What does an SAI of 2372 mean for my son's FAFSA? First-time parent confused

The SAI (Student Aid Index) replaced the old EFC as of the 2024-2025 FAFSA. It represents what the government thinks your family can afford to pay per year toward education costs. Generally, the lower your SAI, the more financial aid your son may receive. An SAI of 2372 is actually pretty good! It means the calculation determined your family could contribute about $2,372 per year toward college costs. For a $28,000/year school, your son would likely qualify for significant aid. The exact amount depends on the school, but you can generally calculate potential aid by taking the cost of attendance minus your SAI. So potentially around $25,600 in aid eligibility, though remember this could be a mix of grants, loans, and work-study.

my daughter had a 3100 SAI last year and got $22,000 in aid at her school that costs 31k. some loans, mostly grants. your probly in better shape with that lower number

Your SAI is quite good! Each school will use this number differently, but here's what typically happens: 1. The school will subtract your SAI from their Cost of Attendance to determine your financial need 2. They'll create an aid package that may include: - Federal Pell Grants (free money if your SAI is under 6206) - State grants (varies by state) - Institutional grants/scholarships (varies by school) - Federal loans (subsidized loans with no interest while in school) - Work-study opportunities The school will send a financial aid award letter showing exactly what they're offering. Each school's package will be different even with the same SAI. Call each school's financial aid office to discuss your specific situation - they're the best resource for understanding what your exact package will look like.

lucky you!!! our SAI came back at 18,452 and we make like $92k for a family of 4. complete joke. we're middle class but apparently the govt thinks we can afford 18k a year for college 🙄

When I was trying to reach the financial aid office for my daughter's FAFSA issues last month, I kept hitting the same wall with endless hold times and disconnections. Someone on this forum recommended using Claimyr.com to get through to actual FAFSA agents. It actually worked - they called on my behalf and connected me directly to a live person at FSA without the usual wait. Their demo video shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ If you need to speak to someone about what your son's SAI means for specific federal aid programs, this might help.

YOUR SON WILL GET THE PELL GRANT! With an SAI that low, he qualifies for the max or near-max Pell Grant which is $7,395 for the 2025-2026 academic year. That's FREE MONEY! Grab it! And since his SAI is so low, he'll likely get state grants too depending on where you live. The financial aid system is BROKEN but you're actually on the winning side of it with that number. My daughter's SAI was 12,000+ and we got basically nothing but loans. The middle class gets CRUSHED while lower and upper ends do better.

One important detail: your son still needs to watch for verification requests. Even with a good SAI, about 20% of FAFSA applicants get selected for verification, where they request additional documentation to confirm the information submitted. If selected, respond promptly as aid can't be disbursed until verification is complete.

To answer your follow-up questions: 1. No, the $25,600 isn't automatic. Each school will put together its own aid package based on your SAI and their available funds. 2. Your son will be notified about verification either through his studentaid.gov account or by the schools directly. Usually both. 3. You shouldn't need to complete additional applications for federal aid, but many states have their own grant applications, and some schools require the CSS Profile for institutional aid. Check with each school about their specific requirements. After your FAFSA is processed, each school where your son was accepted will send a financial aid award letter breaking down exactly what they're offering. This typically happens in March-April for fall enrollment.

when my son applied last year i was in the sme boat as you - totally confused! the most important thing is to check your schools deadline for accepting the financial aid packge. some schools give more $ to the ppl who respond fastest. we almst missed out bc we didnt know this!

I work in college advising, and I can tell you that an SAI of 2372 is excellent news. Here's what you should expect: - Pell Grant eligibility (likely around $7,000+) - Maximum subsidized loan eligibility if needed ($5,500 for first-year students) - Excellent chances for state grants if you're in a state with a grant program - Strong consideration for institutional need-based aid For a $28,000 school, your estimated family contribution would indeed be approximately $2,372 per year. However, there's a critical gap to understand: the difference between your demonstrated need (~$25,600) and what schools actually cover. This is called the "unmet need" and varies dramatically between institutions. Some schools meet 100% of demonstrated need, others might only meet 60-70%. This is why it's crucial to compare actual award letters when they arrive. For state schools, award letters typically arrive 2-4 weeks after FAFSA processing is complete, sometimes faster if you're in-state.

@user8 - Yes, many private schools actually meet a higher percentage of demonstrated need than public universities. While their sticker price is higher, their discount rate (amount of institutional aid they provide) is often much higher too. Some elite private colleges meet 100% of demonstrated need with no loans, while most state schools meet 70-80% of need at best, often through loans. This creates the counterintuitive situation where a $55,000/year private school might actually cost less out-of-pocket than a $28,000 state school for families with high financial need.

Thank you all for the helpful information! I feel much more informed now. I'll be watching for the award letters and will make sure to check each school's deadline for accepting aid. I'm also going to try calling the financial aid office again tomorrow to ask about state-specific grants we might qualify for. If I can't get through, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Really appreciate all the guidance!