34% of undergrads qualified for some level of Pell grant in 2021-22. (Average $4,491) I think that’s the most recent data available.
Max Pell grant this year is $7,495 and more students should qualify due to the new FAFSA simplification rules.
I don’t know. But I’ve been told numerous times that a (perhaps THE) primary function of FAFSA is to determine and assign Pell eligibility. That some schools that don’t meet need don’t much care what your SAI is, etc. That’s a little overstated… if it were totally true I think at least some schools would have sent aid packages along with a link to a Pell estimator so parents could come close on their own.
But Pell, it seems to me, is the huge sticking point here, especially as some states have matching programs. Etc.
Schools use the SAI when packaging federal work study and federal subsidized & unsubsidized loans. They also use it to distribute their limited pool of SEOG, and it’s used in distributing their institutional aid. While it seems unnecessary to wait to package aid for the many students who will only receive unsubsidized loans in their aid package, there is no way to know that they will only be eligible for unsubsidized loans without the FAFSA.
3 Likes
That’s all true, but can’t the schools add the federal aid in later after sending a preliminary FA package? Splitting out the loan between sub and unsub seems to be something that could wait.
I mean, some FAFSA only schools are sending out preliminary packages, I know Xavier is. I don’t know if this will really save time in the long run, but I would imagine that a preliminary package helps give some of the admitted students some comfort and maybe also a positive feeling of the institution.
But they have to get the numbers needed to make awards from somewhere. If they are a Profile school, they could do a preliminary package - but there are pluses & minuses to that approach. I have thought about what I would have done in my last job, but I keep coming back to the fact that students are going to want to compare all of their packages before making a decision. So changing my processes would not actually make a difference in my enrollment.
1 Like
I agree, and that’s why some schools have pushed back their enrollment deadlines. But…they don’t have the same enrollment deadline, so not all students are going to have all information by the time they might have to deposit at a given school. I do hope more schools will give students an extension if asked and/or refund deposits this year, as I expect some students are going to make an enrollment decision change based on FA information that comes later from another school.
Regarding sending out preliminary packages without the federal aid piece(s), I guess I don’t understand why all FAFSA only schools can’t do that…because some are (so clearly not using SAI), seems like all could? It seems like it’s in a school’s best interests to do that (IMO)
1 Like
I honestly don’t know how they are doing it, other than possibly with self-reported SAI or information collected on their own documents. Either way, that’s extra work - and possibly some bad feelings if aid is decreased with the final package. I guess if most of the school’s population is eligible only for loans, it might not be tough to say, “You can get $5,500 in loans … and if your income fits within the parameters of the 2024-25 Pell eligibility chart, you’ll get some Pell Grant.”
I can’t imagine they would make the mistake of offering a package that could decrease! That would be bad to say the least.
IMO some these schools are offering their typical ‘discount’ which they can do without SAI and then the student can layer in the $5.5K loan, and any other federal aid they qualify for (and the school will ultimately send a final FA package with the federal aid added in.)
Also the grid type merit schools can/could send preliminary packages without the federal aid piece as well because they typically don’t give any non-federal need based aid.
The University of Tulsa sent out a form asking for the estimated SAI and they then sent an estimated aid amount. D24 got some aid, but I’m not counting on it at all, since it’s an estimate from an estimate, lol. I feel like it’ll go down since our SAI was so much less than our EFC 2 years ago. I know they aren’t the same, but it just feels weird to me. Still waiting on our FAFSA to process so I can double check my entries. Wish I would have taken screenshots of every page.
2 Likes
I’ve never worked at a school that has a set discount amount. I suppose some do. In the case of the schools where I worked, it was much more nuanced than just an amount tuition was discounted. Maybe this year, schools might find it more expedient to come up with a discount amount. I would have trouble justifying that approach, but I am not trying to make things work in a very difficult situation.
1 Like
And if anybody knows any of these folks, please buy them their favorite chocolates, pastries, beverages, etcetera! They’ve been in these weeds a long time, and still have a long way to go.
2 Likes
Why? Back in the day when my DD applied, the FAFSA wasn’t available until January 1. And if you completed it before your taxes were completed, you used a “Will file” status and had to update.
We were very very close in our numbers with that “Will file” status, but when we updated, one school removed all of our kid’s need based aid (we had two kids in college that year) to the tune of $12,000.
The other schools didn’t change anything.
1 Like
I think they could have a very very qualified offer letter like ‘We have based this offer on your ESTIMATED SAI. However, as you know, that SAI is not final and our final award will be calculated on the final SAI provided by the dept of Ed after it has reviewed your finalized FAFSA.’
They could make it clear that it is just an estimate but can change.
1 Like
The problem is the the estimates were all that close in a lot of cases. Mine fell by half from the January estimate until now.
Also, go do some net price calculators. At a lot of schools the aid package doesn’t change all that much if you shift the SAI from 30k to 20k to 10k and 5k.
Caveat to that is that the NPCs might be really off, too.
1 Like
Because some (fafsa only) schools don’t use SAI when giving merit/discounts. Others use a merit grid system, so that’s straightforward too…no SAI needed.
In theory the only thing that would change after a preliminary package is given is the layering on of any federal aid. Some FAFSA only schools are giving preliminary packages, with or without a student self-reported estimated SAI.
I assume you mean schools that don’t meet full need. These are the schools where it doesn’t really matter what one’s SAI is. Although there may be some whose NPCs just don’t work 
Has anyone who submitted in early February had their FAFSA processed yet?
From what I have seen various places they are still processing January submissions.
FAFSA for S23 submitted 1/3 (without issue). Processed 3/15. SAI came down $4,700 from the original estimate.
The SAI is about $7K less than the EFC last year - which is a surprise since our income/assets/etc were pretty consistent.
We submitted 1/13 and it’s still unprocessed.
1 Like
Our fafsa is now processed with a missing signature. We have a preliminary need based offer and unfortunately if the FAFSA is not submitted, the school said they are unable to consider need based aid. I sincerely hope we are able to add the signature successfully this time and soon. If not, will schools change their policies?