USC rejected my financial aid because FAFSA wasn't 'received' until after April 1 despite submitting in January

omg that's ridiculous!! the exact same thing happened to my cousin with Georgia State last year. FAFSA system is so broken. did they tell u why there was such a big delay? sometimes schools claim they never got it when really they just lost it in their system

This is unfortunately becoming more common this year with all the FAFSA delays. The submission date (1/31) is when you completed it on studentaid.gov, but processing has been taking much longer than normal with the new FAFSA rollout. However, you definitely have grounds for appeal. Here's what to do: 1. Request a FAFSA submission timestamp from FSA (they can provide documentation of when you submitted) 2. Contact USC's financial aid office again, ask specifically for a "deadline exception due to FAFSA processing delays" 3. Emphasize that you submitted well before their deadline and the processing delay was not your fault 4. Request to speak with a financial aid counselor or director, not just a front desk person Many schools are making exceptions this year because of the nationwide FAFSA issues. Be persistent!

this is BS!!! schools pulling this crap all over. my brother got rejected for aid at Wisconsin said same thing "didnt receive in time" when we definately sent it way early!!! system is RIGGED against families. they just dont wanna give u money so they make up fake reasons

Financial aid advisor here. This is definitely something you can appeal. The 2024-2025 FAFSA has been plagued with processing delays due to the roll-out of the new simplified form and SAI calculation. Schools should be making accommodations for these known federal processing issues. Request an appeal based on "exceptional circumstances beyond your control" - specifically the documented federal processing delays. Get documentation from studentaid.gov showing your January submission date. Many schools are extending their internal deadlines this year precisely because of these issues. In your appeal letter, be specific about: 1. Exact date and time of your FAFSA submission (with proof) 2. The financial impact this will have on your family 3. Your student's academic achievements and why USC is their top choice Most importantly, maintain a professional tone. The front-line staff often don't have authority to make exceptions, but directors do.

I had SUCH a hard time getting through to anyone at FSA to help with proving when I submitted my FAFSA. After spending HOURS on hold multiple times, I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a FSA agent in about 15 minutes instead of the 3+ hour wait I kept hitting. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I got through, the agent was able to send me an official timestamp showing exactly when my FAFSA was submitted and processed. That documentation was key in getting my daughter's school to accept our "late" FAFSA. Might be worth trying if you keep hitting walls with the regular customer service line.

have u tried talking to ur daughters admissons counselor? sometimes they can help push things thru financial aid office if theyr really want ur kid to come. my neice got help that way when we had aid problems

Just wanted to share that I successfully appealed a similar situation with Clemson this year. They initially rejected our financial aid for "missing the deadline" even though we submitted in early February. The key was getting documentation from studentaid.gov showing when we submitted, then filing a formal appeal letter (not just calling). Don't just talk to the front desk people - they have no authority. Ask specifically for a "professional judgment review" or "special circumstances appeal" related to the FAFSA processing delays. Send a formal letter addressed to the Financial Aid Director with all your documentation attached. It took about 3 weeks, but Clemson eventually approved our appeal and gave us the full aid package we would have received if they'd processed everything on time. Don't give up!

I sent both - email first, then followed up with a physical letter mailed to the director specifically (found his name on the school website). I included a brief paragraph about my daughter's academics and extracurriculars, but mainly focused on the FAFSA timeline with documentation. I also mentioned that we had received aid offers from their competitor schools, which might have helped!

TBH maybe take this as a sign... my kid went to USC and they were HORRIBLE with financial aid all 4 years. constantly losing documents, changing aid amounts last minute, making us jump through hoops for everything. if they're already doing this before u even start maybe consider somewhere else