Should students complete their FAFSA section before parents? Time-saving or mistake?

Yes, it actually IS better for the student to start the FAFSA first! The reason is that the student is the official applicant, so they need to create the base application with their FSA ID, basic info, and school selections. After they do the initial setup and their own sections, they can then use the "Invite a Contributor" function to have you complete the parent financial section. The process flows much better this way because: 1. The student establishes ownership of the application 2. They select their schools (can add up to 10) 3. They complete their personal/demographic data 4. Then you (parent) get invited to contribute just the financial information It helps prevent confusion about which FSA ID should be used where. The studentaid.gov site is designed with this workflow in mind, even if they don't explicitly state it's the "better" order.

in my expereince it doesnt matter who starts it first. me and my son did his fafsa last month and i started it first and everything worked fine. the system lets either person contribute whenever they want as long as u both have ur FSA IDs.

I just went through this with my twins last week, and YES have the student start first!!! When my first kid did their section and invited me, everything went smoothly. But with my second kid, I tried to start it for them (thinking I'd save time), and we ended up with all kinds of issues - the system kept getting confused about whose FSA ID should be used where, and we actually had to call the Federal Student Aid hotline to sort it out. The representative told me that the system is specifically designed for the student to initiate. Something about how the database associates the application primarily with the student's FSA ID if they're the one who creates it. When I tried to do it first, something in their system flagged it as unusual activity. Having the student start first is 100% the way to go.

Does anyone know if it makes a difference for the SAI calculation? I heard somewhere that who starts the application first might somehow affect how they calculate your aid?

Having the student start first is DEFINITELY the right approach! I work in college advising and we ALWAYS instruct students to begin their own applications. The FAFSA is technically the student's application for aid - parents are just contributors of information. One practical reason this matters: when the student starts it, all communication about the FAFSA goes to THEIR email/contact info, which is appropriate since it's their financial aid. If a parent starts it, sometimes important communications get sent to the parent instead of the student, which can lead to missed deadlines and errors. Also - a tip for when you get to the financial section: make sure to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if eligible. It automatically pulls your tax info and reduces the chance of verification being required later.

idk if this is helpful but last yr when i tried to help my son with his fafsa we got STUCK in this weird loop where it kept asking for his FSA ID even tho i was logged in with mine?? ended up calling for like 2hrs and never got thru to anyone. finally gave up and had him start over from scratch with his FSA ID and then it worked fine. so yeah student first seems way better!!!

Another thing to consider - having the student start first helps build ownership of the process, which is really important as they transition to managing their college finances. It's a small but meaningful step toward financial independence. If you have your daughter start it, she can complete most sections like her personal info, school selection, etc., and then specifically request your contribution for the parent financial section. The system will guide her through exactly what she needs to complete first before sending you the invitation.

Based on the 2025-2026 FAFSA guidelines, having the student begin the application is the technically correct approach. The student is the applicant (even if they're a dependent) and parents are considered contributors. The current FAFSA form was redesigned with this workflow in mind. Technically speaking, the student should: 1. Create their FSA ID (if they haven't already) 2. Start the FAFSA application using their FSA ID 3. Complete the student demographic section 4. Select their schools 5. Answer dependency status questions 6. Use the "Invite a Contributor" function to have parents complete their section Then the parent: 1. Receives the invitation 2. Logs in with their own FSA ID 3. Completes only the parent financial information section 4. Signs with their FSA ID Finally, the student returns to review everything and submit the completed application. Following this process reduces errors and confusion.

Thanks everyone for all your helpful responses! It's clear that having my daughter start the application first is the right approach. I'll make sure she initiates it and completes her sections before I jump in to help with the parent information. Really appreciate all the insights - especially about the communication going to her email and the importance of building ownership in the process. This community is amazing!