Rushed FAFSA timeline forcing late financial aid packages - no loan shopping time!

We're in the exact same boat. My daughter's school just scheduled a FAFSA assistance day on April 30th, and they said award packages won't be released until May 20th. It's completely ridiculous! The May 1st decision deadline has been a standard forever, and now they expect families to commit without knowing what they'll actually pay. I called our top choice school and asked if they would extend the commitment deadline, and they said they're pushing it to May 15th, but that still doesn't help with the financial aid package coming after. I've started researching private loan options just in case, but honestly, I'm furious that we have to rush through such important financial decisions. The SAI calculation changes might be an improvement long-term, but the implementation has been a complete disaster for the 2025-2026 application cycle.

I work in college admissions, and I can tell you this situation is a disaster for EVERYONE involved. Schools are scrambling because we can't finalize our incoming class numbers without aid packages, students can't make decisions, and parents are left in limbo. Many schools (including mine) are extending commitment deadlines to June 1st or even later. Ask specifically about this at each school your son is considering. Also, most schools are planning to be much more flexible with financial aid appeals this year because of the FAFSA delays. The Federal Student Aid office massively underestimated the technical challenges of implementing the new FAFSA and SAI formula. The verification process is also taking much longer than in previous years.

If you're struggling to get through to financial aid offices (and who isn't right now), I found a service called Claimyr that helped me actually reach a Federal Student Aid agent to get answers about our application status. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ I was skeptical at first but after being disconnected 4 times trying to reach FSA about our verification issues, I tried it and actually got through to a human who could help. Since time is so critical right now with these compressed timelines, it was worth it to not waste days trying to get through the phone system.

@profile5 They actually helped resolve our specific verification issues. The agent was able to look up our application status, tell us exactly what documents were missing (turns out we'd uploaded the W-2 but not the 1040), and give us a timeline for when the SAI would be calculated once we submitted everything. Much more helpful than the generic "we're processing applications as fast as we can" responses I was getting from the university.

ppl need to chill tbh. colleges know about the fasfa mess and most of them r gonna work with u on deadlines. my older brother works at a university and says theyre basically ignoring the may 1 deadline this year cuz of all this

The most important thing right now is to contact each school's financial aid office directly. Ask these specific questions: 1) Have they extended their commitment deadline? If not, will they offer a refundable deposit option? 2) When do they expect to release financial aid packages? 3) Will they have an expedited appeals process this year given the tight timeline? 4) Can they give you an estimated aid package based on last year's formula or your FAFSA information? Many schools are creating contingency plans specifically for this situation. And document everything in writing - if someone tells you a deadline is flexible, get it in an email.

@profile5 Yes, many schools are implementing special refund policies for this year. If the final aid package differs significantly from what was expected or from previous estimates, schools are often allowing deposit refunds. However, this varies widely by institution, so you absolutely need to get this policy in writing before making any deposits. One strategy some families are using is to secure a spot at their "most likely" school with a deposit, but continue conversations with all schools where they've been accepted. The colleges understand this unusual situation creates financial uncertainty.

One thing that's helped us navigate this mess is creating a spreadsheet with: 1. Each school's original commitment deadline 2. Their extended deadline (if any) 3. Their estimated financial aid package release date 4. Deposit amount and whether it's refundable 5. The direct contact info for each financial aid counselor we've spoken with This at least helps organize the chaos a bit. I'm also requesting that each school send us a preliminary aid estimate based on our FAFSA information (even if the SAI calculation isn't final). Some schools are willing to provide rough estimates to help with planning.

I'm a financial aid counselor (though not speaking officially for my institution), and I want to reassure everyone that most colleges are VERY aware of how stressful this situation is. The Department of Education's handling of the FAFSA Simplification Act implementation has been frustrating for us too. Most colleges are: 1. Extending deposit deadlines 2. Creating more flexible appeal processes 3. Working with preliminary data when possible 4. Increasing financial aid office staffing The shift to the Student Aid Index (SAI) from the old Expected Family Contribution (EFC) formula actually benefits many families, but the implementation timing and technical problems have created this crisis situation. Don't hesitate to be persistent with financial aid offices - we're trying our best to accommodate students during this unprecedented situation.

@profile9 The SAI calculation is indeed different from the EFC calculation in several key ways. Some families see higher numbers, some see lower - it depends on your specific financial situation. The major differences: 1. SAI can now go as low as -1500 (negative) while EFC couldn't go below 0 2. The income protection allowance increased, which helps many families 3. The way they assess assets changed significantly 4. Multiple students in college is counted differently 5. The small business asset exclusion changed If your SAI seems unusually high compared to what you expected, it's worth scheduling a one-on-one appointment with a financial aid counselor to review your specific situation. There could be errors in how information was reported or unusual circumstances that qualify for a professional judgment adjustment.

@profile5 Appeals based solely on the formula change aren't typically approved, as schools are required to use the federally mandated calculation. However, appeals based on: 1. Changes in income/financial situation since the tax year used 2. Unusual medical expenses not reflected in the FAFSA 3. One-time income events that inflated your reported income 4. Support of extended family members not captured in the FAFSA 5. Educational expenses for other family members These circumstances can all be grounds for a professional judgment review. Each school handles these differently, so ask specifically about their "professional judgment" or "special circumstances appeal" process when you contact them. Document everything thoroughly - the more evidence you provide, the stronger your appeal.

@profile7 Yes, COVID-related income impacts are still being considered by many institutions through professional judgment reviews. The key is documenting the impact clearly: 1. Provide tax returns or profit/loss statements showing the decline 2. Include information about the recovery (current pay stubs, updated profit/loss) 3. Explain specifically how COVID affected the business 4. Note any COVID relief funds received Most schools have specific COVID impact forms or sections in their appeal process. While the acute phase of the pandemic has passed, the ongoing economic impacts are still valid grounds for appeal at many institutions.

@profile5 We were actually considering a gap year too because of all this chaos! But after talking with several admissions counselors, we decided that might create even more problems. Transfer students often receive less institutional aid than first-year students, and gap years can sometimes affect scholarship eligibility. Instead, we're planning to commit to the school that seems most flexible with their financial aid process, even if it's not our daughter's absolute first choice. The admissions counselor we spoke with yesterday said they're creating a special mid-year review for families affected by the FAFSA delays, where they'll reevaluate aid packages in January once everything has stabilized.