FAFSA - SAI more than doubled between submission and processed

[Anonymous]

Do you have another child in college? The FAFSA stopped taking that into account this year, causing many people’s EFC (now SAI )to double .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious...is the SAI going up good or bad?

Higher SAI means more family responsibility. But SAI at 45K is already receiving no Federal aid (beyond loan eligibility), so the discussion is moot.

It might be moot for an individual family but as a tax payer who has had to watch the Education Dept royally screw up the FAFSA process costing us millions and lots of time, I want to know that the calculation is accurate. I want an explanation for how a SAI can double when there were NO corrections made when FAFSA was submitted. The estimated SAI reported in January should have been reasonably reliable since the FAFSA pulled in filed taxes and the family just reported everything. To have a SAI come back that is more than double (especially after the ED needed to delay longer in order to apply the correct inflation to the calculation, meaning in theory that SAI should have gone down from the January estimate) just seems fishy.

What about if the COA is $85k and the school is a needs met school? Wouldn't they qualify for $40k in aid (including the $5500 in student loans)? I am very confused about this process so just trying to understand. Also, how is everyone getting two SAI numbers? We only got one today, when our FAFSA was finally processed.

Also, how does merit scholarships play into this? Let's say the COA is $30k and your sai is $15k. The schools offers you $5k in merit. So do you qualify for both the $5k in merit and $15k in need?

No, because no such school exists. You're talking about private schools and their methodology, a different ball of wax. Federal aid is capped far bellow $45K. With regard to FAFSA, OP was fullpay when submitted, and is fullpay today.

What is the reason for submitting FAFSA if you are full pay?

What is the $45k in reference to? Annual salary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious...is the SAI going up good or bad?

Higher SAI means more family responsibility. But SAI at 45K is already receiving no Federal aid (beyond loan eligibility), so the discussion is moot.

It might be moot for an individual family but as a tax payer who has had to watch the Education Dept royally screw up the FAFSA process costing us millions and lots of time, I want to know that the calculation is accurate. I want an explanation for how a SAI can double when there were NO corrections made when FAFSA was submitted. The estimated SAI reported in January should have been reasonably reliable since the FAFSA pulled in filed taxes and the family just reported everything. To have a SAI come back that is more than double (especially after the ED needed to delay longer in order to apply the correct inflation to the calculation, meaning in theory that SAI should have gone down from the January estimate) just seems fishy.

What about if the COA is $85k and the school is a needs met school? Wouldn't they qualify for $40k in aid (including the $5500 in student loans)? I am very confused about this process so just trying to understand. Also, how is everyone getting two SAI numbers? We only got one today, when our FAFSA was finally processed.

Also, how does merit scholarships play into this? Let's say the COA is $30k and your sai is $15k. The schools offers you $5k in merit. So do you qualify for both the $5k in merit and $15k in need?

No, because no such school exists. You're talking about private schools and their methodology, a different ball of wax. Federal aid is capped far bellow $45K. With regard to FAFSA, OP was fullpay when submitted, and is fullpay today.

UVA and UNC are full need met for all students and are FAFSA schools

Unless it changed this year, UVA at least is a CSS school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious...is the SAI going up good or bad?

Higher SAI means more family responsibility. But SAI at 45K is already receiving no Federal aid (beyond loan eligibility), so the discussion is moot.

It might be moot for an individual family but as a tax payer who has had to watch the Education Dept royally screw up the FAFSA process costing us millions and lots of time, I want to know that the calculation is accurate. I want an explanation for how a SAI can double when there were NO corrections made when FAFSA was submitted. The estimated SAI reported in January should have been reasonably reliable since the FAFSA pulled in filed taxes and the family just reported everything. To have a SAI come back that is more than double (especially after the ED needed to delay longer in order to apply the correct inflation to the calculation, meaning in theory that SAI should have gone down from the January estimate) just seems fishy.

What about if the COA is $85k and the school is a needs met school? Wouldn't they qualify for $40k in aid (including the $5500 in student loans)? I am very confused about this process so just trying to understand. Also, how is everyone getting two SAI numbers? We only got one today, when our FAFSA was finally processed.

Also, how does merit scholarships play into this? Let's say the COA is $30k and your sai is $15k. The schools offers you $5k in merit. So do you qualify for both the $5k in merit and $15k in need?

No, because no such school exists. You're talking about private schools and their methodology, a different ball of wax. Federal aid is capped far bellow $45K. With regard to FAFSA, OP was fullpay when submitted, and is fullpay today.

UVA and UNC are full need met for all students and are FAFSA schools

Unless it changed this year, UVA at least is a CSS school.

And there you go. Looks like UNC also requires the CSS. I don't believe there's a school that offers to meet need, based on FAFSA. Yes, you will submit the FAFSA, but that number is not what they honor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious...is the SAI going up good or bad?

Higher SAI means more family responsibility. But SAI at 45K is already receiving no Federal aid (beyond loan eligibility), so the discussion is moot.

It might be moot for an individual family but as a tax payer who has had to watch the Education Dept royally screw up the FAFSA process costing us millions and lots of time, I want to know that the calculation is accurate. I want an explanation for how a SAI can double when there were NO corrections made when FAFSA was submitted. The estimated SAI reported in January should have been reasonably reliable since the FAFSA pulled in filed taxes and the family just reported everything. To have a SAI come back that is more than double (especially after the ED needed to delay longer in order to apply the correct inflation to the calculation, meaning in theory that SAI should have gone down from the January estimate) just seems fishy.

What about if the COA is $85k and the school is a needs met school? Wouldn't they qualify for $40k in aid (including the $5500 in student loans)? I am very confused about this process so just trying to understand. Also, how is everyone getting two SAI numbers? We only got one today, when our FAFSA was finally processed.

Also, how does merit scholarships play into this? Let's say the COA is $30k and your sai is $15k. The schools offers you $5k in merit. So do you qualify for both the $5k in merit and $15k in need?

In my experience, merit aid counts against financial need, so you do not get both.

[Anonymous]

How did folks hear their FAFSA had gone through? We’ve seen no changes and received no emails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious...is the SAI going up good or bad?

Higher SAI means more family responsibility. But SAI at 45K is already receiving no Federal aid (beyond loan eligibility), so the discussion is moot.

It is NOT moot if you are at a private college that uses FAFSA, charges 80k per year, and was previously giving grants above 45k. (Not OP, but our family is in this situation and we would be screwed if our SAI went up that much.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious...is the SAI going up good or bad?

Higher SAI means more family responsibility. But SAI at 45K is already receiving no Federal aid (beyond loan eligibility), so the discussion is moot.

It might be moot for an individual family but as a tax payer who has had to watch the Education Dept royally screw up the FAFSA process costing us millions and lots of time, I want to know that the calculation is accurate. I want an explanation for how a SAI can double when there were NO corrections made when FAFSA was submitted. The estimated SAI reported in January should have been reasonably reliable since the FAFSA pulled in filed taxes and the family just reported everything. To have a SAI come back that is more than double (especially after the ED needed to delay longer in order to apply the correct inflation to the calculation, meaning in theory that SAI should have gone down from the January estimate) just seems fishy.

What about if the COA is $85k and the school is a needs met school? Wouldn't they qualify for $40k in aid (including the $5500 in student loans)? I am very confused about this process so just trying to understand. Also, how is everyone getting two SAI numbers? We only got one today, when our FAFSA was finally processed.

Also, how does merit scholarships play into this? Let's say the COA is $30k and your sai is $15k. The schools offers you $5k in merit. So do you qualify for both the $5k in merit and $15k in need?

In my experience, merit aid counts against financial need, so you do not get both.

This is correct. The merit aid reduces the need on paper. But the family pays $15K, if the following year the family has less need, they may at some point pay as much as $25K. Because the $5K in merit is the only part not tied to income. Conversely if the student has a bad semester and looses the merit award, but their need doesn't change, the family will still only pay $15K.

So it's not bad to have both categories, but they don't add. The price only goes bellow need if the merit offer is greater than need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious...is the SAI going up good or bad?

Higher SAI means more family responsibility. But SAI at 45K is already receiving no Federal aid (beyond loan eligibility), so the discussion is moot.

It might be moot for an individual family but as a tax payer who has had to watch the Education Dept royally screw up the FAFSA process costing us millions and lots of time, I want to know that the calculation is accurate. I want an explanation for how a SAI can double when there were NO corrections made when FAFSA was submitted. The estimated SAI reported in January should have been reasonably reliable since the FAFSA pulled in filed taxes and the family just reported everything. To have a SAI come back that is more than double (especially after the ED needed to delay longer in order to apply the correct inflation to the calculation, meaning in theory that SAI should have gone down from the January estimate) just seems fishy.

What about if the COA is $85k and the school is a needs met school? Wouldn't they qualify for $40k in aid (including the $5500 in student loans)? I am very confused about this process so just trying to understand. Also, how is everyone getting two SAI numbers? We only got one today, when our FAFSA was finally processed.

Also, how does merit scholarships play into this? Let's say the COA is $30k and your sai is $15k. The schools offers you $5k in merit. So do you qualify for both the $5k in merit and $15k in need?

No, because no such school exists. You're talking about private schools and their methodology, a different ball of wax. Federal aid is capped far bellow $45K. With regard to FAFSA, OP was fullpay when submitted, and is fullpay today.

You are wrong. Some private colleges rely on FAFSA, not CSS, and give grants for amounts about the SAI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious...is the SAI going up good or bad?

Higher SAI means more family responsibility. But SAI at 45K is already receiving no Federal aid (beyond loan eligibility), so the discussion is moot.

It might be moot for an individual family but as a tax payer who has had to watch the Education Dept royally screw up the FAFSA process costing us millions and lots of time, I want to know that the calculation is accurate. I want an explanation for how a SAI can double when there were NO corrections made when FAFSA was submitted. The estimated SAI reported in January should have been reasonably reliable since the FAFSA pulled in filed taxes and the family just reported everything. To have a SAI come back that is more than double (especially after the ED needed to delay longer in order to apply the correct inflation to the calculation, meaning in theory that SAI should have gone down from the January estimate) just seems fishy.

What about if the COA is $85k and the school is a needs met school? Wouldn't they qualify for $40k in aid (including the $5500 in student loans)? I am very confused about this process so just trying to understand. Also, how is everyone getting two SAI numbers? We only got one today, when our FAFSA was finally processed.

Also, how does merit scholarships play into this? Let's say the COA is $30k and your sai is $15k. The schools offers you $5k in merit. So do you qualify for both the $5k in merit and $15k in need?

No, because no such school exists. You're talking about private schools and their methodology, a different ball of wax. Federal aid is capped far bellow $45K. With regard to FAFSA, OP was fullpay when submitted, and is fullpay today.

You are wrong. Some private colleges rely on FAFSA, not CSS, and give grants for amounts about the SAI.

Example? And do the guarantee they meet need?

My DC received merit from a couple schools that didn’t require the CSS. But this was more the category of school where no one pays sticker price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious...is the SAI going up good or bad?

Higher SAI means more family responsibility. But SAI at 45K is already receiving no Federal aid (beyond loan eligibility), so the discussion is moot.

It might be moot for an individual family but as a tax payer who has had to watch the Education Dept royally screw up the FAFSA process costing us millions and lots of time, I want to know that the calculation is accurate. I want an explanation for how a SAI can double when there were NO corrections made when FAFSA was submitted. The estimated SAI reported in January should have been reasonably reliable since the FAFSA pulled in filed taxes and the family just reported everything. To have a SAI come back that is more than double (especially after the ED needed to delay longer in order to apply the correct inflation to the calculation, meaning in theory that SAI should have gone down from the January estimate) just seems fishy.

What about if the COA is $85k and the school is a needs met school? Wouldn't they qualify for $40k in aid (including the $5500 in student loans)? I am very confused about this process so just trying to understand. Also, how is everyone getting two SAI numbers? We only got one today, when our FAFSA was finally processed.

Also, how does merit scholarships play into this? Let's say the COA is $30k and your sai is $15k. The schools offers you $5k in merit. So do you qualify for both the $5k in merit and $15k in need?

In my experience, merit aid counts against financial need, so you do not get both.

My kid was offered a mux of need and merit aid at Drexel, WPI and Union. The seemed to function at least somewhat independently. Need aid wasn't a ton but something. Our HHI is 150k. Haven't gotten fafsa back. All css schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious...is the SAI going up good or bad?

Higher SAI means more family responsibility. But SAI at 45K is already receiving no Federal aid (beyond loan eligibility), so the discussion is moot.

It might be moot for an individual family but as a tax payer who has had to watch the Education Dept royally screw up the FAFSA process costing us millions and lots of time, I want to know that the calculation is accurate. I want an explanation for how a SAI can double when there were NO corrections made when FAFSA was submitted. The estimated SAI reported in January should have been reasonably reliable since the FAFSA pulled in filed taxes and the family just reported everything. To have a SAI come back that is more than double (especially after the ED needed to delay longer in order to apply the correct inflation to the calculation, meaning in theory that SAI should have gone down from the January estimate) just seems fishy.

What about if the COA is $85k and the school is a needs met school? Wouldn't they qualify for $40k in aid (including the $5500 in student loans)? I am very confused about this process so just trying to understand. Also, how is everyone getting two SAI numbers? We only got one today, when our FAFSA was finally processed.

Also, how does merit scholarships play into this? Let's say the COA is $30k and your sai is $15k. The schools offers you $5k in merit. So do you qualify for both the $5k in merit and $15k in need?

In my experience, merit aid counts against financial need, so you do not get both.

My kid was offered a mux of need and merit aid at Drexel, WPI and Union. The seemed to function at least somewhat independently. Need aid wasn't a ton but something. Our HHI is 150k. Haven't gotten fafsa back. All css schools.

Forgot to add, sibling in college. Not sure how much if anything that contributed because we figured we wouldn't get much need at these schools.

[Anonymous]

Well, looks like the FAFSA calculation is still wrong which could explain a big jump in an applicant's SAI.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/22/politics/fafsa-error-financial-aid-form/index.html

So Biden has approved millions in student aid forgiveness but is doing nothing for families heading to college now. The cost of college just keeps increasing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine went down to 3002. What does it mean?

I think that's good from a loan and need perspective (grants/scholarships). I THINK that means the FAFSA estimates that you guys can contribute $3,002 toward college for SY 2024-2025, which means your student needs to come up with the rest. But that info is communicated to the the schools your child applied to and the hope is some of those schools will fall over themselves offering your child some financial assistance. Good luck.

Thanks PP.

[Anonymous]

Ours double from 6000 to 12000. Same situation. We filed on Jan. 4, processed March 14. Then a correction was made from their end. We did nothing wrong. Lost our grant. Now we have to find the money elsewhere.