Is -1500 SAI score good for FAFSA? First-time applicant confused
Just got our SAI score back and it says -1500. Is that good? We've never applied for FAFSA before so I have absolutely no idea what this means or what kind of financial aid we might get. My daughter is applying to 5 schools for fall 2025 and we're trying to figure out if we'll need to take out massive loans or not. Does anyone know what a negative SAI score like -1500 actually means for aid packages? Thanks!
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Owen Jenkins
Negative is good! Lower = more aid. -1500 means u qualify for maximum Pell Grant probably. Each school has different packages tho.
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Alice Coleman
•Really?? That's a relief! I thought negative meant we did something wrong on the application. So this means she might qualify for grants not just loans?
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Lilah Brooks
A negative SAI score of -1500 is actually very good news. The Student Aid Index (SAI) replaced the old EFC system. The lower your SAI, the more financial need you demonstrate. When your SAI is negative (can go as low as -1500), you qualify for maximum need-based aid, including the full Pell Grant which is $7,395 for the 2025-2026 academic year. However, your total financial aid package will depend on each college's cost of attendance and their specific aid policies. Some schools meet 100% of demonstrated need, while others might offer a combination of grants, work-study, and loans. I recommend checking each school's financial aid calculator on their websites to get estimates for your specific situation.
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Jackson Carter
•is this only for pell grant or does it affect other things too? my sai is like -900
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Lilah Brooks
•Your negative SAI (-900) will positively affect all need-based aid decisions, not just the Pell Grant. This includes federal subsidized loans, work-study opportunities, and potentially institutional grants directly from colleges. Each school uses your SAI to determine your total aid package based on their available resources and policies.
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Kolton Murphy
my daughter got -1500 too last year and she got the full pell grant plus extra grants from her state school! private schools gave her more money tho. you should be getting good packages!!
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Alice Coleman
•That's amazing to hear! Did she end up with any loans at all? I'm still worried about the overall cost even with grants.
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Kolton Murphy
•she only took a small subsidized loan for living expenses at the state school. the private college gave her almost full ride with just 5k in loans per year. definitely apply to private schools too they sometimes have more money!!
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Evelyn Rivera
Just be careful - negative SAI is good but that doesn't automatically mean free college. Each school has different "cost of attendance" and different policies on meeting financial need. Sometimes they'll still expect you to take out loans to cover part of it. Make sure you understand each financial aid offer when they come in. My son had a -1200 SAI and still had to take out about $12K in loans at his state university.
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Alice Coleman
•Thanks for the reality check. I was getting excited but you're right - we need to wait and see the actual offers. I'll make sure to look carefully at what's grants vs loans when they come in.
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Julia Hall
You should definitely contact the financial aid offices at all 5 schools to ask about their specific aid packages for someone with your SAI. The wait time to call Federal Student Aid for general questions is ridiculous right now (like 2+ hours), but I recently used Claimyr and got through in under 10 minutes. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ or just go to claimyr.com. Totally worth it to get my questions answered without wasting half a day.
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Alice Coleman
•Thanks for the tip! I've been meaning to call and ask some questions about how our score was calculated but kept putting it off because of the wait times. I'll check that out.
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Arjun Patel
Everyone saying negative is good is correct, but I want to add some technical details: 1. Your -1500 SAI means you have maximum demonstrated financial need 2. The Pell Grant maximum for 2025-2026 is $7,395 which you'll qualify for 3. Each institution calculates your "unmet need" as: Cost of Attendance - SAI - Other Aid 4. Schools with high endowments might cover 100% of your unmet need with grants 5. State schools typically cover less need with non-loan aid A negative SAI doesn't guarantee anything specific beyond the Pell Grant. Some schools might still expect you to borrow significantly.
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Alice Coleman
•This is really helpful, thank you. I'm starting to understand that we need to look at each school individually. Is there a standard formula or something that shows exactly what a -1500 SAI translates to at different types of schools?
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Arjun Patel
•Unfortunately, there's no universal formula across schools. Each institution has its own financial aid budget and priorities. The best approach is to use each school's net price calculator on their website with your SAI information, or contact their financial aid offices directly. Many schools now have price calculators that let you input your SAI directly for a more accurate estimate.
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Jade Lopez
THE FINANCIAL AID SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!! Even with a so-called "good" SAI score, they STILL make middle-class families take out MASSIVE LOANS!!! My nephew had -1200 SAI and is still drowning in debt!!! The whole system is designed to trap students in debt!!
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Alice Coleman
•That's discouraging to hear. Did your nephew apply to a mix of schools? I'm wondering if certain types of colleges might offer better aid packages than others.
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Jade Lopez
•He only applied to expensive private schools and ONE state university (which was still $$$$). Should have checked community college options first!!! These schools promise "financial aid" but half of it is LOANS they expect you to pay back WITH INTEREST!!! Read the fine print on EVERYTHING!!!
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Lilah Brooks
Just to provide some balance here - while a negative SAI doesn't guarantee a free education, it does put your daughter in the strongest possible position for financial aid. Many selective private colleges actually provide better aid packages than state schools for low-income families. I'd recommend: 1. Apply to a mix of schools, including some known for generous aid 2. Use each school's specific net price calculator 3. Appeal your financial aid offers if they don't seem adequate 4. Consider schools with "no-loan" policies for lower-income students With your SAI, your daughter has excellent potential for significant grant aid at many institutions.
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Alice Coleman
•Thank you for the balanced perspective. Do you have any recommendations for how to find out which schools have "no-loan" policies? That sounds like something we should definitely look into.
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Lilah Brooks
•Absolutely! Search for "no-loan colleges" or "colleges that meet 100% of demonstrated need" online. Schools like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Amherst, and several others have policies to meet full need without loans for families below certain income thresholds. Some cover all students, while others focus on families below specific income levels (often $65,000-$100,000). The College Board website also has a filter for schools that meet high percentages of demonstrated need.
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