What exactly does an SAI of 13,332 mean for my FAFSA aid amount?

SAI replaced EFC so its basically doing the same thing. It means the government thinks u can pay $13,332 toward ur education each year. Higher number = less aid. Lower number = more aid. Yes they subtract it from COA to see how much need u have. If COA is $25,000 and SAI is $13,332 then ur financial need is $11,668.

I had kinda the same thing happen!! My SAI this year was WAY higher than my EFC from last year (almost $6k more) and I freaked out. But I talked to my financial aid office and they said the formula changed so you can't directly compare the two numbers. You might still get similar aid.

Financial aid counselor here. Your SAI (Student Aid Index) works conceptually similar to the old EFC, but they're calculated differently so direct comparisons can be misleading. The SAI is subtracted from your school's Cost of Attendance to determine your financial need. However, there's an important distinction: SAI can actually go as low as -$1,500 (negative) now, whereas EFC couldn't go below zero. This allows schools to better identify students with exceptional financial need. A few key points about your 13,332 SAI: 1. This is what the federal methodology calculates your family can contribute annually 2. It affects eligibility for need-based aid (Pell Grants, subsidized loans, work-study) 3. Each school may interpret this differently when building your aid package 4. It doesn't necessarily mean you'll pay exactly $13,332 out of pocket I recommend contacting your school's financial aid office to understand how this specifically impacts your aid package there.

the whole system is rigged anyway lol. they say my family can contribute 18k a year but my parents aren't giving me a PENNY. so now i'm stuck with loans even though the "system" thinks i should be getting help from family. it's all BS

My SAI was 22,540 and I still got some aid, just not the big grants. Did you check if you're eligible for any merit scholarships? Those aren't affected by your SAI number.

I've been trying to reach the Federal Student Aid helpline for 2 weeks about my SAI calculation because they counted my stepdad's income wrong. The automated system keeps disconnecting me after 45+ minutes on hold. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) yesterday and got through in about 10 minutes! They have this system that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Totally worth it for me - you can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ After talking to the agent, I found out they can actually recalculate my SAI based on the correct income info, and it dropped by almost $4,000. Might be worth checking if your calculation was done correctly.

btw if you have siblings in college at the same time that used to lower your EFC a lot but with SAI it doesn't help as much just fyi

Just want to clarify something important about the SAI calculation: while it's true the SAI formula doesn't provide the same reduction for multiple students in college as the old EFC formula did, this doesn't necessarily mean you'll receive less aid. The FAFSA Simplification Act made several changes simultaneously: 1. The formula adjustment for multiple students in college changed 2. But Pell Grant eligibility was expanded for many students 3. And income protection allowances were increased The net effect varies by family situation. For some families, these changes offset each other. For others, they may result in more or less aid than before. This is why comparing your old EFC to your new SAI isn't always useful - they're calculated differently. I'd recommend speaking with your financial aid office about your specific situation, especially with a sibling entering college soon.

Btw make sure u check if ur school has any special scholarships for students with high SAI but not high enough for rich ppl benefits!! My school had a "middle income grant" that I qualified for even with my higher SAI!

I've been working in college financial aid for about 8 years now, and I understand your confusion about the SAI. The change from EFC to SAI has caused a lot of misunderstanding. Here's what's most important to understand: your SAI of 13,332 is just an eligibility index. It doesn't necessarily mean your family must pay exactly $13,332 out of pocket. What it actually means is: - You're not eligible for federal Pell Grants (which generally require an SAI below 7,000) - You may be eligible for subsidized loans, depending on your cost of attendance - Your school will use this number when determining institutional aid eligibility What many students don't realize is that each college has its own methodology for distributing institutional aid. Some schools meet 100% of demonstrated need, others might meet only 60-70%. If your SAI increased significantly from your previous EFC, I'd recommend asking your financial aid office if they're providing any additional institutional aid to offset these formula changes. Many schools created special funds specifically to help students caught in this transition.

One thing that might help ease your concerns - even though your SAI is higher than your old EFC, the actual aid calculations at many schools have been adjusted to account for the formula changes. When I had a similar jump in my number last year, I was worried I'd lose thousands in aid, but my actual package only changed by a few hundred dollars. The key is that most financial aid offices anticipated these changes and modified their institutional aid formulas accordingly. So while the SAI number looks scarier, the real-world impact might not be as dramatic as you think. Definitely worth calling your school's financial aid office to get your actual award letter breakdown - that's the only way to know for sure how it affects your specific situation. Also, don't forget to apply for outside scholarships! Those aren't tied to your SAI at all and can help bridge any gaps in your aid package.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this transition. My SAI ended up being about $3,000 higher than my old EFC, and I was panicking too. But here's what I learned after talking to multiple financial aid offices: The SAI calculation includes some improvements that might actually help you. For example, they increased the income protection allowance (the amount of income that's protected from the aid calculation) and made some adjustments for families with lower incomes. Also, if you're close to the Pell Grant eligibility threshold, it's worth double-checking your FAFSA for any errors. Even small mistakes in income reporting or family size can push you over the edge. I caught an error in my tax information that dropped my SAI by almost $2,000. One more tip - if your family's financial situation has changed since you filed (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), you can request a professional judgment review. The SAI is based on prior-prior year income, so it might not reflect your current ability to pay. Good luck!

Hey! I'm new to this whole FAFSA thing and reading through this thread has been super educational. I'm a high school senior who just submitted my FAFSA and I'm waiting for my SAI results. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like I shouldn't panic when I see the number, right? My parents keep asking me what our "expected family contribution" will be, but from what I'm understanding, the SAI isn't exactly the same thing? Should I be preparing them for the fact that this new number might look different than what they're expecting based on online EFC calculators they've been using? Also, does anyone know if there are any good resources for understanding how different schools typically package aid? It sounds like every school handles the SAI differently when putting together aid packages.