Working two jobs but high SAI (49564) - Will colleges consider my situation for need-based aid?

Unfortunately, most colleges don't look at why your income is high - they just see the number from your FAFSA and base their aid packages on the SAI calculation. That said, you should absolutely contact each financial aid office directly and explain your situation through their professional judgment (sometimes called special circumstances) process. Bring documentation of both jobs, your work schedule, and expenses. Some schools may adjust your aid package, though it's ultimately at the discretion of each institution.

Thank you for this. Do you know if I need specific forms for this professional judgment request or just call them? I'm worried they'll just brush me off since technically I do make enough on paper.

my cousin had this same problem!!! she made like 95k but was working 2 jobs and her kid still got some grants from the state school. but the private college was like nope sorry. i think it depends on where ur kid applies tbh

That's helpful to know - maybe we should be looking more at state schools then. Did your cousin have to do anything special to get those grants?

The whole system is RIGGED against hard workers!!!! My husband and I both work 60+ hours a week and we got NO AID AT ALL because we're

Same here! Our SAI was 56000 which is ridiculous considering we have 2 in college. The system is broken.

Financial aid counselor here - I recommend taking these steps:\n\n1. Submit a special circumstances appeal to each school's financial aid office\n2. Provide documentation showing your multiple jobs (W-2s from each employer)\n3. Create a simple spreadsheet showing your weekly work hours at each job\n4. Include a brief letter explaining your situation\n\nWhile the FAFSA and SAI calculation won't consider multiple jobs differently, individual schools have discretion to adjust aid packages based on special circumstances. Private universities often have more institutional aid to distribute, so don't give up on those options yet.\n\nMany schools have specific forms for professional judgment reviews on their financial aid websites. Start by looking there, then follow up with a phone call to discuss your specific situation.

Thank you so much for these specific steps! I'll start working on the documentation tonight. Do you know roughly how long these reviews typically take? Her deposit deadline is coming up in a few weeks.

Honestly I've been trying to reach our financial aid office for THREE WEEKS with no luck. Always on hold forever then disconnected! I finally used this service called Claimyr to get through to our school's aid office - claimyr.com - they got me connected right away. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration! I was able to explain my situation about working multiple jobs directly to a counselor and they were actually pretty understanding once I could talk to a real person.

Thanks for the tip! I've been getting nowhere with the automated phone systems too. I'll check this out - at this point I'll try anything to get someone to actually hear my situation.

Have u considered Parent PLUS loans? I know its not ideal but they approve almost everyone and u can borrow up to the full cost of attendance minus any other aid. Ur daughter could also look at working part time to help with costs. That high SAI means merit scholarships mite be a better option than need-based aid.

We're definitely looking at PLUS loans as a backup, but I'm really trying to avoid taking on massive debt at my age. She's already planning to work part-time during school. Do you know if merit scholarships are still available this late in the process?

To answer your question about timeline for appeals - most schools try to respond to professional judgment reviews within 2-3 weeks, but it varies greatly by institution. If you mention the upcoming deposit deadline in your appeal letter, many schools will try to expedite the review. Also, don't forget you can often put down a smaller enrollment deposit to hold her spot while continuing to negotiate the aid package.

That's really good to know about mentioning the deadline. I'll make sure to highlight that in my letter. Worst case scenario, I guess we can put down the deposit and hope the appeal comes through before the first tuition bill.

One additional point regarding high income from multiple jobs: be sure to highlight any unusual expenses related to working those jobs that aren't captured on the FAFSA. This might include:\n\n- Higher transportation costs for commuting between jobs\n- Childcare expenses beyond what's typical for one job\n- Healthcare costs if you don't get full benefits from either employer\n- Any job-specific expenses (certifications, equipment, etc.)\n\nThese additional expenses can sometimes help make a compelling case for aid adjustment, as they effectively reduce your disposable income beyond what the standard FAFSA formula considers.

This is brilliant - I hadn't thought about documenting those expenses! I definitely have significant commuting costs between jobs and have to pay for additional childcare for my younger son because of my work schedule. I'll gather those receipts right away.

I went through the exact same situation last year!!! My SAI was around 51000 working two jobs and I was soooo stressed. What ended up working for us was directly emailing the financial aid director (not just the general office) at each school explaining our situation. Two schools actually adjusted our aid package after I provided documentation about both jobs. Don't give up!!

That's encouraging to hear! Did you find the director's email on the school website or did you have to call to get it? I'm ready to be persistent but want to make sure I'm targeting the right person.

Most school websites list the financial aid director's name on their staff directory page. If not, just call the main financial aid line and ask for the director's name and email - they usually have to give it to you.