FAFSA unsubsidized loans not covering costs - need additional funding options ASAP

Unfortunately this is super common this year with the new FAFSA changes. You have a few options to consider: 1. Appeal the financial aid package - contact the school's financial aid office directly with a formal appeal letter explaining any circumstances not captured in the FAFSA (medical expenses, job loss, etc) 2. Parent PLUS loans are indeed an option, but remember they have higher interest rates than Direct loans 3. Private student loans - shop around for rates, some can be competitive if you have good credit 4. Ask about payment plans - many schools offer monthly payment options that might be more manageable than lump sums 5. Look for outside scholarships - even with only 3 months left, there are still opportunities out there The most effective immediate step is typically appealing directly to the financial aid office. Many schools have additional institutional aid they can award at their discretion.

we had the SAME issue with my daughter. called the school and found out there was actually a scholarship she qualified for that wasn't on the initial package!! definitely call them directly and ask about EVERYTHING available. also private loans saved us, ended up with discover student loans and their interest rate was actually better than the federal ones weirdly enough

This new FAFSA system is RIDICULOUS!!!! My daughter got $5,000 less than last year with literally NO CHANGE in our financial situation. The govt completely changed the formula and families are getting CRUSHED. We called the financial aid office and they basically said "sorry, nothing we can do" because they're overwhelmed with the same complaints from everyone. We ended up taking out a home equity loan because the Parent PLUS interest rate is highway robbery. The whole system is designed to trap families in debt. The "expected family contribution" is a JOKE.

Hi there - I work in financial aid at a university (not officially representing my school here though). Here's what I recommend: 1. First and foremost, schedule an appointment with your school's financial aid counselor. Every student's situation is unique. 2. When appealing, provide specific documentation of special circumstances. General appeals rarely succeed, but documented changes in financial situation often do. 3. Ask specifically about institutional scholarships or grants that might not automatically appear in initial packages. 4. If your SAI calculation seems wrong, verify all FAFSA inputs. Simple errors can dramatically impact the calculation. 5. Consider whether your student might qualify for work-study if it wasn't initially offered. Many schools have discretionary funds they can allocate, especially for students they really want to retain. A well-documented appeal can make a significant difference.

When I hit this exact problem last semester, I spent DAYS trying to get through to someone at Federal Student Aid to explain why our SAI was calculated so high. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual FSA agent in about 20 minutes. They were able to review our FAFSA submission and found a mistake in how our retirement accounts were reported that was inflating our SAI. Got it fixed and our revised aid package was much better. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Just sharing because trying to reach FSA directly almost drove me insane.

one thing nobodys mentioned, check with ur employer!! my company has tuition benefits for employees kids that i didnt even know about until HR mentioned it at a meeting. worth asking!!!

Something else to consider regarding appeals - timing matters. Many schools allocate their institutional aid budgets by early summer. The sooner you can submit an appeal, the more likely there are still funds available to distribute. Also, if your son received merit scholarships or aid offers from other schools, sometimes the financial aid office can use competing offers as leverage for increasing their own offer. It doesn't always work, but some schools are willing to match or come closer to competitors' offers for students they really want to enroll.

we're dealing with this too rn and it's so stressful! i'm literally losing sleep over how we're gonna pay for my son's college. the financial aid system is broken. wish i had actual advice but just want you to know you're not alone in this struggle 😓

just tell ur kid to go to community college for 2 yrs then transfer. saved us like $40k and my daughter still graduated from the same university with the same degree. this whole "dream school" thing is a marketing scam tbh

One more suggestion - have your son speak directly with his academic department. Many departments have scholarship funds that aren't widely advertised or automatically included in financial aid packages. These are especially common for students already demonstrating promise in their intended major. These departmental scholarships can range from $1,000-$5,000 per year and often have less competition than general university scholarships. A simple email to the department chair or undergraduate advisor can sometimes unlock these opportunities.

Whatever you do, AVOID private loans if possible. We took those for our oldest and the variable interest rates are killing us now. The Parent PLUS loans at least have fixed rates and income-based repayment options if things get tough. Private loans offer NONE of those protections. If you lose your job or have health issues, private lenders don't care.