FAFSA recalculated our SAI from 25K to 46K despite lower AGI - now losing grants!

This is happening to SOOO many families this year. The new FAFSA rollout has been absolutely disastrous. Yes, you can definitely appeal! Every college has a financial aid appeal process specifically for situations like yours. First, gather documentation showing your income decrease. Second, write a clear explanation of why the current SAI doesn't reflect your actual ability to pay. Third, include any special circumstances (medical expenses, job loss, etc). Most importantly, don't wait for the next FAFSA reprocessing - contact the financial aid office immediately. The good news is that colleges have more flexibility than ever to make professional judgment adjustments this year because of all the FAFSA problems.

we had the opposit problem lol. our SAI started at 42k then went down to 18k after reprocessing. but now hearing they're doing it AGAIN??? this whole process is a joke

Your situation is exactly why you need to file an appeal with each individual school. The FAFSA's multiple recalculations have created unprecedented problems this year. When you appeal, focus on these specific points: 1. Document your $24,000 AGI reduction with tax returns from both years 2. Calculate your Pell Grant eligibility based on current federal guidelines (if your AGI is under $70,000 for a family of 4, you likely qualify for at least partial Pell) 3. Request a recalculation of your institutional aid based on both the lower income AND the Pell eligibility 4. Ask specifically for the restoration of work-study, as that's often easier for schools to reinstate Most schools have set aside additional institutional funds this year specifically because they anticipated FAFSA calculation errors. Be persistent but polite in your communications.

OMG this sounds excatly like what happened to us!!! Our SAI went from 30k to 55k even tho my husband lost his job middle of 2023. We were counting on that aid money and now my daughter doesn't know if she can even go to her dream school anymore. This system is RIGGED against middle class families!!!

I've been trying to reach someone at the Federal Student Aid office for THREE WEEKS to get a clear explanation of why our SAI changed so dramatically. Every time I call, I either get disconnected or wait on hold for hours without ever speaking to anyone. Has anyone successfully gotten through to a human being there?

Financial aid professional here. I want to clarify a few important points: 1. The SAI changes are primarily due to formula corrections, not your data changing 2. The Department of Education has acknowledged multiple calculation errors 3. The latest reprocessing (announced April 2025) should actually HELP most families - especially those with lower AGIs than 2022 4. Your $24,000 income reduction absolutely warrants an appeal - this is exactly what professional judgment adjustments are for Colleges are being incredibly flexible with appeals this year because we all recognize how flawed the FAFSA rollout has been. Document everything, focus on the income change, and emphasize your Pell eligibility. For a family of 4 with $68,500 AGI, you should qualify for approximately $1,500-2,000 in Pell Grant funds, which means your college should also reconsider their institutional aid.

my kid had the EXACT same thing happen. sai went from 32k to 57k even tho nothing changed with our finances. ended up choosing his safety school bc we couldn't afford the others anymore after aid got reduced. this whole system is a scam

To respond to your question about whether to wait for reprocessing or appeal now - definitely appeal NOW. Here's why: 1. The latest reprocessing may take weeks to complete 2. College deposit deadlines are typically May 1st 3. Financial aid appeal processes can take 2-3 weeks at many schools 4. You can always update your appeal if the reprocessed SAI improves 5. Schools have limited appeal funds that may run out if you wait And yes, Pell Grant eligibility (even $1) often serves as a gateway to other aid programs both at the institutional and state level. Make sure your appeal specifically mentions that your new AGI should qualify you for Pell based on federal guidelines.

To answer your follow-up questions: 1. Yes, absolutely appeal at ALL schools you're still considering. Each school has different appeal resources available. 2. I recommend calling first to understand their specific process. Some schools have formal appeal forms while others accept letters. Knowing exactly what documentation they require will save time. 3. Regarding Pell Grants - yes, they are a gateway. Many institutional aid formulas automatically increase when a student is Pell-eligible, even for small amounts. Plus, many state grants and scholarships use Pell eligibility as a qualifying factor. Regarding the reprocessing vs. appealing now: definitely appeal immediately. The reprocessing will happen automatically, but appeals require your action. You can always thank the school for their appeal decision and then ask them to reconsider again if the reprocessing results in a better SAI.

hot take but maybe the collges are in on it?? they get us all excited with bigger aid packages based on the 1st wrong SAI and then when it gets "fixed" they can reduce the aid and blame the govt. meanwhile they pocket the difference

I'm so sorry you're going through this - it's absolutely infuriating! My family is dealing with something similar. Our SAI jumped from 22K to 41K despite our income staying roughly the same, and now my son's college is asking us to pay nearly $40K more than we can afford. Based on what I've been learning from this community, here's what I'd recommend: 1. Start your appeals IMMEDIATELY at every school you're considering - don't wait for the next reprocessing 2. Emphasize that $24K income DROP in your appeal letters - that's huge and should definitely qualify for professional judgment 3. With your AGI at $68,500 for a family of 4, you should be getting Pell Grant money which often unlocks other aid too I'm actually in the middle of appeals myself right now. One thing that's helped is calling the financial aid offices directly to ask about their process rather than just submitting blind appeals. Most have been surprisingly understanding about the FAFSA disaster. Good luck - you're definitely not alone in this nightmare!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare! As someone who's been following the FAFSA disaster closely, I can tell you that your situation is unfortunately very common this year. The good news is that with a $24,000 income reduction, you have an extremely strong case for appeal. Here's what I'd recommend based on what's worked for other families: 1. **Don't wait for reprocessing** - Start appeals immediately at every school you're considering. The May 1st deposit deadline is approaching fast. 2. **Your income drop is HUGE** - That $24K reduction from $92,500 to $68,500 should absolutely qualify you for Pell Grant funds, which will likely trigger additional institutional aid. 3. **Contact schools directly** - Many financial aid offices have created special procedures specifically for FAFSA recalculation victims. They're often more understanding than you'd expect. 4. **Document everything** - Get your 2022 and 2023 tax returns, calculate your expected Pell eligibility, and write a clear timeline of what happened. The silver lining is that colleges have set aside extra appeal funds this year precisely because they anticipated these problems. Your case is exactly what professional judgment was designed for - don't give up hope!