly which aspects of the new formula affected our calculation, which helped me prepare a much more specific professional judgment appeal to the university. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ With the specific information, I was able to successfully appeal and get back about $4,800 of the lost aid. Definitely worth trying!

Have you checked if your son is eligible for any additional scholarship opportunities through the university? Many schools have scholarship funds specifically for continuing students who face financial hardship or who have demonstrated academic excellence. These are separate from the federal aid and sometimes have different application processes. My son applied for three departmental scholarships after losing some aid and received one that helped offset the difference.

this new formula is so confusing!!! i thought it was supposed to make things easier but now im worried about applying for next yr...does anyone know if they're gonna change it again or is this permanent??

UPDATE: I wanted to share what worked for us. After gathering all our documentation (medical bills, proof of reduced hours for my wife), we requested a Professional Judgment review with the financial aid office. We also used the Claimyr service that someone suggested to reach an FSA agent who explained exactly which parts of the formula affected us most (mainly the sibling adjustment change and how our retirement savings were counted). We just heard back today - they've restored $2,800 of the institutional scholarship and we'll be receiving an additional $950 work-study award that wasn't in the original package. Still a loss from previous years, but MUCH more manageable. For anyone else facing this issue - DEFINITELY appeal if you have any special circumstances, be extremely specific in your request, provide documentation for everything, and try to understand exactly which formula changes affected your situation so you can address them directly.