FAFSA says 'Processed' after SAI calculation error - what now for college freshman?

the schools will NOT show offerz on the fafsa site!! u need to check each school portal. my son got accepted to 5 places last yr and every one had different login for finaid stuff. super annoying

The 'cannot compute SAI' message typically appears when there's conflicting information or a technical glitch in the system. Since it now shows 'Processed,' the system has resolved whatever the issue was and successfully calculated your daughter's Student Aid Index (SAI). Here's what you should know: 1. The FAFSA itself doesn't show aid offers, just your processed application 2. Each college will create a financial aid package based on your SAI 3. You'll need to check each college's financial aid portal or wait for award letters 4. Most schools start sending freshman aid packages between February-April If you want to see your actual SAI score (which determines aid eligibility), log into studentaid.gov and view your processed FAFSA. The SAI number will be displayed there.

I had the EXACT same thing happen with my son's FAFSA this year!! The "cannot compute SAI" message stayed for like 2 weeks then suddenly changed to "Processed" without any explanation. So frustrating! I called the Federal Student Aid number like 15 times and could never get through to anyone. Just endless hold times then disconnects. For what it's worth, all three schools my son applied to ended up getting his FAFSA info just fine, so I think once it says "Processed" you're good to go. But yeah like others said, you have to check each school's individual portal for actual aid offers. It's a mess.

Want to actually speak with someone at Federal Student Aid? Try Claimyr - it's the only way I finally got through after spending DAYS trying to call about my daughter's verification issue. They basically hold your place in line and call you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video demo so you can see how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Finding out exactly what happened with your original "cannot compute SAI" error might give you peace of mind, especially if you're worried about your aid amounts.

Your FAFSA processing error was likely resolved through an automated correction system. When the system can't calculate an SAI initially, it flags the application for review. This happens for multiple reasons: - Income/tax information discrepancies - Conflicting dependency answers - Missing signatures - Technical system glitches The fact that it now shows "Processed" without requiring additional action from you suggests it was either a temporary system issue or a minor discrepancy their system could resolve automatically. The most important thing is checking your SAI (Student Aid Index) number in your processed FAFSA to understand your aid eligibility. Then yes, you'll need to monitor each school's financial aid portal for actual offers.

be patient!! colleges are STILL figuring out the new FAFSA system this year. my nephew is also incoming freshman for fall 2025 and his financial aid packages are coming in super slow compared to previous years. one school told us they're like 6 weeks behind on processing everything because of all the FAFSA changes. just keep checking each school's portal every few days.

did u put in different income numbers than what was on ur taxes? that'll cause the SAI error. happened to my cousin when she accidentally put her monthly income instead of yearly lol. they eventually fixed it automatically but she got way less aid than expected. might be worth double checking all ur numbers now that it's processed!

This whole FAFSA system is RIDICULOUS! They make it SO COMPLICATED for families just trying to get some help with college costs. My daughter is a sophomore now and I've been through this nightmare twice. The "cannot compute SAI" is just one of their many useless error messages that tell you NOTHING about what's actually wrong. And the fact that schools all have different portals and deadlines is just the cherry on top of this bureaucratic disaster. Just wait until you have to do verification - that's a whole new level of FAFSA hell. They'll make you upload every financial document you've ever had and then still take weeks to process it.

To directly answer your questions: 1. Yes, "Processed" status means your FAFSA is complete and the SAI has been successfully calculated 2. The colleges your daughter listed on her FAFSA will automatically receive her information 3. Each college creates their own financial aid package based on your FAFSA information 4. You must check each college's individual financial aid portal or wait for them to contact you with award packages 5. If you need to see what your actual SAI number is, view your processed FAFSA or Student Aid Report (SAR) on studentaid.gov Most incoming freshman receive financial aid offers between February and April, though some schools may be delayed this year due to the FAFSA changes.