FAFSA summer correction not showing up & independent status impact for CA resident transferring to LSU

For the summer correction, you'll need to wait 3-5 business days for processing before the changes appear in the portal. If you don't see the update by then, you should contact the financial aid office at the summer school to confirm they received the updated FAFSA. Regarding independent status at LSU - yes, this typically results in a more favorable financial aid package since only the student's income/assets are considered (not parents'). However, as California residents attending an out-of-state school, be aware that: 1. Your daughter won't qualify for Louisiana state grants 2. She may retain some California aid that's portable to out-of-state institutions 3. Independent status mainly affects federal aid calculations (Pell Grant amounts, loan eligibility) 4. Off-campus housing costs are factored into the cost of attendance I'd recommend contacting LSU's financial aid office directly to get a preliminary estimate based on her specific SAI score and independent status.

my daughter went thru this exact thing last yr!!! she went from living on campus at UCLA to transferring to an out of state school as independent. her aid was WAY better as independent bc parents income wasnt counted anymore. but watch out - they required like 5 different documents to prove she was really independent. make sure she has all her tax stuff ready!!

Actually, I want to clarify something important about independent status verification. LSU (like most schools) has a specific verification process for independent students. They'll likely request: - Student tax returns (2023 for the 2025-2026 FAFSA) - Documentation proving independent status (could be age verification, marriage certificate, etc.) - Proof of separate residence from parents One critical thing: the SAI calculation will be COMPLETELY different as an independent student, which is generally advantageous. However, as a California resident attending LSU, she'll face higher costs that might offset some of the additional aid. For your summer school issue - if you just made the correction last night, the system typically takes 3-7 days to update. You can call FSA directly to confirm they received the correction, but they won't be able to speed up processing.

im at LSU now and the fin aid office is IMPOSSIBLE to reach by phone. took me 2 weeks to get someone about my verification stuff. they keep putting me on hold forever then disconnecting! so frustrating!!

Transfer student here! For the summer correction part, you actually need to make sure you added the new summer school to her FAFSA school list. Just making corrections without adding the school won't send them the info. Check her school list on studentaid.gov to confirm the summer school is there. Also, independent status is great but watch out for LSU's out-of-state tuition - it's STEEP even with good federal aid. My sister is paying almost $29k/year as an out-of-state student even with decent aid package.

I work in financial aid (not at LSU but at another state university). Here's what you need to know: 1. For the summer correction: If you updated the FAFSA but didn't add the summer school to the school list, they won't receive it. You need to specifically add every school that should receive the FAFSA data. Processing takes 3-5 business days. 2. Regarding independent status: Yes, this typically results in higher eligibility for federal aid (particularly Pell Grant and subsidized loans). However, as California residents attending LSU, here are the key considerations: - Independent status primarily affects federal aid, not institutional aid - LSU's non-resident tuition for 2025-2026 will likely exceed $30,000 (plus fees) - Federal aid maximums don't change based on out-of-state status - The financial benefit of independent status might be offset by the out-of-state tuition premium I strongly recommend requesting a preliminary aid estimate from LSU before making final decisions.

One more thing about California residents attending out-of-state schools - make sure to check if your daughter might qualify for any Cal Grant portability. Some California state aid can follow students to out-of-state institutions, though it's typically reduced compared to in-state usage. Also, regarding her independent status - if she qualified as independent due to age (24+), make sure that's properly indicated on her FAFSA. Sometimes students who are newly independent have issues because the system may default to dependent status if they were previously filed that way. Double-check her SAI calculation to ensure it's not including parent information.

To clarify about California aid portability: Most Cal Grants are NOT portable to out-of-state institutions. However, there are some specific programs and scholarships from California that can be used at out-of-state schools. These are typically merit-based rather than need-based programs. The main benefit of independent status will be in the federal aid calculations (Pell Grant, subsidized loans) and potentially in institutional aid from LSU itself, which will now only consider the student's income and assets, not the parents'.

LSU does offer some scholarships specifically for transfer students, including their Tiger Transfer Scholarship that can provide up to $1,500 per year for qualified out-of-state transfer students. However, these typically have early deadlines and specific GPA requirements (usually 3.5+ for competitive consideration). Regarding your original summer FAFSA question, I'd recommend taking these steps: 1. Log into studentaid.gov and verify the summer school is on her school list 2. Check if the FAFSA shows "processed" rather than "processing" status 3. Contact the summer school's financial aid office directly (they can see if they've received the updated FAFSA) 4. If there's still an issue after 5 business days, consider contacting FSA directly For LSU financial aid questions, their Office of Enrollment Management is the best contact for comprehensive information about costs and potential aid as an out-of-state student with independent status.