Is an 8479 FAFSA SAI number good or bad for financial aid eligibility?

SAI of 8479 is middle of the road. Not bad enough to get you max Pell Grant but not high enough to disqualify you completely. With 2 in college you'll probably get some aid but it depends on the school's cost of attendance.

Your SAI (Student Aid Index) is a measure of your family's financial strength. The lower the number, the more aid you're eligible for. For reference, 0 SAI gets maximum Pell Grant (around $7,395 for 2025-26), and eligibility phases out around 6206. With your 8479, you're likely outside Pell Grant range, but many schools use their own formulas for institutional aid. Having two students in college is factored into your SAI already. What you should do: 1. Run the Net Price Calculator for each school you're interested in 2. Look into state grants - many have higher thresholds than federal aid 3. Apply for outside scholarships 4. Don't rule out schools based solely on sticker price

an 8479 SAI is definitely not gettin u Pell. my sister had like 5200 and barely got any. ur basically screwed for federal money but the schools might give u something if ur lucky

I worked in a financial aid office for 3 years. While you're likely just outside the Pell Grant range with an 8479 SAI, you're still in a decent position for other types of aid, especially with two in college. Here's what you should know: 1. The SAI formula already accounts for multiple family members in college, but some schools will further adjust their institutional aid for this situation. 2. Many state grants have higher thresholds than Pell. For example, some state grants go up to SAI of 9000 or higher. 3. Work-study eligibility extends to higher SAI numbers than Pell eligibility does. 4. You'll still qualify for federal Direct Loans, and possibly subsidized loans (where government pays interest while in school). Each school will build you a different financial aid package based on their available resources and your academic profile. Private schools often have more institutional aid to offer than public universities.

When I had an SAI around 9000 last year, I got zero Pell Grant but still received about $6,000 in state grants and $4,500 in university grants at my state school. Don't give up hope! Each school has different institutional aid packages. Some private colleges with high sticker prices actually gave me MORE aid than state schools because they had bigger endowments. Run the Net Price Calculator on each school's website - that's a better indicator than just your SAI number.

My daughter had an SAI of 7800 last year and she did NOT get any Pell grant, but she DID get a $3500 state grant and about $8000 in institutional grants from her college. She's at a private university with a $52,000 annual cost. DEFINITELY run the Net Price Calculator for any school you're interested in. And APPLY to schools you think might be too expensive - you might be surprised at the aid package. Also - REALLY IMPORTANT - many private colleges require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. The CSS Profile looks at more financial details and some schools are more generous with aid when they have the full picture. Check each school's financial aid website to see if they require CSS Profile.

im confused how does everyone know what there SAI mean?? I got a 12467 and I have no idea what it means or where to look it up?? the fafsa website doesnt explain anything!!

be careful with private schools they'll sometimes show you a big "scholarship" but then you still end up paying more than state schools. they just discount from a higher starting price. sneaky marketing tactics!!!

Has anyone tried calling the Federal Student Aid help line to ask about SAI interpretation? I've been trying for 2 days and keep getting disconnected or waiting for hours.

One additional piece of advice: check with the colleges directly about how they interpret SAI for institutional aid. Some schools have their own formulas that are more generous than federal guidelines, especially if they see potential in a student. I've seen cases where students with SAIs around 8000-9000 received substantial institutional grants, especially at private liberal arts colleges trying to diversify their student population. Don't self-select out of applying somewhere just based on your federal SAI number.

I'm in a similar situation with an SAI around 8200 and was initially discouraged, but after reading through all these responses I'm feeling more optimistic! A few things I've learned from my own research that might help: 1. Some states have automatic FAFSA data sharing for state grants, but others require separate applications. Check your state's higher education website or call their financial aid hotline. 2. Community college for your first two years can be a great strategy with your SAI - you'll likely get more aid there, then transfer to a 4-year school when you're closer to graduation. 3. Don't forget about SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant) - it's campus-based aid that some schools offer to students who don't qualify for Pell but still have financial need. 4. If your family's financial situation changes during the year (job loss, medical bills, etc.), you can appeal for a professional judgment review to potentially lower your SAI. The key seems to be applying broadly and not assuming anything based on your SAI alone. Each school really does have different resources and priorities for aid distribution.

Hey Justin! I'm in almost the exact same boat - SAI of 8,650 with parents making about $75K and a sibling in college. After doing tons of research, here's what I've found that might help: Your SAI puts you just outside Pell Grant range (cutoff is around 6,206), but you're definitely still in the game for other aid. The "two kids in college" factor is already baked into your SAI calculation, which is actually working in your favor - without that, your number would be much higher. A few things that have helped me: - Applied to a mix of public and private schools. Some privates actually came back with better net costs than state schools because of their institutional aid - Used the Net Price Calculator on every school's website - way more accurate than guessing based on SAI alone - Found out my state grant program goes up to SAI of 10,000, so definitely check your state's thresholds - Applied for merit scholarships separately from need-based aid Don't get discouraged by that number! I thought I was screwed too at first, but after talking to financial aid offices, I realized there's still plenty of aid available. The key is casting a wide net and not ruling out schools based on sticker price alone.