Got our SAI score but no financial aid packages from colleges yet - what's next with FAFSA?

congrats on the acceptances! the schools should be sending out financial aid packages soon, they typically wait til they have everyones SAI scores before putting together aid packages. at least thats what happened with my son last yr

You should definitely be proactive at this point. Each school has their own timeline for releasing aid packages, but with the May 1 deadline approaching, I'd recommend: 1. Email both financial aid offices right away, providing your daughter's full name, student ID number, and confirmation that your FAFSA is complete with your SAI score 2. Check each school's financial aid portal (separate from the admissions portal) to see if they're requesting any additional documentation 3. Look into whether either school requires the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA - some private universities require both Many schools are behind schedule this year due to the FAFSA delays, but they understand students need this information to make decisions. A polite but direct email can often speed things up.

The same thing happened with my daughter last year and I was FREAKING OUT!! The financial aid offices are totally swamped right now with all the FAFSA delays. We ended up having to call both schools multiple times because emails weren't getting responses. It's ridiculous that they expect kids to commit without knowing what they can afford!!

Just to clarify something important - the CSS Profile is NOT the same as FAFSA. The CSS Profile is an additional financial aid application required by many private colleges and universities to determine eligibility for their institutional aid (scholarships and grants from the school itself). The FAFSA determines your eligibility for federal aid only. If Westlake requires the CSS Profile and you haven't submitted it yet, you should do that immediately through the College Board website. It costs money to submit (unlike FAFSA which is free), but fee waivers are available based on family income.

my daughter just went thru this exact thing. we got so frustrated trying to reach financial aid office at her top choice. kept getting voicemail and emails went into a black hole. coworker told me about claimyr.com which got us through to financial aid in like 15 min, they had an actual person do callback so we didn't waste hours on hold. they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ was worth it to finally get answers about her aid package!

@OP - Since you're submitting the CSS Profile late in the cycle for Westlake, I strongly recommend calling their financial aid office after submission to alert them. Let them know you weren't aware it was required and ask if there's anything you can do to expedite the review process given the approaching decision deadline. For Cornell State (assuming it's a public university), they likely only need the FAFSA, so you should be in their system already. Don't be afraid to be persistent with both schools - this is too important to leave to chance.

Also DONT FORGET to ask about merit scholarships!! Sometimes those are separate from need-based aid and have different deadlines!!! My daughter almost missed out on a $8000/yr scholarship because we didn't realize she needed to submit a separate application for it!

Once you receive both financial aid packages, don't be afraid to appeal if the offers aren't sufficient. Many schools have a formal appeal process, especially if: 1. Your financial situation has changed since you filed the FAFSA 2. You have unusual expenses not captured on the FAFSA 3. The other school offered a significantly better package For that last point, you can sometimes leverage a better offer from one school to negotiate with another, particularly if they're similar institutions competing for the same students. This process is called a professional judgment review.

Just wanted to update - I called Cornell State this morning and got through after about 45 minutes on hold. They said aid packages are going out next week for all admitted students! They also confirmed they received our FAFSA information correctly. Still trying to reach Westlake though...

Just a friendly reminder to check each school's financial aid deadline date for incoming students. While May 1st is the standard commitment date for admissions, many schools have earlier priority deadlines for financial aid applications. If you missed a priority deadline, don't panic - still submit everything ASAP and contact the office directly as others have suggested. Also, be sure to check your student's email (including spam/junk folders) and any student portals regularly. Some schools communicate exclusively through their own systems rather than parents' email addresses, even if you completed the FAFSA as the parent.

I'm in the exact same situation! My son was accepted to three schools but we've only heard back from one with a financial aid package so far. The stress is real with the May 1st deadline approaching. One thing I learned from our college counselor is that you can request an extension on the decision deadline if you're still waiting on financial aid information. Most schools will grant a brief extension (usually 1-2 weeks) when you explain that you're waiting on aid packages from other schools to make an informed decision. Also, make sure to submit your tax returns and any other required documents to the schools' financial aid offices if you haven't already. Sometimes they're waiting on additional verification before they can finalize packages. Good luck to your daughter!