Private schools vary in their commitment to get anywhere near the SAI. The fact that it came out different than the SAI doesn’t necessarily suggest anything in terms of what they’re considering/capturing or not. Lots of cases on different threads where the parent used the NPC on the school site, came up with a much higher number than the SAI and then when they got the FA letter it was close to the NPC.
Every school is going to have their own approach in FA (just as they seem to for admissions).
I recognize that as this is my second child and my oldest applied to numerous CSS schools. My point is that if a school doesn’t look at home equity that leaves assets and income. Assets and income are included in the SAI and while there is a different formula used for colleges and FAFSA, it is the same rough set of numbers.
The gist of the post I was replying to was that CSS schools consider multiples. As I said, most do, but I bet some do not.
I’m heading to our CSS college today for admitted students day, I’ll see if I have a chance to ask while I am there.
Yeah what they do with it depends on lots of factors. We applied to a CSS school and got a preliminary aid package a few weeks ago. The total aid package missed meeting our SAI by… $45,000.
We do have multiples, but no change to that policy is going to bring that school within reach.
Sharing more anecdata. FAFSA submitted on 3/15 and processed 3/25. Although the portal has not updated, Penn confirmed to my S23 on 3/25 that they received it. I think they’re focusing on packaging new students right now but it’s a relief to know they have all our documents.
Your S23 is applying for fall 24? Did Penn email your son about their receipt of FAFSA? We didn’t receive any status update from Penn regarding FAFSA.
No, my S23 is a current Penn student. He went to the SRFS office to confirm receipt of our FAFSA. They told him they have all our documents but haven’t processed them yet.
We submitted FAFSA on 3/16 and although no emails were received it apparently was successfully processed on 3/25. So about 9 days. No idea of the college received it yet; I assume they are not processing in the college end yet for returning students which is fine. Looks like the SAI went up about $2k from the estimate which is probably due to D22’s savings as expected (though I hate that she is getting dinged on the same money she got dinged on last year since she is frugal) but it’s still $2k below last year’s EFC so I’m still relieved given our HH income was significantly more in 2022 over 2021. Her school is CSS so all moot - just good it’s processed and doesn’t seem to need corrections.
Just got my second non-CSS aid letter in two days.
Regional Catholic college, but met full need… which was substantial.
Just be aware that some aid letters are rolling.
Yea, I was probably a little too cavalier in my statement. Obviously, consideration of multiple kids is never a guarantee and there’s such a lack of transparency in how each CSS school interprets the form, that it is impossible to know for sure how they are evaluating. I was just trying to make the point that at least the CSS schools are still asking the question, so there’s a chance they might consider it.
Finally our school received our FAFSA and they said it looks good so far.
None of our schools has any progress on FAFSA.
My '26 son’s CSS school sent out a notice a while ago that they wouldn’t have wild swings in aid packages from previous years due to changes in FAFSA calculations, including the sibling issue. My '27 is at one of the unicorn FAFSA full-need schools, and our SAI is a few thousand higher than last year. But if they don’t consider her sibling, as they did last year, our bill will more than double. They have not yet said how they will handle situations like this.
It is really frustrating. The author of this bill clearly just had huge trust funds for his kids, and so resented those families getting a ‘discount’. We have savings, but this will be a serious cash flow problem, as I’m sure it will be for many families. I think it will be eventually reversed when it is obvious it prevents kids from attending college, but for those of us right now, that is not a lot of comfort.
But I’m incredibly grateful my '27 isn’t a '28 trying to make decisions in this mess.
Hello all , did any one able to update the action required where signature missing students account
For us still shows can update in coming weeks.
@kelsmom any updates from FAFSA board when this would be available
Thank you for all your valuable help😊
As soon as we know that everyone can make updates to their FAFSA, we’ll post. Hang in there!
Does anyone know of a successful workaround to add a signature?
No. If you can’t access your FAFSA, you just have to wait until the processor reopens access. I know that it’s frustrating, but everyone is in the same boat.
Yes. I am struggling with same here for D24. Just a stupid signature field for student. Parent signature is done. And I hear schools responding to other students who’s FAFSA has been processed with financial aid info. Both me(parent) and D24 submitted fafsa early Jan and now we are behind in the FAFSA queue for college financial aid offers. This is so frustrating.
Same here. S24 did signed and everything was done as we went over both his and mine AFAIK. However, FAFSA said his signature was missing. He can’t correct it until mid April (according to them) and we need the info to decide which schools…
Just want to point out that our FAFSA also says missing signature (we submitted in early Jan) but we have been receiving updated financial aid offers from some schools in the last week or so. Looks like these schools received our processed FAFSA.
Anecdote:
My twins filed FAFSA same day, early January. We are starting to receive letters. The one school they applied to requiring CSS sent letters to each of them on the same day.
There were two FAFSA schools they both applied to, but submitted apps weeks apart.
In both cases the twin that applied first has received an award letter, the twin that applied later has not.