Low SAI + small Pell Grant - should we just accept with max federal loans at no-aid state school?

Don't just accept what they initially offer! I'd recommend submitting an appeal letter to the financial aid office with additional documentation of any special circumstances. Be specific about why you need more aid and how much you need. My daughter's SAI was also low, and we were able to get an additional $5,000 in institutional grants after appealing. Many schools have discretionary funds they can distribute if you make a compelling case.

Thanks for the advice! I didn't realize appeals were even possible with state schools. Did you use any specific wording in your appeal that seemed to work well? And how long did the appeal process take?

we were in the same boat last yr. the pell + federal loans only covered like 1/4 of total cost. ended up having to take parent plus loans to cover the rest. kinda sucks but thats just how state schools r these days lol

Ugh, that's what I was afraid of hearing. Did you try negotiating with the financial aid office at all before taking out the Parent PLUS loans?

I don't know if this applies to your situation, but our son had a similar problem with low aid at his state university. We found out that they had some DEPARTMENTAL scholarships that weren't automatically considered with the general financial aid package! He had to apply separately through his specific major's department. Might be worth checking if your daughter's program has anything similar??

That's a great tip! I hadn't even thought about department-specific aid. She's planning to major in biology, so I'll definitely have her reach out to that department directly.

Make sure you understand exactly what type of federal loans are included in that $6,500 package. There are subsidized and unsubsidized federal direct loans, and they have different interest implications. Subsidized loans don't accrue interest while your daughter is in school, which saves thousands over time. Also, confirm if the $6,500 is just for freshman year - the federal loan limits increase for sophomores and beyond (up to $7,500 for years 2+).

Wait so the interest doesn't add up while they're in school for some loans?? I thought ALL student loans start adding interest right away? My son's debt is like huge because of all the interest that piled up during school

That's right - with subsidized federal direct loans, the government pays the interest while the student is enrolled at least half-time. Unsubsidized loans start accruing interest immediately. Your son might have had mostly or all unsubsidized loans, which unfortunately is common. This is why understanding the exact loan types is so important!

I had the EXACT same problem with my state school last year! Called FAFSA like 10 times trying to figure out if there was something wrong with our application because the aid was so pathetic. Spent HOURS on hold each time until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me connected to a real FAFSA agent in like 10 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour wait. The agent confirmed our application was correct but suggested we submit a special circumstances form directly to the school. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

Omg, HOURS on hold sounds miserable. I've been putting off calling because I was dreading that exact scenario. I'll check out that service - thanks for the tip! Did submitting that special circumstances form end up helping you get more aid?

The special circumstances form didn't get us a ton more, honestly - about $3,000 more in grants. Better than nothing though! And at least I didn't waste days of my life on hold trying to figure it all out. Definitely worth using Claimyr just for the sanity factor alone.

everybody thinks they deserve more aid lol. the system works how its supposed to. if u got a small pell grant that means ur family makes too much money for more aid but not enough to pay full price. welcome to the middle class squeeze! nothin u can do except take loans or choose cheaper school

That's unnecessarily harsh. The financial aid system is far from perfect, and there ARE things people can do to maximize their aid options. Many families don't know about appeal processes, special circumstances forms, or alternative scholarship opportunities. Telling someone there's nothing they can do is just wrong.

just keepin it real. all these \

Have you completed the CSS Profile as well? Some state universities require both FAFSA and CSS Profile for full consideration of all aid programs. The CSS Profile looks at different financial factors and might help you qualify for institutional aid that isn't available through FAFSA alone. Also check if your state has any grant programs for in-state students with financial need - these often have separate applications.

We haven't done the CSS Profile! I thought that was only for private schools. I'll check immediately if our university requires it - thank you for mentioning this. And great point about state-specific grants too.

btw did u check if ur daughters high school has any local scholarships?? my kid got like 4 random scholarships from local businesses and they added up to almost $3k. not huge but helped a little

Great reminder! She applied for a couple through her guidance counselor, but I bet there are more we don't know about. I'll have her check with the counseling office again.

Another strategy to consider: if your daughter has strong academic credentials, she might look at out-of-state public universities that offer significant merit scholarships to attract top students from other states. Sometimes these can actually end up being cheaper than your own state school if they're eager to recruit students with her profile. My nephew ended up paying less at an out-of-state flagship university than he would have at our in-state option because of merit scholarships that weren't tied to financial need.

That's an interesting approach I hadn't considered. She has a 3.8 GPA and 1320 SAT, which isn't exceptional but pretty solid. Do you know how we would identify which out-of-state schools might offer these kinds of merit packages?

Those are good stats! Look for public universities in neighboring states that might be trying to boost enrollment or improve their academic profile. Many have specific scholarships for out-of-state students with GPAs above 3.5 and SATs in her range. Check their financial aid websites for

Thank you so much! This gives us a whole new direction to explore. I appreciate the detailed advice.