FAFSA shows 'correct' on studentaid.gov but Arkansas Lottery Scholarship shows 2 errors - What gives?

Yup happened 2 me too this year!! Fed website said all good but AR scholarship said errors. Called FSA and waited 2 HOURS only to be told its a 'communication lag' between systems. So annoying

This is actually pretty common with Arkansas scholarships specifically. The state system uses slightly different validation rules than the federal FAFSA system. You need to contact the Arkansas Division of Higher Education directly at (501) 371-2000. Ask specifically about what the errors are, as they have access to the error codes that you can't see on the portal. The most common issues are: 1. Income verification discrepancies between state and federal systems 2. Arkansas residency proof problems 3. Student/parent contribution calculation differences Don't panic though! These are usually just administrative differences that can be resolved with a quick form or documentation submission.

I work in a financial aid office at an Arkansas university. This happens ALL THE TIME and it's incredibly frustrating for families. The state scholarship system and FAFSA have different data validation systems. Usually the errors are something minor like a mismatch in how your address is formatted or a missing middle initial. Call the Arkansas Division of Higher Education tomorrow. When you get the automated menu, press 2 for financial aid, then 3 for lottery scholarship. Write down any error codes they give you. You might need to complete an additional state verification form - they'll email it if needed.

dont waste ur time calling those state ppl!!! they NEVER answer!!! i tried for 2 weeks straight last year. The ADHE phone system is GARBAGE

I had this exact issue last year with my FAFSA and the Arkansas Academic Challenge. I spent DAYS trying to get through to someone at the state office with no luck. After being on hold for hours and getting disconnected multiple times, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a live person at FSA in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The FSA agent was able to see both systems and explained that the Arkansas system was flagging my daughter's birthdate format and our address formatting as "errors" even though they weren't actual errors. The agent submitted an override that fixed it in the Arkansas system within 48 hours. Saved us so much stress!

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE STUDENTS FAIL!!! I went through this EXACT same thing in 2022 and ended up LOSING my scholarship because of these so-called "errors" that no one could explain!!! FAFSA said everything was fine but Arkansas said there were errors. Called both offices for WEEKS and got NOWHERE!!! By the time someone finally figured it out, it was past the deadline and they REFUSED to make an exception even though it was THEIR SYSTEM that caused the problem!!! My son had to take out $11,000 in loans to cover what the scholarship would have paid! CRIMINAL!!!!!!

Quick update based on some of the comments: Yes, the Arkansas scholarship office can be hard to reach by phone, especially during peak season. Two alternative contact methods that often work better: 1. Email finaid@adhe.edu with your student's name, DOB, and a clear explanation of the issue 2. Contact your student's intended university financial aid office - they often have direct lines to the state scholarship office and can check on the specific errors As for the "errors" - 90% of the time they're formatting issues that don't affect eligibility. The most common are address format differences, parent vs. student contribution calculation differences, or residency date inconsistencies.

my daughter had somethin like this happen last yr...turned out the "errors" were just that she put her middle initial on the Arkansas application but not on FAFSA lol. took 3 weeks to figure that out. system is ridiculous

I just want to add - make sure to document EVERYTHING. Save screenshots of both systems showing the different statuses, keep a log of all your phone calls (dates, times, who you spoke with), and follow up any phone conversations with an email summary. If you do end up close to the deadline, this documentation can help you file for an exception based on system errors rather than applicant errors.

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone at Arkansas Division of Higher Education! The "errors" were: 1) My son's middle name was spelled out on FAFSA but abbreviated on his Arkansas account, and 2) Our street address had "Street" spelled out on FAFSA but "St" on the Arkansas application. Seriously. That's it. They're fixing it on their end and said everything should update in the system within 48 hours. Thank you all for your help and suggestions!

So glad you got it figured out! This exact type of formatting "error" happens constantly. It's frustrating they can't build a better system that accounts for these minor differences. At least you caught it early before scholarship deadlines!

Typical government inefficiency! Glad you got it sorted out though. This kind of nonsense is why people get so frustrated with the whole financial aid process.