FAFSA says 'may be eligible' for federal aid - what happens next with my sons' applications?

The 'may be eligible' message is just standard language - it means their applications were successfully processed! Now the colleges they listed on their FAFSA will automatically receive their information and SAI scores. Each school will use this data to create their financial aid package. You don't need to do anything else with the FAFSA system itself. The next steps are: 1. Wait for each college to send financial aid award letters (usually with acceptance letters or shortly after) 2. Each college will determine grants, work-study eligibility, and loan amounts based on their SAI scores 3. Some private colleges might request additional forms like the CSS Profile for their institutional aid Those SAI scores are in the middle range - they'll likely qualify for some aid, but amounts will vary by school.

thye don't tell you anything useful on the FASFA website lol. your boys will get some $$ but you won't know how much till the schools tell you. my daughter got completely different packages from each school even with same SAI. just wait for the letters.

Welcome to the confusing world of financial aid! 😅 Your sons' SAI scores around 18-21k actually put them in a pretty decent position for aid at many schools. But here's what you need to know: - Federal aid has different components: grants (free money like Pell Grants), subsidized/unsubsidized loans, and work-study opportunities - Each school has its own formula for how they use the SAI to distribute their institutional funds on top of federal aid - Some schools are much more generous than others with the same SAI score One son might get $15k at one school and $25k at another with the exact same FAFSA information. The waiting game is frustrating but totally normal!

I kept having the same problem last year with my daughter's FAFSA! Couldn't get a straight answer from the website and their phone line kept disconnecting me after 2+ hours on hold. I finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual FAFSA agent who explained everything. They have this video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent told me exactly what was happening with my daughter's application and confirmed the schools had received her info. Saved me weeks of stress wondering if something was wrong!

BTW some schools automatically consider you for scholarships when you apply but others make you fill out SEPERATE scholarship apps with different deadlines!!! My son missed out on like $10,000 because he didn't know about the separate scholarship forms. Check each school's financial aid website ASAP!!

u should be happy with those SAI scores, my kid got 38000 and is barely getting anything from his state school. its all a big scam anyway, they just want u to take out loans. the whole system is rigged against middle class families who work hard and save.

Just to add - your sons can absolutely appeal their financial aid offers if they're not sufficient. Wait until you receive all the packages, then: 1. Contact the financial aid office directly at their preferred school 2. Explain any special circumstances not captured on the FAFSA 3. You can even (politely) mention better offers from competing schools Many families successfully get additional aid through appeals, especially if you can document any changes in financial situation since you filed the FAFSA.

When we went through this last year, my son got his acceptance letters in December but didn't get financial aid packages until MARCH! It was so stressful waiting that long when deposits were due May 1st. Just prepare yourself for the wait... and make sure you check both mail AND email because some schools sent aid info electronically while others mailed paper packages.

One more thing to keep in mind - make sure your sons accept any federal aid offers (like Pell Grants or subsidized loans) even if they're not sure they'll attend that school yet. You can always decline later, but if you don't accept by the deadline, you might lose the opportunity. Also, some schools have priority deadlines for accepting aid packages that are earlier than the May 1st enrollment deadline, so read all the fine print carefully! Good luck with everything - you're doing great navigating this process for the first time.

As someone who just went through this with my daughter last year, I wanted to add that you should also check if any of the schools your sons applied to participate in state grant programs! Some states have additional need-based grants that use your FAFSA info but require separate applications or have different deadlines. For example, our state had a grant program that provided an extra $3,000 per year, but we almost missed it because the deadline was earlier than we expected. Also, don't forget about merit scholarships - some schools automatically consider all applicants, but others require separate essays or applications. Your sons' stats might qualify them for merit aid on top of need-based aid, which can really help bridge the gap. The whole process is definitely overwhelming at first, but you're asking all the right questions!