SSN mismatch between FAFSA and college - how to fix before aid gets delayed?

This is actually a pretty common issue! Don't panic - it's fixable. The first thing to do is figure out which SSN is correct. Check her Social Security card against both what you entered in FAFSA and what the college has. Then: 1. If the FAFSA is wrong: Log into studentaid.gov and submit a correction to the FAFSA. This usually processes within 3-5 business days. 2. If the college has the wrong SSN: Contact their financial aid office directly with documentation of her correct SSN (usually a copy of her SS card). Either way, I recommend calling the financial aid office tomorrow to let them know you're addressing this. They can often put notes in your file so they know it's being fixed.

we had this exact thing happen w/ my son last yr!! the college had entered his ssn wrong when he applied. took foreverrr to get fixed bcuz we kept calling the main financial aid # and getting nowhere. finally got someone in person who fixed it in literally 2 min. if u can go to the office in person DO THAT!!!

This sounds like the college has the wrong SSN in their system. I've worked in admissions and sometimes this happens during application processing. Here's what I recommend: 1. Call the college's financial aid office first thing tomorrow 2. Ask to speak with a financial aid counselor specifically (not just the front desk) 3. Explain the situation and have your daughter's SS card ready to verify 4. Request that they place a note in her file that this is being resolved 5. Ask for a specific timeline for when this will be fixed and when aid will be processed 6. Get the name of whoever you speak with and follow up by email to create a paper trail Also, after it's fixed, I recommend checking that her SAI calculation is correct once the systems sync up. Sometimes these little hiccups can cause other issues.

I ran into something similar when helping my niece with her FAFSA. The problem was that her SSN was correct on both sides, but there was a typo in her NAME on one system. The college had her middle initial wrong on their end. Double check ALL identifying info - first/middle/last name spelling, date of birth, and SSN. Any mismatch can trigger this error.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE!! they make it INTENTIONALLY COMPLICATED so fewer people get aid!! my son's SSN was right but they still claimed it didn't match because the college entered it with a DASH between numbers and FAFSA didn't have dashes!! took WEEKS to resolve and almost lost his housing spot because of the delay. these schools just want more $$$$ from us and make us jump through hoops!!

Try using Claimyr to reach a real person at Federal Student Aid faster. I was stuck in a similar situation and spent days trying to get someone on the phone. Used claimyr.com and was talking to an actual FSA agent in under 15 minutes who could see exactly what was wrong with my daughter's FAFSA. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Saved me tons of frustration since these SSN issues can get complicated if you're trying to figure it out just through the college.

lol i put my own ssn instead of my daughters on her fafsa by accident last year. total nightmare to fix. had to submit like 3 different correction forms and send a copy of both our ss cards. just be glad u actually had the right ssn!

One more important thing - if this is her first choice school, ask the financial aid office for a deadline extension given this administrative error. Many colleges will extend the May 1 deposit deadline if there's a legitimate reason like this. Get this request in writing (email) and be polite but firm that you cannot make a decision without knowing the final aid package.

make sure u ask them exactly WHEN her aid package will be finalized after fixing the SSN. get a SPECIFIC DATE. otherwise theyll just say "soon" and youll be waiting forever!!!!!

After you get this resolved, I strongly recommend checking her Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation to make sure it's correct. Sometimes these identification mismatches can carry over into other parts of the process. The SAI (previously called EFC) determines her aid eligibility, so it's critical that it's calculated properly. You can check this on studentaid.gov after the correction is processed.

I went through this exact same situation with my son two years ago! The panic is real, but it's definitely fixable. In our case, it turned out the college had transposed two digits in his SSN during the application process. Here's what worked for us: Call the financial aid office first thing in the morning and ask to speak with a financial aid counselor (not just whoever answers the phone). Have your daughter's Social Security card ready and explain that you've verified the FAFSA has the correct SSN. Most colleges can fix this internally within 24-48 hours once they identify it's their error. Also, document everything! Get the name of who you speak with and follow up with an email summarizing what was discussed. This creates a paper trail in case you need to escalate. The good news is that once it's fixed, aid processing usually moves pretty quickly since everything else is already in the system. Don't let them brush you off with vague timelines - ask for specific dates when this will be resolved and when you can expect your aid package.

Don't stress too much - this happens more often than you'd think! I work at a college financial aid office and SSN mismatches are one of the most common issues we see. Since you've already verified that your FAFSA has the correct SSN, it's almost certainly an error on the college's end. When you call tomorrow, ask to be transferred to a "financial aid specialist" or "verification coordinator" - these are the staff members who specifically handle data discrepancies. Have your daughter's Social Security card ready and also pull up her FAFSA confirmation page so you can reference the exact SSN that was submitted. Most colleges can fix this type of error within 1-2 business days once they locate where the mistake occurred in their system. The key is getting to the right person who has the authority to make corrections rather than just document your concern. One tip: if the first person you speak with seems unsure or just offers to "make a note," politely ask to speak with their supervisor. You want someone who can actually resolve this, not just log your call. Good luck!

This exact thing happened to my daughter last year! I was in complete panic mode too, but it got resolved faster than I expected. In our case, the college had entered one digit wrong in her SSN during the initial application process. Here's what worked for us: I called the financial aid office first thing in the morning and specifically asked to speak with someone who handles "verification issues" or "data corrections." The regular front desk staff couldn't help, but once I got to the right person, they found the error in about 10 minutes and fixed it immediately. Make sure you have her Social Security card and your FAFSA confirmation email ready when you call. Also, ask them to email you confirmation once it's fixed so you have documentation. In our case, her aid package was released just two days after the correction was made. The May 1st deadline shouldn't be an issue - most colleges will work with you on timing when it's their administrative error. Just make sure to mention that timeline when you call so they prioritize it. You've got this!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now with my son! Got the dreaded email yesterday saying there's an SSN mismatch and his aid is on hold. Reading through everyone's responses is making me feel so much better - it sounds like this is way more common than I realized. I'm planning to call tomorrow morning too and ask specifically for a "verification coordinator" like Hannah mentioned. It's really helpful to know the right terminology to use! I've already triple-checked our FAFSA against his Social Security card and they match perfectly, so it's definitely on the college's end. One question for those who've been through this - did anyone have issues with multiple colleges having the same error? My son applied to 4 schools and I'm wondering if I should proactively check with the others or wait to see if they contact us. Don't want to create problems where there aren't any, but also don't want to be blindsided by more of these emails! Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - this community is a lifesaver when you're dealing with financial aid stress!

I just went through this nightmare last month! My daughter had the same SSN mismatch issue and I was absolutely terrified her aid would be delayed. Here's what I learned from the experience: The key is getting to the RIGHT person at the financial aid office. Don't just accept talking to whoever answers the phone - ask specifically for a "financial aid counselor" or "verification specialist." The front desk staff usually can't actually fix these issues, they can only log your call. In our case, it turned out the college had entered her SSN with an extra zero at the end somehow. Once we got to the right person, they fixed it in literally 5 minutes and her aid package was updated the next day. Also - and this is important - ask them to send you an EMAIL confirmation once it's fixed. Don't just take their word over the phone. I made sure to get documentation that the correction was made and when I could expect the aid package to be updated. The good news is that once it's corrected, everything else processes super quickly since all your other information is already in their system. You're going to be fine! Just stay calm and persistent when you call tomorrow.

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress! As someone who just dealt with a similar SSN mismatch issue with my nephew's FAFSA, I completely understand the panic. The good news is this is totally fixable and happens more often than you'd think. Since you've verified that your FAFSA has the correct SSN, it's almost certainly an error on the college's end. When you call tomorrow, here are a few specific things that helped us: 1. Ask to speak with a "verification coordinator" or "financial aid specialist" - not just general staff 2. Have your daughter's Social Security card AND your FAFSA confirmation page ready 3. Get the name of whoever helps you and ask for email confirmation once it's fixed 4. Mention your May 1st deadline and ask for a specific timeline for resolution In our case, they found that one digit had been transposed during the application entry process. Once we got to the right person, it was fixed within 24 hours and aid was processed two days later. Also consider calling the other colleges she applied to proactively - if one school made this error, others might have too. Better to catch it early than get more stressful emails! You've got this! The hardest part is just getting through to someone who can actually make the correction.

I went through this exact same panic last year with my daughter! The stress is absolutely real when you get that email about aid being on hold. Here's what I wish I had known from the start: First, take a deep breath - this is incredibly common and 99% of the time it's a simple data entry error on the college's end, especially since you've already verified your FAFSA is correct. When you call tomorrow, use these magic words: "I need to speak with a verification coordinator about an SSN discrepancy." This will get you past the front desk to someone who can actually fix it. Have your daughter's Social Security card, FAFSA confirmation email, and her student ID number ready. Also - and this saved us major stress - ask them to put a priority flag on her file due to the May 1st deadline. Most colleges will expedite these fixes when there's a decision deadline looming. The whole thing was resolved in 48 hours for us once we got to the right person. Her aid package came through with no issues and she's now happily finishing her freshman year. You're going to get through this! The financial aid system feels overwhelming but the people working there generally want to help families succeed. Keep us posted on how the call goes tomorrow - we're rooting for you!