FAFSA showing 'in review' but college advisor says it was rejected - what's happening?

This happened to me too!! The college financial aid offices sometimes get the rejection notice but dont get the corrected version for like 3-5 days after u fix it. its super annoying. just let her advisor know u already fixed the signature issue and ask them to check again next week

There's actually a timing issue between when corrections are processed in the federal system and when colleges receive the updated information. This is completely normal, though frustrating. Here's what's happening: 1. When you corrected the signatures, the FAFSA system began reprocessing your application 2. Your studentaid.gov account updates first (that's the "in review" status) 3. The SAI calculation email is generated once initial processing completes 4. BUT colleges don't automatically receive the corrected version for 3-7 business days 5. Your daughter's advisor is likely looking at the older rejected version I recommend having your daughter email her advisor with the date/time you made the corrections and attach a screenshot of the current "in review" status if possible. They can make a note in her file so her financial aid package isn't delayed.

wait did u get the SAI number already?? I fixed my daughters signature issue last week and still don't have an SAI. how long did it take for yours to show up?

The whole system is GARBAGE!! My son's FAFSA has been "processing" for 6 WEEKS now and every time I call they tell me something different. First it was a signature issue, then they said it was fine, then they said there was a verification problem, and now they're saying it's still processing?! Meanwhile his university is sending threatening emails about missing the financial aid deadline. I've called FSA like 15 times and spend HOURS on hold each time only to get disconnected. I'm about to lose my mind.

Financial aid counselor here. This is one of the most common scenarios we deal with every day. What you're experiencing is a timing issue in the federal processing system. The FAFSA data is transmitted to schools in batches, and there's often a lag between when you make corrections and when schools receive the updated information. Once you make a correction (like adding missing signatures), the FAFSA system: 1. Updates your studentaid.gov account status first (usually within 24 hours) 2. Generates a new SAI calculation (usually within 24-48 hours) 3. Creates a new ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record) to send to schools 4. Transmits that ISIR to schools on the next scheduled batch date The lag between steps 3 and 4 can be anywhere from 1-7 business days. Your daughter's advisor is almost certainly looking at the previous ISIR showing the rejection. Recommendation: Have your daughter forward the SAI email to her advisor and ask them to make a note in her file that an updated ISIR should be arriving soon. This will prevent delays in her financial aid package processing.

also make sure u tell ur son to check with his advisor too! sometimes the same error affects both kids FAFSA's but only 1 advisor notices it or tells the student

I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet, but the "in review" status can actually mean different things depending on where you're seeing it. If it's on studentaid.gov, that usually means they're verifying information or running final processing. If it's on your college portal, it could mean the financial aid office is reviewing your package. Where exactly are you seeing the "in review" status?

One more thing to be aware of - if your SAI is below a certain threshold, your application might be selected for verification, which is like an audit of your financial information. This is separate from the signature issue and could happen even after the corrected FAFSA is processed. If this happens, don't panic - it's random and doesn't mean you did anything wrong. Just be ready to provide additional documentation if requested.

So for the 2025-2026 FAFSA they're supposed to be sending rejection notices directly to the student email too now right? Did your daughter get an email or just the text from her advisor?