What does SAI 1285 mean for financial aid eligibility? Getting mixed messages

That's actually a pretty good SAI! The lower your SAI (Student Aid Index), the more financial aid you qualify for. An SAI of 1285 means your cousin will likely qualify for significant aid, especially with multiple siblings in college. At a $22k/year school, she'll probably get a decent aid package that could include Pell Grants and subsidized loans. Tell her to check the school's financial aid calculator on their website - most have them now and she can input her SAI directly.

my SAI was 1340 last yr and i got about 18k in aid at a similar priced school. grants + work study + some loans but not bad overall

SAI 1285 is pretty good. For reference: - 0 = maximum need - 1000-3000 = high need - 3000-5000 = moderate need - 5000+ = lower need With multiple siblings in college and that SAI, your cousin is likely eligible for: 1. Pell Grant (probably close to maximum) 2. Subsidized Direct Loans 3. Work-study 4. Possibly state grants depending on where you live Each college will create a financial aid package based on this SAI and their own institutional funding. She should receive these packages after being accepted, usually by March-April. Make sure she checks her email regularly and completes any verification requests promptly!

To clarify about Pell Grants - you're right that maximum Pell (around $7,395 for 2025-26) is typically for SAIs of 0. But partial Pell extends up to SAIs around 6000-7000. With an SAI of 1285, your cousin will likely get a substantial Pell Grant, just not the absolute maximum. Still very good!

LMAO they make you think these numbers mean something when the whole system is RIGGED!! My SAI was 1100 last year and the school still expected me to pay $15K+ out of pocket. The "aid" was mostly loans I have to pay back WITH INTEREST. Don't get your hopes up for these magical free money packages. It's all a scam to trick people into debt slavery!!

A "prestigious" state university that claims to meet financial need. Sure they met it - with LOANS. The only real money was like $3K in grants and the rest was all loans and "parent contribution" which they just expect parents to magically have sitting around.

For anyone struggling to reach the Federal Student Aid office about their SAI or aid package, I recently used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through after days of being on hold. They basically hold your place in line and call you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ I needed clarification about how my mom's retirement was affecting my SAI calculation and got through to someone who actually helped within 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours.

tell ur cousin to email the financial aid office at the schools shes applying to and let them know about the siblings in college situation. sometimes they give more $ if u ask nicely and explain ur situation!!! worked for my brother last yr

To answer your earlier question - most schools will automatically create a financial aid package based on the FAFSA information. Your cousin doesn't need to do anything else unless: 1. She gets selected for verification (about 30% of FAFSA filers do) 2. The school requests additional documents 3. She wants to appeal for more aid based on special circumstances The aid package will come with her acceptance letter or shortly after. Just make sure she listed all her potential schools on the FAFSA!

No separate applications needed for federal aid! The FAFSA is your one-stop application for Pell Grants, federal loans, and work-study. However, there are a few exceptions: - State grants sometimes require additional forms (check your state's higher education website) - Some schools require the CSS Profile for institutional aid (mainly private colleges) - Scholarships usually have separate applications But for the basic federal aid package including Pell Grants, the FAFSA is all you need. Just make sure she responds quickly if they request verification documents.