What happens after FAFSA submission? Understanding next steps and cost estimates

congrats on finishing! the schools get ur info automatically but they decide how much aid u get, not fafsa. fafsa just tells them how much u can pay (thats the SAI). each school will send a financial aid package later with the actual amounts

Completing the FAFSA is just the first step in the financial aid process. Here's what happens next: 1. Your FAFSA information is sent to the schools your daughter listed on her application 2. Each college's financial aid office uses your SAI (Student Aid Index) to determine aid eligibility 3. The schools will prepare individual financial aid packages based on your need and their available funds 4. Each school will send a financial aid award letter (usually through their student portal or by email) The timing varies by school, but most send award letters between February and April. Each package will show: - Grants and scholarships (free money) - Work-study options (if eligible) - Federal student loans - Your estimated out-of-pocket costs Your next step should be to check each school's student portal to make sure your FAFSA has been received. Sometimes you need to complete additional school-specific financial aid forms as well.

Each school typically provides portal access information after acceptance. If your daughter was accepted but hasn't received portal information, contact each school's admissions office directly. They can help you set up access or check if any communications were missed. Also, while waiting for the official aid packages, you can use each school's Net Price Calculator (required on every college website) to get a rough estimate of what your costs might be based on your financial information. The estimates won't be exact but can help with preliminary planning.

One thing I learned the hard way: some schools require additional forms beyond the FAFSA! Check if any of your daughter's schools require the CSS Profile (mostly private schools) or their own institutional financial aid forms. Missing those deadlines can cost you thousands in potential aid. Also, some state grants have separate applications with different deadlines.

Public schools typically don't require the CSS Profile, so Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan State probably don't need it. But some public universities do have their own supplemental financial aid forms for institutional scholarships. I'd recommend checking each school's financial aid page for a checklist of required documents or calling their financial aid office directly to confirm everything is complete.

anybody else have trouble logging into studentaid.gov to check their FAFSA status??? i've been trying for 2 days and keep getting error messages. worried my fafsa didn't actually go through even though i got a confirmation number

I had the same problem last year waiting to speak with someone at Federal Student Aid about my son's FAFSA verification issues. After two disconnected calls and hours on hold, I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me so much time and frustration! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Definitely worth it when you need to resolve FAFSA issues quickly.

Yes, it works! You just enter the Federal Student Aid number and your callback info. When they get an agent on the line, they call you and connect you. Way better than listening to that hold music for hours.

Something everyone should know: those financial aid offers are NEGOTIABLE!! Don't just accept the first package! My daughter got $5k more from Michigan State last year when we sent them the better offer from Ohio State. They all want to get your kid enrolled and will often match competing offers. DON'T be afraid to call the financial aid office and ask for more money or explain special circumstances. The worst they can say is no, but they often say YES!!

Most schools have a formal appeal process called a "Professional Judgment Review" or "Financial Aid Appeal." But start with a phone call to ask about their specific process. Have your better offer ready as leverage! Some schools want it in writing, some want specific forms. But BE PERSISTENT!! Financial aid officers have discretion to adjust awards - they just don't advertise this fact!!!

just fyi ur SAI isnt actually the amount you'll pay. its complicated but each school uses different formulas. my SAI was 8500 but ended up paying like 4k at one school and wouldve been 15k at another one. wait for the actual award letters before freaking out lol

The whole financial aid system is DESIGNED TO BE CONFUSING. They don't want you to understand it because then you might realize how much they're ripping you off! Every school calculates "need" differently, and most don't even meet 100% of your demonstrated need. Then they have the AUDACITY to include Parent PLUS loans as part of your "aid package" - those aren't aid! They're loans with high interest rates that will put you in debt for decades! The system is completely broken.

After completing the FAFSA, I recommend creating a simple spreadsheet to compare financial aid packages when they arrive. Include columns for: 1. Total Cost of Attendance (tuition, fees, room, board, books, etc.) 2. Total Gift Aid (grants and scholarships) 3. Net Price (Cost minus Gift Aid) 4. Self-Help Aid (loans and work-study) 5. Remaining Gap (what you need to pay out-of-pocket) This makes it much easier to see which school is truly offering the best financial deal. Many families focus only on the total aid number without realizing one package might be mostly loans while another is mostly grants. Also, don't forget to consider each school's policy on maintaining scholarships. Some require higher GPAs than others to keep your aid each year.

If you have a gap you can't afford, you have several options: 1. Appeal the financial aid offer (as mentioned above) 2. Look for additional outside scholarships (check Fastweb, Scholarships.com, your employer, local organizations) 3. Consider a payment plan through the school (many offer monthly payments instead of lump sums) 4. Look into less expensive housing options (commuting or off-campus housing is often cheaper) 5. Consider starting at a community college and transferring later Also, many schools have emergency grants or completion grants for students who face financial hardships during their education. Ask the financial aid office about all available resources.

One more thing to add - make sure to check your student email accounts regularly! Many schools send important financial aid updates through the email address your daughter provided on her applications. I almost missed a scholarship opportunity last year because the notification went to my son's school email instead of our family email. Also, some schools have early bird deadlines for housing deposits that can affect your aid package, so stay on top of all those timelines. The whole process is overwhelming but you're asking all the right questions!