Still waiting for financial aid package while everyone else gets theirs - FAFSA processed months ago!

same boat. been waiting 10 wks and nothing. financial aid office keeps saying "be patient" but how am i supposed to decide if i can go to school with no $$ info?? this is my 3rd year and they've never been this slow before

It might be because of the new system. My cousin works in financial aid (not at your school) and she said the new FAFSA rollout is causing MASSIVE delays everywhere because schools had to update all their systems. Some schools are literally months behind.

I can give some insight here. The financial aid offices are prioritizing certain groups right now based on enrollment status and program requirements. Some programs have earlier deposit deadlines which forces aid offices to process those students first. Also, many schools are experiencing a 30-40% increase in verification selections this year, which slows everything down. Pell-eligible students should theoretically be prioritized, but the backlog is affecting everyone. Here's what you should do: 1. Check your student portal for any hidden "To Do" items they might not have told you about 2. Email the director of financial aid specifically (not just the general office) 3. Ask if you've been selected for verification without realizing it 4. Inquire if there's a specific date when all packages will be finalized

THEY'RE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE!! The longer they hold ur $$ the longer they can earn interest on it. My brother works in banking and says schools do this every year. The financial aid system is designed to keep poor students stressed and desperate so we'll accept whatever scraps they eventually throw at us. I waited 14 weeks last year and then got LESS than I qualified for the year before WITH NO EXPLANATION.

When I was stuck in a similar situation last semester, I tried calling the FSA helpline directly but kept getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Then I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an actual FSA agent in about 20 minutes. The agent confirmed my application was complete but hadn't been fully processed on their end, which was holding up my school. Once that got resolved, my aid package came through within days. They have a video demo of how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

Financial aid administrator here (though not at your institution). There's some misinformation in this thread I'd like to clear up: 1. Schools do NOT earn interest on financial aid funds. Federal aid isn't even drawn down until it's disbursed to students. 2. The new FAFSA has indeed caused massive processing delays nationwide. The Department of Education had technical issues delivering SAI calculations to institutions. 3. Many schools ARE prioritizing Pell-eligible students, but they're overwhelmed. Here's what I suggest: Request a formal financial aid appeal based on processing time. Document all your contact attempts. Ask specifically: "Is there any information missing from my file that's causing this delay?" and "Can you provide a written estimate of when my package will be finalized?" If you still don't get answers, contact your school's ombudsman office or student advocacy center. They often have channels to expedite urgent cases.

hav u checked ur spam folder? my roomate thought she was waiting 4ever but her award letter was sitting in spam for like a month lolol maybe check there?

Just wanted to follow up - have you made any progress with your financial aid package? Did any of the suggestions here help?

So glad to hear you got it sorted out! A missing middle initial causing months of delays is exactly the kind of bureaucratic nightmare that makes this process so frustrating. It's crazy how something so small can hold up thousands of dollars in aid. Your story gives me hope that there's probably some tiny detail causing my own delays too. Definitely going to try that direct contact approach and the Claimyr service - thanks for sharing what worked!