SAI score of 2053 and Pell Grant eligibility - how much did you receive?

With an SAI of 2053, ur probably looking at about $5,700 in Pell for the year. It's not the max but still decent. Sucks about CAP tho! Why didnt u qualify?

I can provide some accurate information here. For the 2025-2026 aid year, an SAI of 2053 should qualify you for approximately $5,845 in Pell Grant funding (assuming full-time enrollment). The maximum Pell Grant is $7,395 for students with an SAI of 0, and it decreases incrementally as your SAI increases. Regarding the CAP grant, there are alternative state and institutional grants you might qualify for. Have you checked with your school's financial aid office about institutional scholarships? Many schools have emergency funds or supplemental grants for students who have unexpected gaps in their financial aid packages.

My SAI was 2190 (pretty close to yours) and I got $5,700 in Pell. Have you looked into work-study? Not ideal but it helped me cover some costs when my state grant fell through.

I went through something similar last year with my FAFSA. My SAI was 2100 and I received about $5,800 in Pell Grant. For the CAP grant situation, I'd recommend immediately appealing your financial aid package with your school. You mentioned your father isn't actually supporting you despite his income appearing on your FAFSA. This is exactly the kind of special circumstance that financial aid offices can consider in professional judgment reviews. Bring documentation showing your actual financial situation - bank statements, rent receipts, bills in your name, etc. Many students don't realize you can appeal your dependency status or request special circumstance reviews when the FAFSA doesn't reflect your real financial situation. Good luck!

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!! I had an SAI of 1800 and only got $6100 in Pell when the max is supposed to be over $7000!!! And then they expect our parents to contribute what the SAI says even if they WON'T!! My dad makes decent money but has 3 other kids and a new wife who doesn't work but they don't care about THAT on the FAFSA do they?!?

I spent literal HOURS trying to get through to FAFSA last week to ask about my grant eligibility with an SAI of 2200. Kept getting disconnected or waiting 2+ hours. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that held my place in line and had an agent call me back. Totally worth it and the agent explained exactly how much Pell I qualified for and why. They have a demo video if you want to see how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The FAFSA agent also told me about appealing based on special circumstances like you mentioned with your dad not contributing. Definitely worth talking to someone directly about your options!

have u thought about private loans? i know they suck but sometimes u gotta do what u gotta do

My sister and I both had SAIs around 2000. She got like $5900, I got $5750. No idea why they were different when our family situation is identical lol. Financial aid makes no sense sometimes.

UPDATE: I called financial aid using that callback service and it was SO much better than waiting on hold forever. The agent confirmed I should get around $5,800 in Pell Grants and explained I can submit a special circumstances form through my school's financial aid office to explain my situation with my dad not contributing. Apparently I need to gather documentation showing I support myself (pay stubs, rent receipts, utility bills) and a written statement explaining why the FAFSA doesn't reflect my actual financial situation. They said the review can take 2-3 weeks but they can potentially adjust my aid package and possibly qualify me for additional grants! Thanks everyone for your help!

That's awesome that you got through to someone and have a clear path forward! The special circumstances review sounds really promising for your situation. Just wanted to add that you might also want to look into your state's Cal Grant program if you haven't already - even though you didn't qualify for CAP, there might be other state grants available depending on your school choice and GPA. Also, don't forget to check if your school has any emergency aid funds or last-minute scholarships that open up after other students decline their offers. Sometimes there's money sitting there that schools need to distribute before the deadline. Fingers crossed the appeal works out for you!