Why do my 3 kids have drastically different FAFSA SAI scores with same parent info?

This is definitely unusual since SAI is calculated directly from the FAFSA application data, not by individual schools. The most likely explanation is that there's some key difference in what was reported on the middle son's application compared to the others. A few possibilities: 1. Was there any change in your family's financial situation between when you submitted the first two FAFSAs and when you did the third one? Even small differences in reported assets can sometimes push you over/under thresholds. 2. Did your middle son answer any dependency questions differently? Sometimes students incorrectly answer questions about living arrangements or support that can dramatically change their dependency status. 3. Did you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool for all three applications, or manually enter tax info? 4. Did your middle son check the box indicating he was homeless or at risk of homelessness? This would potentially qualify him as an independent student, dramatically lowering his SAI. I'd recommend requesting the Student Aid Report (SAR) for all three children and comparing them line by line to identify the difference.

middle kid probably checked something different on his form. my brother got way more money than me cuz he accidentally marked himself as independent even tho my parents claim him. check if he put something about not living with parents more than 6 months or something.

The timing difference may actually be significant here. The 2024-2025 FAFSA faced multiple delays and formula adjustments after launch. If your first two kids submitted early in the cycle and your middle son applied later, there's a decent chance he benefited from one of the formula adjustments made to correct earlier issues. Specifically, in late February/early March, the Department of Education announced they were adjusting the inflation tables used for SAI calculations after widespread criticism that the formula was incorrectly penalizing families. This resulted in lower SAI scores for many applicants who submitted after the fix. I'd recommend calling FSA directly at 1-800-433-3243 to ask specifically about this. Request tier 2 support if the first representative can't help, as they'll have more technical knowledge about the formula changes.

After spending HOURS on hold with FSA myself last month, I finally found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an agent in under 15 minutes. They have this system that holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Saved my sanity! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent I spoke with was able to pull up all three of my kids' applications and explain exactly why their SAIs were different (turns out one of mine accidentally reported my retirement account as a regular asset 🤦‍♀️). Definitely worth getting a real explanation directly from FSA.

THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY KIDS!!!! Oldest and youngest got no Pell, middle one got $3900!!! I was going CRAZY trying to figure it out. Called schools, called FAFSA, nobody could explain it. Finally got through to someone who told me about the "adjustment to the SAI formula" they made in March. Basically if you filed before then your kids got SCREWED. I'm so mad they didn't automatically update everyone's applications!!! Not fair at ALL!!!

I work in a college financial aid office. What you're experiencing is almost certainly due to the mid-cycle formula adjustment that happened with the 2024-2025 FAFSA. The Department of Education adjusted the income protection allowance tables in March, which effectively lowered SAI calculations for applications processed after that point. For your earliest applications, I recommend: 1. First, contact Federal Student Aid directly to confirm this is the issue (the timing matches perfectly) 2. Once confirmed, submit a formal request to each school's financial aid office asking for a "recalculation based on the updated income protection allowance tables" 3. Provide documentation showing the discrepancy between your children's SAIs despite identical financial information While schools aren't required to recalculate, many are doing so when families request it because the situation is so clearly inequitable. Be persistent but polite in your follow-ups.

my cousin works for fafsa and says they totally messed up this cycle. system issues, formula problems, etc. said theyre getting thousands of complaints about family members getting different numbers. good luck getting it fixed tho, shes says its a disaster over there right now

One additional suggestion - if your older children are attending 4-year universities and your middle son is at a community college, check if that's playing a role too. Some community colleges have additional institutional funds they can apply to students whose SAI is close to but above the Pell threshold. This wouldn't change the actual SAI calculation but might explain the difference in aid packages if that's what you're seeing.

If you're running into walls with Federal Student Aid's main number, another approach is to contact your congressional representative's office. Their constituent services can often reach special FSA contacts who are more empowered to investigate and resolve unusual cases. Just provide them with all three SAR numbers, the submission dates, and a brief explanation of the situation. In the meantime, definitely continue pursuing the professional judgment route with your schools. Even if they initially resist, having confirmation from FSA about the formula adjustment issue will strengthen your case.

I'm a financial aid administrator and I can confirm what others have said about the formula adjustment. The Department of Education made a significant correction to the income protection allowance tables in March 2024 after realizing the original formula was too restrictive. Students who filed after this correction automatically got the benefit of the updated calculation, while earlier filers were stuck with the flawed formula. This created exactly the situation you're describing - families with identical financial circumstances getting vastly different SAI scores based purely on submission timing. It's been a major headache for our office because we're fielding dozens of similar complaints. The good news is that most schools are now aware of this issue and have procedures in place to handle recalculations. When you contact the financial aid offices, specifically mention "March 2024 income protection allowance adjustment" - this will immediately signal to them that you know what happened and aren't just fishing for more aid. Document everything and be prepared to show the submission dates for all three applications as proof of the timing difference.

This is incredibly helpful to hear from someone who works in financial aid administration! I'm definitely going to use that exact phrase "March 2024 income protection allowance adjustment" when I contact the schools. It's so frustrating that this timing issue created such inequity between siblings, but at least now I understand what happened and have a clear path forward. I'll make sure to document all the submission dates and present this as a known systemic issue rather than just a complaint about aid amounts. Thank you for confirming this is a widespread problem that schools are dealing with!

As someone just starting to navigate the FAFSA process for my own family, this entire discussion has been incredibly enlightening and frankly quite alarming! I had no idea that something as seemingly straightforward as the timing of your application submission could result in such dramatically different financial aid outcomes for families with identical circumstances. The fact that the Department of Education made a "March 2024 income protection allowance adjustment" mid-cycle without automatically recalculating earlier applications seems fundamentally unfair to families who were responsible and filed early. It's creating a two-tiered system where timing luck determines aid eligibility rather than actual financial need. I'm taking notes on all the specific advice shared here - especially using the exact phrase "March 2024 income protection allowance adjustment" when contacting schools, and the suggestion to reach out to congressional representatives if needed. The Claimyr service for getting through to FSA also sounds like it could be a lifesaver given how impossible it seems to be to actually speak with someone at the official helpline. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise - this is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's impossible to find in the official FAFSA documentation. I'll definitely be following this thread for any updates on how these situations get resolved!

As someone who's been helping families navigate FAFSA issues for years, I want to emphasize how important it is to act quickly on this. The March 2024 formula adjustment created a massive inequity, but schools have limited timeframes for making corrections to aid packages, especially as we get closer to enrollment deadlines. A few additional tips from my experience: 1. When you contact schools, ask to speak with a senior financial aid counselor rather than front desk staff - they'll be more familiar with this specific issue 2. If one school agrees to recalculate, use that as leverage with the others ("X University has already agreed to review this under the March adjustment") 3. Keep detailed records of every conversation, including names and dates 4. Consider filing complaints with the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman if schools refuse to cooperate The fact that your middle child's application was processed after the correction while your other two weren't is textbook evidence of this timing issue. Don't let schools brush you off - this is a documented systemic problem that affected thousands of families.

As someone completely new to the FAFSA world, this entire thread has been both incredibly helpful and absolutely terrifying! I had no idea that something as basic as when you submit your application could result in such wildly different aid outcomes for families with identical financial situations. The March 2024 formula adjustment issue you've all been discussing sounds like a nightmare - the fact that families who were responsible and filed early essentially got penalized while those who filed later benefited from the corrected formula is fundamentally unfair. It's shocking that the Department of Education didn't automatically recalculate all the earlier applications. I'm taking detailed notes on all the strategies mentioned here: using the specific phrase "March 2024 income protection allowance adjustment" when contacting schools, asking for senior financial aid counselors, the congressional representative option, and that Claimyr service for actually getting through to FSA. The leverage approach of using one school's agreement to push others is brilliant too. This really highlights how complex and broken parts of the financial aid system can be for regular families. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and expertise - this is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's impossible to find in official documentation!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely shocked by what I'm reading here! I had no idea that the FAFSA system had such significant issues during the 2024-2025 cycle. The fact that families with identical financial circumstances could receive drastically different aid packages simply based on when they submitted their applications is mind-blowing and frankly unacceptable. The "March 2024 income protection allowance adjustment" situation you've all described sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare that penalized responsible families who filed early. It's incredible that the Department of Education made such a significant formula change mid-cycle without automatically recalculating earlier submissions - that seems like a fundamental failure in their system design. I'm grateful for all the specific advice shared here, especially the exact terminology to use when contacting schools and the various escalation paths (congressional representatives, FSA Ombudsman, etc.). This kind of insider knowledge is exactly what families need but is nearly impossible to find through official channels. To the original poster - I really hope you're able to get this resolved using the strategies everyone has outlined. Please do update us on your progress, as I'm sure many other families are facing similar situations. This thread has become an invaluable resource for understanding how to navigate these systemic issues!