Got my daughter's FAFSA SAI score 55316 - completely lost on next steps

same thing happened when my son got his number (53987) last month. just wait, the colleges will get it automatically. u dont need to do anything with it

The SAI (Student Aid Index) is basically what replaced the old EFC (Expected Family Contribution). It's a number colleges use to determine your financial need. You don't need to send it to colleges - they automatically receive your FAFSA data electronically when you list them on your FAFSA application. Just to give you context, 55316 is on the higher end of the SAI scale, which ranges from -1500 to 999999. Higher numbers generally mean less need-based aid, but that doesn't mean your daughter won't qualify for merit-based scholarships! Next steps: 1. Check that your daughter listed all her target schools on the FAFSA 2. Each school will send a financial aid package based on their own formulas 3. If your circumstances have changed since filing (job loss, medical expenses), you can request a professional judgment review Baylor and UT Austin both have decent aid programs, especially if your daughter has strong academics.

i got an SAI of 28000 and didnt get ANY aid from my school so with 55316 dont get ur hopes up lol

I work in college admissions (not at your daughter's target schools). Here's what happens with your SAI: 1. Each college has their own formula: SAI - Cost of Attendance = Financial Need 2. Schools then build aid packages to try to meet that need through various combinations of grants, work-study, and loans 3. With an SAI of 55316, you likely won't qualify for federal Pell Grants (typically for SAIs below 6000) 4. HOWEVER, many schools have institutional grants that go to families with higher SAIs Baylor especially has good merit scholarships that aren't tied to your FAFSA results at all. Make sure your daughter has completed any supplemental financial aid applications each school might require (some use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA). Timeline: You should start receiving aid packages within 2-4 weeks after colleges receive your FAFSA data.

I've been trying to contact Federal Student Aid for weeks to get clarification about my daughter's SAI and what it means for different schools. The phone lines are always jammed and I kept getting disconnected after waiting 45+ minutes. Finally found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual agent in 10 minutes! They have a demo video (https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ) showing how it works. Just go to claimyr.com - totally worth it to actually talk to someone who explained everything about how our SAI will affect different school packages.

Yes! The agent walked me through exactly what our SAI meant at different types of schools and confirmed which ones had already received our FAFSA data. They can see everything in their system that we can't see online. Definitely better than the website's generic info.

One important thing to understand about the SAI: it's NOT what they expect you to pay. This confuses everyone! Your actual costs will vary tremendously between schools. For example, my son had an SAI around 40000, but his actual costs ranged from: - $15,000/year at his state school - $28,000/year at a private college with decent aid - $45,000/year at an elite private with less generous aid Each school builds different packages. Some cover 100% of demonstrated need, others only 60-70%. Some include loans in their "aid" while others mainly offer grants. The most important thing now is to wait for ALL aid packages before making decisions. Then compare them carefully - look at the bottom line cost after ALL aid, and pay attention to what's free money (grants/scholarships) versus loans you'll need to repay.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE US!!! I'm convinced they make it complicated on purpose. My son's SAI was 35000 and we still got hit with $30K bills. And when you try calling FSA for help? FORGET IT. You'll wait on hold forever just to talk to someone who reads from a script. The colleges aren't much better - they act like they're doing you a favor by letting you pay them thousands!! I'm still bitter about the whole process. Just prepare yourself for disappointment with that SAI. And don't believe the "Cost of Attendance" estimates on college websites - they're ALWAYS way lower than reality when you add everything up.

To address your question about negotiating: Yes, you can sometimes negotiate financial aid packages. The proper term is "professional judgment review" or "financial aid appeal." Strategies that work: 1. If you receive a better offer from a similar school, you can ask your preferred school if they can match it (bring documentation) 2. If your financial situation has changed since filing FAFSA (medical expenses, job loss, etc.) 3. If there are special circumstances not captured on the FAFSA Baylor in particular has been known to adjust packages for strong students who demonstrate interest. UT Austin is less flexible with their institutional aid as a public university. Don't use the word "negotiate" when contacting aid offices - instead phrase it as "Is there any possibility of reconsidering our financial aid award based on [specific reason]?

btw dont forget to check if ur state has any special grants too. we got a surprise $2500 state grant that wasnt part of the fafsa stuff at all had to apply separate

I just went through this whole process with my twins. What a nightmare! I still don't understand why they changed from EFC to SAI - seems like the same thing with a different name. One thing no one mentioned yet: your daughter should also be applying for outside scholarships like crazy. Every $1000 helps! We found several local organizations (Rotary Club, credit union, my husband's employer) that offered small scholarships with much less competition than the national ones. Also, when we got confused about our SAI and aid packages, we scheduled in-person appointments with financial aid offices at each college. SO much more helpful than trying to figure it out over the phone or email.

Hey Sofia! I just went through this exact same situation with my daughter last year - SAI of 52,847 and felt completely overwhelmed. Here's what I wish someone had told me: that SAI number isn't necessarily doom and gloom! Yes, it's higher, but both UT Austin and Baylor have pretty good merit scholarship programs that aren't tied to your FAFSA at all. My daughter ended up with a really decent package from a similar-tier private school despite our high SAI because of her academics (sounds like your daughter has great stats too with that 3.8!). The waiting is the hardest part honestly. Make sure she's submitted all her applications and any additional scholarship applications the schools require. Also double-check that both schools were listed on her FAFSA so they get the data automatically. You're doing great as a first-time FAFSA parent - this process is confusing for everyone!