What does an SAI of 2906 on FAFSA actually mean for my aid package?

the SAI (Student Aid Index) basically tells colleges how much ur family can afford to pay. lower = more aid, higher = less aid. but each college uses it differently so ur final aid package will vary by school. 2906 is actually pretty low so u might qualify for decent aid. Pell Grant max is for SAI of 0 i think

An SAI of 2906 is quite good news! The Student Aid Index replaces the old EFC and is used to determine your eligibility for need-based aid. With an SAI that low and your parents' income at $68K, you'll likely qualify for a significant Pell Grant (not the maximum, but still substantial). However, your actual costs will depend on: 1. Your school's Cost of Attendance (COA) 2. The specific institutional aid policies at your college 3. Your state's grant programs Your SAI is not necessarily what you'll pay - it's just a number colleges use to calculate your financial need (which is COA minus SAI).

Been there! An SAI of 2906 means you'll likely qualify for significant financial aid, but it's NOT the exact amount you'll pay. Each school uses this number differently to calculate your "financial need" which is their Cost of Attendance minus your SAI. With that SAI and your parents' income, you should qualify for: - Partial Pell Grant (around $4000-5000 probably) - Likely full state grants (depending on your state) - Federal Work-Study eligibility - Subsidized federal loans Call your school's financial aid office to get specifics. I know it's frustrating trying to reach them!

I had an SAI of 3100 last year and got about $4700 in Pell Grant money and qualified for subsidized loans (the good ones where interest doesn't start till after graduation). But my school also gave me some institutional grants that varied A LOT from other schools I applied to. Some gave me almost full rides, others only offered loans even with the same SAI. So yeah, varies by school.

FYI - you might want to try using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to the Federal Student Aid office. I was in the same boat - had a ton of FAFSA questions that my school couldn't answer, and kept getting stuck on hold forever. Claimyr got me through to an actual person in about 15 minutes and they explained exactly how my SAI would affect my specific situation. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ They can't tell you exactly what your school will offer, but they can explain what federal aid you should qualify for with that SAI.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A SCAM!!! I had an SAI of 2100 last year and still ended up with $14k in loans!!! They make you think you'll get all this "free money" then hit you with the bill after you've already committed to the school. The SAI is just some made-up number that doesn't mean ANYTHING in the real world. Don't believe the hype - you'll still end up paying WAY more than that 2906 number.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned - your FAFSA year isn't finalized until you pick a school and accept your aid package. Keep documentation of your SAI now in case it changes, and make sure to compare aid packages from different schools because they'll vary dramatically. Private schools often offer more institutional aid than public ones, even with higher sticker prices. Don't rule out "expensive" schools just based on published tuition!

guys we're forgetting the state grants too!!! depending on what state ur in, an SAI of 2906 might qualify u for full state grants. like in NY the TAP grant or in CA the cal grant. those can be a few thousand $ extra on top of pell!

Actually i worked in a financial aid office til recently. 2906 is a GREAT sai. For a student with that score and 68k family income attending a state university, you'd likely get: - Pell Grant ~$4500-5000 - State grant (varies widely by state) - Subsidized loans $3500-5500 depending on year in school - Possibly work-study Your actual cost will depend on your school's COA. The calculation is: COA - SAI = Financial Need. Then the school tries to meet that need with various aid types. But with that SAI, you're in a good position for substantial aid.

Hey! I'm also a first-gen student and was super confused about all this last year. With an SAI of 2906 and your family income, you're actually in a really good spot for aid! Just to add to what others have said - don't panic if your school's financial aid office is hard to reach right now. It's peak season for them and they're swamped. Try emailing them with your specific questions if calling isn't working. Also, once you get your actual aid package from your school, you can always appeal it if you think there are circumstances they didn't consider. Your SAI is definitely low enough that you should see significant help with costs - hang in there!

Your SAI of 2906 is actually really good news! As someone who just went through this process last year, I can tell you that with your family income and that SAI, you're likely looking at getting a substantial Pell Grant (probably around $4,000-5,000), plus you'll qualify for subsidized federal loans where the government pays the interest while you're in school. The key thing to remember is that your SAI isn't what you'll pay - it's what colleges use to calculate how much aid you need. So if your school costs $20,000 total and your SAI is $2,906, your "financial need" would be around $17,094, and the school will try to meet that with grants, loans, and work-study. Keep trying to reach your financial aid office, but also check if they have online chat or email options. Many schools are swamped right now but are pretty responsive to emails. You're in a much better position than you think!

Just wanted to add one more resource that might help while you're waiting to hear back from your school's financial aid office! The Federal Student Aid website has a really useful aid estimator tool where you can plug in your SAI and get a rough idea of what federal aid you might qualify for. It won't tell you about institutional or state aid, but it can give you a baseline. Also, since you mentioned being a first-gen student - many colleges have special programs and additional support for first-gen students that can include extra grants or scholarships. When you do connect with your financial aid office, definitely mention that you're first-generation. Some schools have separate funding pools specifically for students like us! With your SAI of 2906, you're honestly in a really good position. I know the waiting and uncertainty is stressful, but try not to worry too much. The system is designed to help students in your situation afford college!