Got my FAFSA SAI score - what happens next with colleges?
Finally able to log into my FAFSA account and see our SAI score! After all the stress of getting tax documents together and the new system glitches, at least that part is done. But now I'm confused about next steps. Do we just sit back and wait for colleges to contact us? Or are there additional steps I need to take to make sure schools actually get our FAFSA info? This is my oldest kid applying to college so everything is new to us. Any advice on timeline or what to expect next would be really helpful!
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Aisha Ali
congrats on getting your SAI! basically yea you just wait now. the schools will get it automatically and then they make their financial aid packages based on your SAI and other stuff. each school has different timelines tho.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•Thanks! Any idea how long it typically takes? My daughter's top choice has a May 1 deposit deadline, so I'm getting nervous about timing.
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Ethan Moore
No you absolutely CANNOT just wait!!! Thats what we did last year and it was a disaster!! You need to call each school's financial aid office to confirm they received your FAFSA data. We assumed they got it and then in APRIL my son's top choice told us they never received it and we had to scramble!!! DONT TRUST THE SYSTEM!!!
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Yuki Nakamura
•Omg this is scary! Did you eventually get financial aid or was it too late? I'm waiting on my SAI score now and getting worried.
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Ethan Moore
•We got SOME aid but definitely less than we would have if everything had been processed earlier. The best packages go to early applicants!!
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StarSurfer
Financial aid counselor here. Here's the accurate process after receiving your SAI: 1) Your FAFSA information is automatically sent to all schools you listed on your application 2) Schools process this information at different speeds (anywhere from 1-8 weeks typically) 3) Each institution will create a financial aid package based on your SAI, institutional policies, and available funds 4) You'll receive award letters/emails from each school with their specific offers While the previous commenter's experience is unfortunate, it's not the norm. That said, it's perfectly reasonable to contact each school's financial aid office after 2-3 weeks to confirm they've received your information. Most schools have student portals where you can check this status as well.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•Thank you for this clear explanation! The student portals are a good idea - I'll have my daughter check those. For schools that need additional forms beyond FAFSA (like CSS profile), do they typically notify us or should we be proactively checking?
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StarSurfer
•Great question! The CSS Profile is handled differently than FAFSA. Schools requiring CSS typically make it clear during the application process, but it's always wise to check each school's financial aid website for their specific requirements. Some schools also have institutional forms beyond FAFSA/CSS. Each school's portal should indicate missing documents, but a quick check of their financial aid requirements page is a good safeguard.
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Carmen Reyes
My daughters SAI was WAY higher than we expected and now we're freaking out because we won't qualify for as much aid as we thought. Has anyone successfully appealed their SAI score? Is that even possible??
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Andre Moreau
•You can't appeal the SAI directly to Federal Student Aid, but you CAN submit a special circumstances appeal to each individual college. My family did this when my dad lost his job after we submitted FAFSA. Contact each school's financial aid office explaining your situation - job loss, medical expenses, or any significant changes since filing. Each school handles these differently, but most have a formal process. They can adjust your aid package even if your SAI stays the same.
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Zoe Christodoulou
I'll share what happened with us this year to give you some timeline perspective. Our SAI was calculated in early January, and: • First award letter came 3 weeks later from a state school • Most other schools sent packages by mid-February • One private college took until March 15th • One school required additional verification documents which delayed their offer Definitely keep an eye on your student portals for each school. They often post requirements or missing documents there before sending emails. Also, be prepared to compare offers carefully - some schools include loans in their "aid" packages while others only show grants and scholarships. The difference can be confusing when evaluating offers.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•This timeline is super helpful, thank you! Did you find that certain types of schools (public vs private) were generally faster or slower with their offers?
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Zoe Christodoulou
•In our experience, mid-sized state schools were fastest, followed by large public universities. Small private colleges varied dramatically - some were quick, others took forever. The most selective schools (regardless of public/private) seemed to take longer, probably because they're processing more applications. Just be aware that your experience might differ!
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Yuki Nakamura
I had a nightmare trying to reach anyone at Federal Student Aid when we had issues with our FAFSA last month. Kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hoursssss. Someone in another thread recommended using Claimyr.com to get through - it was honestly a game changer! They held my place in line and called me back when an agent was ready. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Just sharing because I wish I'd known about it earlier in the process when we were having issues with our SAI calculation.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•Thanks for the tip! Hopefully we won't need to call, but I'll bookmark this just in case. Did you end up getting your issue resolved when you finally got through?
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Yuki Nakamura
•Yes! Once I actually spoke to someone, they fixed our issue in about 10 minutes. The problem was just REACHING someone. Apparently they're super understaffed this year with all the FAFSA changes.
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Carmen Reyes
my kid got acceptd to 5 schools but we're still waiting on all the finacial aid offers... how are we supposed to decide where to go when May 1 is the deadline and we dont even know what it'll cost yet?? the whole system is broken
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StarSurfer
•This is unfortunately a common issue this year with the FAFSA delays. If you're approaching a May 1 decision deadline without aid info, I recommend: 1) Email the admissions office at each school explaining your situation 2) Ask for an extension on the deposit deadline until you receive aid information 3) Most schools are aware of the FAFSA delays and many are being flexible with deposit deadlines You can also call the financial aid offices directly to inquire about the status of your aid packages.
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Andre Moreau
Quick tip: Make sure you check your spam/junk folders regularly! My daughter almost missed her financial aid offer from her top choice because it got filtered to spam. Also, create a spreadsheet to compare offers when they come in - they use different formats and it can get confusing fast. We tracked: total cost, grants/scholarships (free money), work-study, subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans, and expected family contribution for each school. Made the final decision much easier!
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Mateo Gonzalez
•The spreadsheet is a great idea! I'm definitely going to do that. Did you find big differences between schools' offers?
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Andre Moreau
•Huge differences! Schools with similar sticker prices ended up thousands of dollars apart in actual cost. One private school initially seemed more expensive but offered enough institutional grants to make it cheaper than our state school option. That's why comparing the actual net cost is so important.
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Aidan Hudson
Congrats on getting your SAI! As someone who just went through this process last year, here's what I wish I'd known: Yes, the FAFSA data gets sent automatically to your schools, but I'd recommend being proactive. Create a checklist with each school and their financial aid deadlines, then check their student portals weekly. Some schools needed additional verification documents we weren't expecting. Also, don't panic if your SAI seems high - schools have different institutional aid policies, so you might still get decent packages. The waiting is the hardest part, but most families start seeing award letters 2-6 weeks after SAI is processed. You've got this!
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