Is SAI of 29,686 too high for $36k/year college? Will FAFSA ignore my mortgage?

Unfortunately, the FAFSA formula doesn't directly consider consumer debt like mortgages, car loans, or credit cards when calculating your SAI (Student Aid Index). It primarily looks at income, some assets, household size, and number of college students in your family. With an SAI of 29,686 and a $36k/year cost, you'd theoretically be expected to contribute about $29,686, leaving potential aid of around $6,314 - though this varies by school. Best steps now: 1) Look beyond federal aid - apply for school-specific scholarships 2) Check if your daughter's school uses the CSS Profile (considers more financial details) 3) Contact the financial aid office directly to explain your debt situation through a "professional judgment" review 4) Consider a Parent PLUS loan to cover the gap

idk but my brother had like $33k SAI and still got some grants from his school. you should apply for every scholarship you can find and def talk to the financial aid ppl at the school. thats wat he did.

The whole FAFSA system is SERIOUSLY BROKEN! I'm in the same boat - high SAI but drowning in mortgage debt, car payments, medical bills - none of which they consider! They expect us to somehow magically come up with tens of thousands for college when we're barely keeping our heads above water with monthly expenses. It's like they think we can just sell our furniture to pay for tuition! And heaven forbid you've saved anything for retirement - they'll penalize you for that too!

have u looked at css profile schools? some of them actually do consider your debt and housing costs unlike fafsa. my daughter got way better aid from schools that used both systems

I work in college financial aid, and I can tell you that an SAI of 29,686 doesn't necessarily mean you'll pay full price at a $36k/year school. Many institutions offer merit scholarships based on academic performance that aren't tied to your FAFSA results. Also, the school's own institutional aid might help bridge the gap. Regarding debt consideration - you're correct that the FAFSA formula doesn't factor in consumer debt. The philosophy behind this (though you may disagree with it) is that discretionary choices about housing, vehicles, etc. shouldn't reduce a family's responsibility toward educational costs. However, many colleges with institutional funds will consider these factors if you request a professional judgment review and provide documentation of your financial obligations.

After spending HOURS stuck on hold trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid to ask similar questions about my son's financial aid package, I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). They somehow got me connected to an actual FSA agent in under 20 minutes! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent explained that while the SAI doesn't account for mortgage or consumer debt, I could request a professional judgment review directly with my son's school. He walked me through exactly what documentation to provide. Seriously saved me so much frustration.

FAFSA is a joke...my SAI was 32k but my actual take-home pay after taxes and health insurance is WAY less than they think I can afford. We ended up going with community college for 2 years then transferring to save money. Best decision ever. Sometimes the expensive dream school isn't worth the crippling debt.

One strategy you might consider: accept the best financial aid package you receive initially, then request a professional judgment review (sometimes called a special circumstances review) with the financial aid office. Bring documentation of all your debt obligations, monthly payments, and any unusual expenses. Be polite but persistent. Also, don't overlook private scholarships - there are thousands available through community organizations, employers, and online platforms like Fastweb. Even small scholarships of $500-$1000 can add up. Finally, if your daughter has strong academics, consider whether she might qualify for better merit aid at a different but similar institution. Sometimes schools competing for the same students will offer dramatically different aid packages.

my cousin had to write a appeal letter thing to his school explaining all the bills they had that fafsa doesn't count and they ended up giving him like $7k more in grants so def worth trying

Regarding your question about applying for a professional judgment review: yes, you should call the financial aid office directly. Ask for an appointment to discuss your financial circumstances that weren't captured on the FAFSA. Many schools have a specific form for this purpose. Bring documentation of your mortgage statement, car payments, and any other significant expenses. And with a 3.8 GPA and 1320 SAT, your daughter is definitely in range for merit scholarships at many institutions. If she hasn't received any yet, contact the admissions office (not just financial aid) to ask about merit scholarship opportunities she might have missed. Sometimes there are departmental scholarships for specific majors that require separate applications.

Just wait until you get to year 2 of college and realize your savings are completely depleted and you still have 2-3 more years to go!! The whole system is designed to push families into taking Parent PLUS loans with their ridiculous interest rates. I'm 58 and will be paying for my kids' education until I'm 70+ years old. It's absolute madness.

To answer your questions from earlier threads: 1) For professional judgment reviews, phone calls are good for initial contact, but email is better for follow-up with documentation. Always keep records of all communications. 2) For the first contact, it's fine for just you to call, but involving your daughter shows commitment and makes a positive impression, especially for merit aid discussions. 3) Parent PLUS loans do have higher interest rates than Direct Student loans, but they provide more flexible borrowing limits. Consider having your daughter take the maximum Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized loans first ($5,500 for freshmen) before turning to Parent PLUS. 4) CSS Profile is used by about 200 schools (mostly private) who want more detailed financial information than FAFSA provides. You can check if your daughter's schools require it on the College Board website.

Unfortunately, Parent PLUS loans have fewer forgiveness options than student Direct loans. They're not eligible for income-based repayment plans unless consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan, and even then, only the Income-Contingent Repayment plan is available (which is less generous than plans available to students). Public Service Loan Forgiveness is technically available for parents if YOU (not your child) work in qualifying public service for 10 years while making payments, but this isn't helpful for most families. This is why I suggest exhausting all scholarship, grant, and Direct Student Loan options first. The current annual limit for freshman Direct loans is $5,500, sophomore $6,500, and junior/senior $7,500.

I'm in a very similar situation - SAI of 31,200 with a $38k/year school and feeling completely overwhelmed! Reading through all these responses has been so helpful. I had no idea about professional judgment reviews or that some schools use CSS Profile for better aid consideration. One thing I'd add from my own research - definitely look into your state's 529 college savings plan if you haven't already. Even though it won't help for this year, if you have younger kids or are planning ahead, the tax benefits can really add up. Also, some employers offer tuition assistance or scholarships for employees' children that many people don't know about. The community college transfer route mentioned earlier is worth seriously considering too. My neighbor's daughter did 2 years at community college then transferred to her dream school as a junior - saved over $40k and still got the same degree. Sometimes being practical about finances is the most loving thing we can do for our kids' futures. Good luck with the professional judgment review process - I'll be following your lead on that!