FAFSA only gave $5500 unsubsidized loan after divorce - How to survive freshman year costs?

First, take a deep breath! $5500 is the standard unsubsidized loan amount for first-year dependent students, regardless of need. But there are definitely more options. Have you looked into Parent PLUS loans? As her parent, you can apply for those to cover the remaining cost of attendance. Also, did your daughter complete the CSS Profile? Many private colleges require that in addition to the FAFSA for institutional aid.

omg same thing happened 2 my niece!! she only got loans no grants even tho her mom is single too. college is such a scam these days tbh

You absolutely CAN appeal your financial aid package based on the divorce! It's called a Professional Judgment review or Special Circumstances appeal. Since your FAFSA was based on 2023 tax information, but your financial situation changed with the divorce, you have grounds for an appeal. Contact the financial aid office and specifically ask for a "Special Circumstances Form" related to divorce/separation. You'll need to provide documentation like your divorce decree, current income information, and possibly a budget worksheet showing your current expenses. Don't take no for an answer from the financial aid office. Ask to speak with a financial aid counselor or director if the front desk staff isn't helpful. The financial aid office has discretion to adjust your FAFSA data elements based on your current situation.

When I was going through this with my son last year, I found that the financial aid office staff were SOOO much more helpful in person than on the phone. If you can make the trip, definitely go in person with all your documents organized!

The system is RIGGED against divorced parents!!! My daughter got the EXACT same thing - just the $5500 unsubsidized - even though I'm making just $38K a year. Meanwhile her dad makes six figures but the FAFSA doesn't care because they only count the custodial parent! And the financial aid office just shrugs and says that's how the formula works. TOTAL GARBAGE!!

Try calling Federal Student Aid directly to verify your SAI calculation is correct. I did this last month and discovered they had counted some retirement distributions as income when they shouldn't have. Got my daughter's SAI reduced by almost 5000 points! But warning: I spent HOURS on hold trying to reach them. I actually ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ It was the only way I actually managed to get through to a real person who could help.

Also, don't forget to look at scholarships! There are many scholarships specifically for children of divorced parents or single-parent households. Check with your daughter's high school guidance office, the college's scholarship office, and sites like Fastweb and Scholarships.com. Even small scholarships of $500-$1000 can add up.

To respond to your question about calling FSA - yes, it's worth doing after you submit the Professional Judgment appeal to your school. The school has to make the actual adjustment, but FSA can help verify your current SAI calculation and explain any issues that might be affecting it. Make sure you have your FSA ID ready, along with any tax returns or financial documents they might ask about. Also, I'd recommend looking into whether your state has any grant programs for in-state students. Many states have supplemental grants that aren't part of the federal FAFSA package but can provide significant help.

@originalpost To answer your question - yes, Claimyr was really simple to use. You just enter your phone number and they call you when an agent is available. And yes, the FSA agent was actually super helpful once I got through. She walked me through exactly what was included in my income calculation and identified the error right away. She also sent me an email confirming what documents I needed to submit for correction.

UPDATE: I wanted to thank everyone for their advice! I went to the financial aid office in person yesterday with all my documentation about the divorce and financial changes. They gave me a Special Circumstances form to fill out, and the counselor I spoke with was actually very helpful once I specifically mentioned "Professional Judgment review" (thank you for that terminology!). I also tried Claimyr to reach the Federal Student Aid office, and it worked! Got a call back in about 45 minutes and the agent confirmed there were no errors in our original submission but walked me through how the appeal process works with the school. Now we're waiting to hear back on the appeal. The financial aid officer said it typically takes 2-3 weeks for a decision. I've also started looking into state grants and scholarships specifically for children of divorced parents. Feeling less panicked now that we have a plan. Will update when we hear back about the appeal!