FAFSA processed but no word from colleges - how long should I wait before following up?

it varys by school... some r super fast (like 2 weeks) others take forEVER!! my daughters top choice took 2 months last yr to send her aid package which was WAY too late imo. different schools have diff timelines so dont panic yet

Most schools are still adapting to the new FAFSA and SAI calculation system for 2025-2026, so timelines are longer than usual. In my experience working with families, you can generally expect to hear back within 3-4 weeks after FAFSA processing is complete. However, some institutions are taking 6-8 weeks this year due to the system changes. Some factors that affect response time: - Early Decision/Early Action applicants typically receive aid packages first - Some schools wait until they've processed all admitted students' FAFSAs before sending any packages - Highly selective private colleges often take longer because they also consider CSS Profile data - State schools with standardized aid formulas are usually faster If you need to make a decision by early May, I'd suggest waiting one more week, then proactively contacting the financial aid offices at each school. Most have dedicated email addresses for inquiries that get faster responses than phone calls.

I CANNOT BELIEVE how messed up the financial aid system is this year!! Both my kids' FAFSAs were processed in February and we STILL haven't heard from 3 out of 5 schools. The deadline to commit is coming up fast and they expect families to make decisions without knowing what they can afford?! Called one school and they said "We're still working on it" - HELPFUL MUCH?!! It's like they forget we're spending thousands of dollars and need time to plan!

After your FAFSA is processed, schools need time to calculate your aid package based on your SAI and their specific institutional methodology. In my experience, it typically takes 2-4 weeks for this process, but with the major changes to the FAFSA this year, many schools are taking 4-6 weeks. I recommend proactively contacting each school's financial aid office in the following situations: 1) If it's been more than 4 weeks since processing 2) If you have a May 1st decision deadline approaching 3) If you've received packages from some schools but not others When you call, have your student's ID number ready and ask specifically: "My student's FAFSA was processed on March 17th. Can you confirm you've received it and tell me when we might expect to receive a financial aid package?" This direct approach usually gets you the most accurate information. Don't hesitate to mention your decision timeline if it's getting close.

My daughter went through this last year & we got her first financial aid package 3 weeks after FAFSA processing and her last one came literally 2 days before the decision deadline 🙄 I was stressing the whole time but they all came through eventually. Different schools operate on completely different timelines!

One thing to keep in mind is that calling the Federal Student Aid office directly can sometimes help speed things up if there seems to be a delay on the FAFSA side. However, calling them can be frustrating - I spent over 2 hours on hold last week trying to help a student resolve a verification issue. I've been using Claimyr.com recently to get through to FAFSA agents without the long wait times. They have a system that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ That said, in your situation, it sounds like your FAFSA is processed correctly, so you'll want to contact the schools directly rather than Federal Student Aid. The schools are the ones preparing your aid packages now.

Just went through this with my daughter who's heading to college this fall. Every school was different! Her state university sent the aid package just 10 days after FAFSA processing, but the private colleges took between 3-5 weeks. One school didn't send anything until we called them, and they said they had everything but were "processing in batches" or something. So definitely follow up if it's been about 3 weeks. And just a tip - when you do get the aid packages, some will be super clear and others will be ridiculously confusing with how they present the information. We had to call two financial aid offices to get real explanations of what they were actually offering vs what were just federal loans they were listing as "aid.

i just got my package yesterday and fafsa was done in feb. imo its worth calling esp if you need to decide soon

Based on the comments here and what I've been seeing this application cycle, I'd recommend the following timeline for follow-up: - Wait 3-4 weeks after FAFSA processing before initial contact - Email the financial aid office first with your student's ID, name, and FAFSA processing date - If no response within 3-5 business days, follow up with a phone call - If you're within 2 weeks of your decision deadline, mention this specifically One important note: make sure your student checks their college portal AND email regularly. Many schools communicate through their portal systems, and students sometimes miss notifications about missing documents or aid packages that have been posted. Also, when you do receive packages, review them carefully for any verification requirements. About 30% of applications get selected for verification, and you'll need to submit additional documentation before aid is finalized.

We just went through this waiting game and found out that one school had flagged our FAFSA for verification but never notified us! We only discovered this when we called to ask about the aid package timeline. They needed us to upload additional tax documents and couldn't process our aid until that was complete. So my advice is definitely call if it's been more than 3 weeks - there might be something holding up your application that you don't know about.

To answer your most recent question - verification selection usually appears in two places: 1) On your Student Aid Report (SAR) from FAFSA - it will specifically say if you've been selected for federal verification 2) In communication from individual schools - they may select you for institutional verification even if you weren't chosen for federal verification If your SAR doesn't mention verification and you haven't received specific requests from schools, you're likely fine. However, it never hurts to check your student portal for each school or call their financial aid office directly to confirm they have everything they need. One last tip: when aid packages do arrive, pay attention to whether they're final offers or estimates. Some schools will send preliminary packages marked as "estimated" until all verification is complete.

As someone who just went through this process with my own kid, I wanted to add that it's also worth checking if any of the schools your son applied to have specific financial aid timelines posted on their websites. Some colleges actually publish when they expect to release aid packages for different application rounds (EA, RD, etc.). Also, if you haven't already, make sure your son has set up his student portal accounts at each school - sometimes aid information gets posted there before any email notifications go out. We almost missed an important deadline because my daughter wasn't checking one of her portals regularly. The waiting is definitely stressful, especially when you're trying to make such a big financial decision! But from everything I've seen in this thread, it sounds like you're right on track timeline-wise.

I'm in the exact same boat! My daughter's FAFSA was processed on March 15th and we're still waiting on 3 out of 4 schools. It's nerve-wracking when you're trying to plan financially. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful though - sounds like 3-4 weeks is pretty normal, especially with all the FAFSA changes this year. I think I'll give it until early next week and then start making some calls. Good luck to your family! At least we know we're not alone in this waiting game.

I'm in a very similar situation! My son's FAFSA was processed on March 20th and we're still waiting to hear from all 5 schools he applied to. Reading everyone's responses here has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea the new FAFSA system was causing such widespread delays this year. It sounds like 3-4 weeks is pretty normal timing, but I'm definitely getting anxious about our May 1st decision deadline too. I think I'll follow the advice about waiting one more week and then reaching out to the financial aid offices with that specific script someone mentioned earlier. It's comforting to know so many other families are going through the exact same waiting game right now!