FAFSA gave my daughter an SAI of 92 - is this extremely low score an error?

That's actually FANTASTIC news! An SAI of 92 is extremely low, which means your daughter will likely qualify for significant financial aid. The SAI (Student Aid Index) replaced the old EFC (Expected Family Contribution) in the new FAFSA system, and it represents what the government thinks your family can contribute annually toward college costs. A score of 92 means they've determined your family can only contribute $92 per year toward education costs. These ultra-low SAI scores usually qualify students for the maximum Pell Grant amount (about $7,395 for the 2025-2026 academic year) and make them eligible for significant institutional aid at many colleges. This is definitely not a mistake if there were special financial circumstances that the FAFSA took into account.

my brother got a 0 SAI last yr and got full rides at 3 schools! ur daughter hit the jackpot, congrats!! 🎉

HATE TO BURST YOUR BUBBLE but something isn't adding up here! With an income of $87K there is NO WAY you should have an SAI of 92 unless there's something major you're not telling us. Did you report your assets correctly? The new FAFSA is different but it's not THAT different. Either you have 10 kids in college simultaneously or something got messed up. I'd call and verify before you start planning for all that "free money" you think you're getting!!!

I work in a financial aid office, and while an SAI of 92 is unusually low for an income of $87K, it's not impossible with the new FAFSA formula. Several factors could cause this: 1. Multiple children in college simultaneously 2. High medical expenses or other significant deductions 3. Living in a high cost-of-living area with income protection allowances 4. Recent change in income that isn't reflected in your tax returns 5. Unusual retirement or asset situations that reduce your Expected Family Contribution The new FAFSA is also more generous with its income protection allowances. I'd recommend taking a screenshot of your SAI result, and when you receive your financial aid packages, bring the documentation if there are any questions. It's possible it's correct, but unusual enough that you should verify.

I work with a girl who had almost this exact situation happen. Her daughter got an SAI of 103 on the new FAFSA which seemed wrong based on their income, she was sure it was a mistake. She spent TWO WEEKS trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid to verify it. Kept getting disconnected or waiting on hold forever. Finally she used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got her through to an actual human in like 20 minutes. Turns out the score was legit! They have a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ If you're really concerned about the accuracy, you might try that instead of wasting days trying to get through on your own. The FAFSA people are impossible to reach this time of year.

lol everyones like "congrats" or "somethings wrong" but nobody answered the actual question. YES this can happen with the new FAFSA. my cousins family makes about $90K and got an SAI of 134. its bc the new formula has different income protection allowances and asset calculations. the old system was way harsher on middle class families. u got lucky! 🍀

Hi there! Just wanted to add that my daughter also received an unexpectedly low SAI this year with the new FAFSA system. We were shocked too! What I learned is that you should definitely have your daughter apply to schools that offer generous financial aid packages for Pell-eligible students. Many competitive private colleges will meet 100% of demonstrated need for students with low SAIs. Don't just look at state schools - sometimes the private ones end up being cheaper with these incredible aid packages. Good luck!

To follow up on your question about private vs. state schools - YES, definitely have her look at private schools now! With an SAI that low, many selective private colleges will offer incredibly generous financial aid packages that can make them cheaper than state universities. Schools with large endowments often have institutional funds they can use to cover most or all of the cost beyond what federal aid provides. The key term to research is "schools that meet 100% of demonstrated financial need" - these institutions will use your SAI to determine your need and then build aid packages to cover the full cost of attendance minus your SAI amount. With a 92 SAI, your daughter could potentially get packages that cover almost the entire cost at these schools.

As someone who just went through this process with my son last year, I wanted to share that the new FAFSA formula can definitely produce surprisingly low SAI numbers for middle-class families! We had a similar income level and were shocked by our low SAI too. A few things that might have contributed to your daughter's SAI of 92: - The new formula has higher income protection allowances - State tax allowances vary significantly by where you live - Asset protection has changed under the new system - Even small medical expenses or other deductions can have bigger impacts now My advice: Screenshot everything and keep detailed records, but don't panic! We were worried it was an error too, but it turned out to be legitimate. The financial aid packages my son received were incredible - schools that would have cost $50k+ ended up costing us less than our state university would have. Start researching schools that meet full demonstrated need NOW. With an SAI that low, your daughter could potentially attend some amazing private colleges for less than you'd pay at a state school. It really opened up opportunities we never thought were financially possible!