What to do after FAFSA is processed? Can't find SAI or financial aid amounts
My son's FAFSA form says it was processed, but now I'm completely lost on what to do next. When I log into studentaid.gov, I just see his dashboard with a bunch of checkboxes like "Complete entrance counseling", "Complete a Master Promissory Note", and something about an "Annual Student Loan Acknowledgment". Do we need to do ALL of these things? And how do we actually find out how much financial aid he's getting? I can't find his SAI score or any dollar amounts anywhere! The colleges he applied to haven't contacted us yet either. Is there another step we're missing or another place we need to look? This is our first time with FAFSA and I'm so confused!
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CosmicCaptain
Those checklist items only apply if your son is actually taking out federal student loans. You don't need to complete them just to receive your SAI (Student Aid Index) or to be considered for grants like the Pell Grant. After FAFSA processing, your next steps are: 1. Check your SAI score (formerly called EFC) by viewing the SAR (Student Aid Report) in the studentaid.gov account 2. Wait for colleges to send financial aid award letters (typically March-April for fall enrollment) 3. Compare aid packages before making decisions To view your SAR and SAI score, go to studentaid.gov, log in, and look for "View Student Aid Report (SAR)" or "View Processed FAFSA Form." The SAI number will be in that report.
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Emma Davis
•Thank you! I'll look for the SAR. I've been all over that website and never saw that option, but I'll check again. So we don't need to do anything else until we hear from the colleges? I was worried we missed a deadline or something.
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Malik Johnson
those checklist things r just whatevr might apply 2 u, not stuff u HAVE to do. financial aid amounts come from each school not from fafsa directly. fafsa just tells schools ur financial info & they decide how much $ to give u. different schools = different amounts
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Emma Davis
•Oh! So the FAFSA just collects our information, but the schools decide how much to give? I thought the government decided the amounts. That makes more sense why we haven't heard anything yet.
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Isabella Ferreira
In same boat with my daughter!!! Been trying to call Federal Student Aid for 3 days now and keep getting disconnected or wait times over 2 hours!!! So frustrating when all we need is an answer to a simple question. Did you ever find where to see the SAI number??
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Ravi Sharma
•I spent hours trying to reach FSA last month about verification issues. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through - they hold your place in line and call you when an agent is available. Saved me a ton of time. There's a video demo of how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ As for the SAI, you should be able to find it on the Student Aid Report. Log in to studentaid.gov, go to "My Documents" and look for the most recent SAR PDF. The SAI is listed near the top of that document, usually on the first page.
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Freya Thomsen
I just went through this with my twins! The FAFSA dashboard is super confusing. The SAI is found on the Student Aid Report (SAR) which should be available in your account under "View SAR" or sometimes under "My Documents." But honestly, what really matters is waiting for each college to send their financial aid award letters - that's when you'll see the ACTUAL money being offered. Each school has different amounts they can give based on their own funds plus what federal aid you qualify for. The checklist items on the dashboard are ONLY relevant if your child is actually accepting federal student loans. You don't need to do entrance counseling or sign a Master Promissory Note unless you're taking loans. Just be patient - schools typically send award letters from late February through April depending on when your student was accepted and when you submitted FAFSA.
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Omar Zaki
•This is WRONG! You still have to do the entrance counseling even for some grants! My nephew didn't do it and lost his aid package. Don't listen to this advice! Complete EVERYTHING the dashboard tells you!!!!!
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AstroAce
My daughter's FAFSA was processed back in January, and we just started getting financial aid packages from colleges last week. Each school sends their own letter/email with different amounts. Your SAI (what used to be called EFC) is on the Student Aid Report, but honestly that number alone doesn't tell you much about what you'll actually receive. The most important things that determine your aid are: 1. Your SAI number (lower = more need-based aid) 2. Each individual college's available funds 3. Merit scholarships (separate from FAFSA) So basically... hurry up and wait! The financial aid office at each school will contact you eventually, usually a few weeks after acceptance.
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Emma Davis
•Thank you for explaining! I found the SAR report finally - our SAI is 8,482. Is that good or bad? Does a higher number mean more aid or less aid? This whole process is so confusing.
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CosmicCaptain
•An SAI of 8,482 is moderate - not the lowest (which would indicate highest need) but not extremely high either. Lower SAI = more need-based aid eligibility. With that SAI, your son may qualify for some need-based aid depending on the cost of attendance at each school. He might not qualify for the full Pell Grant but could receive partial Pell and definitely subsidized loans if needed. Each school will calculate your "financial need" as: Cost of Attendance minus SAI = Need-based aid eligibility.
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Isabella Ferreira
@whoever mentioned Claimyr - THANK YOU!!! Just used it and finally got through to FSA after trying for 3 days. They explained everything and helped fix an issue with our verification. Worth every penny not to sit on hold all day!
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Malik Johnson
just fyi if ur kid doesnt get enough $ from fafsa they can also do css profile for more aid at some schools. some places require it anyway. more paperwork tho :
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Emma Davis
•What's a CSS profile? Is that something different from FAFSA? Do we need to fill that out too? We applied to State University, Tech Institute, and Liberal Arts College.
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Freya Thomsen
•The CSS Profile is a separate financial aid application required by about 200 mostly private colleges to award their institutional aid (money that comes from the school itself, not federal aid). Unlike FAFSA, it costs money to submit ($25 for first school, $16 for each additional). Check each college's financial aid website to see if they require it - many public universities don't, but private colleges often do. It's more detailed than FAFSA and looks at assets differently.
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Omar Zaki
When I applied for my son, his FAFSA was processed but showed 0 financial aid!!! They made a mistake because we definitely qualify. I had to call and call and finally got it fixed. The system is BROKEN. Make sure you appeal whatever they offer you - schools have more money than they admit!!! Don't take the first offer!!
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AstroAce
•Just to clarify - seeing that your FAFSA was "processed" doesn't mean you were awarded $0. The FAFSA processing is just the first step - it calculates your SAI. The actual aid awards come from each individual school later. But yes, appealing is sometimes possible if your financial situation has changed or if there are special circumstances not captured on the FAFSA.
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Emma Davis
UPDATE: I finally found the Student Aid Report! For anyone else looking, I had to click on "My Documents" and then download the PDF file. Our SAI is 8,482. I guess now we just wait to hear from the colleges about actual aid amounts. Thanks everyone for your help!
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CosmicCaptain
•Great! Yes, now you wait for each college to send their financial aid award letters. They'll use your SAI of 8,482 plus their own institutional methodology to determine grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans. Each package will look different based on the school's total cost and available funds. Keep an eye on your email and student portals for each college - sometimes they announce aid packages there first.
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