FAFSA processed but CWRU says they need it - do we need to manually send it?

The schools should automatically receive your FAFSA information within 3-7 business days after it's processed. Since you just got processed last week, and with the holiday, it might just be a timing issue. Most schools send automatic reminders until their system updates with your submission. I'd give it until Monday before panicking. You can always log into your studentaid.gov account and check which schools have been sent your information under the "My FAFSA" section.

omg CWRU did the EXACT same thing to me last yr!! its just their automatic system sending notices. theyll get it soon, just wait like 5 days. CSS takes longer to process than FAFSA btw

In my experience, sometimes there's a disconnect between the admissions office and financial aid office at universities. I'd recommend calling CWRU's financial aid office directly to confirm they've received your documents or if you need to take any additional steps. Don't just assume it'll work itself out - these things can fall through the cracks, especially during application season when they're swamped.

This is absolutely normal. There's about a 3-10 business day processing time between when Federal Student Aid processes your FAFSA and when the schools actually receive and import the data into their systems. Since your FAFSA was just processed last week and we've had the Thanksgiving holiday, the timing makes perfect sense. Here's what I recommend: 1. Log into studentaid.gov and verify CWRU is listed under your selected schools 2. If it shows CWRU was sent your information, take a screenshot of this 3. Send a quick email to CWRU's financial aid office with this screenshot attached, mentioning when your FAFSA was processed 4. Ask them to confirm receipt once they process it on their end This creates a paper trail showing you've done everything correctly on your end.

I had this EXACT issue with Michigan State last year!! I freaked out because their portal kept showing missing FAFSA for like 2 weeks after we submitted. Called them and they were like "oh yeah we got it, the system just hasn't updated." So frustrating! The whole system is a mess honestly

I spent HOURS trying to reach somebody at Federal Student Aid last month when we had a similar issue with my son's FAFSA. Kept getting disconnected or waiting forever. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an actual FSA agent in about 30 minutes. They confirmed exactly which schools had received our FAFSA and when it was sent. Totally worth it for the peace of mind - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. The agent told me sometimes there's a 7-10 business day lag, especially around holidays.

Why dont you just call cwru financial aid office? they usually super helpful and can tell you exactly whats up

One more thing to check - make sure your daughter's CWRU student ID is correctly linked to her FAFSA. Sometimes schools have trouble matching FAFSA data to student records if the names don't match exactly (like if you used a nickname on one form but legal name on another) or if birthdate has a typo. This happens more often than you'd think!

update us when u figure it out! im curious if its just their system being slow or something else

Just wanted to add that you should also check your email (including spam folder) for any automated confirmations from Federal Student Aid showing which schools your FAFSA was transmitted to. When mine processed last year, I got an email within 24 hours listing all the schools that received it. If you don't have that email, it might be worth logging into your FSA account to generate a new transmission report. This could serve as additional documentation when you contact CWRU's financial aid office.

I went through this exact same situation with my son's application to Northwestern last year! The timing sounds completely normal - there's always a delay between when your FAFSA shows as "processed" and when schools actually receive and process it on their end. What helped me was creating a simple tracking sheet with dates: when I submitted, when it was processed, when I contacted the school, etc. This way I had a clear timeline if I needed to follow up. Also, don't worry too much about the application deadline - financial aid deadlines are usually separate from admission deadlines, and schools are generally understanding about processing delays that are out of your control. You're being proactive by checking on this now, which is exactly the right approach!

As someone who just went through this process with my twin daughters applying to multiple schools, I can definitely relate to your stress! What you're experiencing is completely normal. The processing lag between Federal Student Aid and individual college systems is notorious, especially during peak application season. One thing that really helped me was setting up a spreadsheet to track each school's requirements and deadlines separately. I also recommend taking screenshots of your FSA account showing CWRU was included in your school list and the processing date - this documentation will be invaluable if you need to contact their financial aid office. Don't panic about the timing affecting her admission chances. Most schools understand these processing delays are beyond families' control, and financial aid offices are usually very helpful once you reach out to them directly. The fact that you're staying on top of this puts you ahead of many families who don't notice these issues until much later!