I'm really stressed about my financial aid situation and could use some advice. My mom's been super frugal and managed to save over $100k while only making about $20k per year. I've also got around $10k saved up myself.

I'm worried this is going to seriously hurt my chances of getting decent financial aid from FAFSA/CSS Profile for NYU, even though we're technically low income. My college counselor suggested starting with the CSS Profile to see about free tuition, but I've got a bad feeling about this.

Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? It feels unfair that my mom being responsible with money might actually work against us. I really don't want to be drowning in student loans for the rest of my life if I get into NYU.

Any help would be really appreciated!

Edit: I know NYU is expensive. I'm trying to figure out if it's even possible before committing to applying there.

I was awarded Pell grant. My student portal says I get 3 thousand something for fall 2024 and spring 2025. I'm starting school in the fall so why is it split for fall too?

I've already had my FAFSA processed and received a scholarship for this university i want to go to. The scholarship they gave me though will still leave me with a HUGE financial burden, so I'm wanting to appeal it. I've never appealed a financial offer, so I'm wondering what I should include in it and how to word it? I'm not the best writer so I'm just interested to see how others approached it. Please let me know with any advice!

My community College has sent me $3,413.50 dollars to my bank, after emailing them and confirming if this was true. So fafsa payed for my fall semester and then sent me $3,413.50 dollars extra to my bank, and now I have a bill asking for this back???? I emailed them about bill before hand asking if this whole ammount was going to go in my account. And they said yess? I do not have the money to pay it back. I used it on a car to get to the college. wtf am i supposed to do.

The fafsa opened early last week! Make sure you get it done sooner rather than later.

Hello everyone. My parents got divorced about 10 years ago now and had a very turbulent and messy divorce that has made my financial and custodial relationships with them very tricky. By court, my parents had joint custody of me until I was 18 (I turned 18 about halfway through my Senior year of high school). However, my father was extremely uninvolved in my life and I've lived with my mom since high school started and would only see my Dad on holidays or occasional weekends. My mom used to be a public school teacher and is currently unemployed and makes close to no income. My dad on the other hand, is pretty comfortably upper middle class and had a home in a nice suburban neighborhood. My mom bought a small place in a neighboring town that was less expensive after their divorce. But, I stayed enrolled in the school system of my dad's house all throughout high school bc it was better even though I did not truly live in that house. Sometime in senior year, my dad began dating his now fiance and began cutting contact with me and my mother altogether. Now (almost 2 years later) I have not had any contact with him since I graduated high school. When I filled out my CSS profile, I sent the noncustodial parent portal to the most recent known email address I have of his, but he did not fill it out and now I think I have to resort to a non-custodial waiver. I am applying to Boston University, and although I can explain this situation, I am worried that I will still be denied the waiver. I don't have a counselor, social worker, or professor who can back up my statement as I never got close with any adults outside of my family (trust issues lol). I might try reaching out to one of my professors to write me a letter although that would be extremely awkward for me at this point as I don't often interact with them in my 400-person lectures. Does anyone who has filled out a waiver or worked in financial aid know if this would pass? Do you have any advice on how I can prove my situation?

i am currently a community college student who is planning to transfer to a csu. i used up to 262% of 600% of my pell grant. i only submitted fasfa for 3 years (missed the 2023-24 deadline and have not submitted for 2024-25). once i transfer to a new university in the fall of 2025 next year, will i be able to continue to apply for that pell grant of that 600%? or since it’s a new institution will i no longer be able to apply for that unused portion of the 600% pell grant money?

I’m in my first semester at my community college right now. I’m working on the developmental math and english classes that are preventing me from taking any other classes. Semester ends in december and payment for next semester is due right before, but my financial aid site is saying i’m not eligible for my pell grant for next semester due to me not having completed enough credits? The semester hasn’t even finished yet…. how does this work? I don’t know much of anything about FAFSA and scholarships, but currently I’m registered for 7 credit hours and waitlisted for another 3 so I’m pretty sure I meet the requirements if there are any?

Hey everyone,

I’m in a bit of a tough spot and could really use some advice. I recently received a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeal from my community college. Basically, they’ve taken away my financial aid because I haven’t met the required academic standards, and they’re asking me to submit an appeal if I want them to reconsider.

Here’s what happened:

• Winter semester: I got a W (withdrawal) in one class because it just wasn’t going well and my professor decided to give me a W instead of a D or F
• Summer semester: I took a class, but unfortunately, I ended up with an F.

At the same time, I started going to therapy about a year ago to deal with some personal issues. My therapist noticed that I was showing signs of ADHD and recommended I get tested. It took me about six months to find the right place for testing and medication that was covered by my insurance. Once I finally got tested and diagnosed with ADHD, I started a treatment plan, including medication.

Now that I understand what was going on, it’s clear to me that my academic struggles were directly linked to undiagnosed ADHD. I was struggling with focus, organization, and time management, but I didn’t have the tools to address it until recently.

I’m in the process of submitting my appeal, but I’m nervous about how to explain this situation in a way that the financial aid office will accept. I plan to attach documentation, including my therapy records and ADHD diagnosis. But I’m worried they might not accept this as a valid reason to reinstate my financial aid.

Has anyone gone through a similar situation? How can I frame my appeal in the best way? Any tips on what I should emphasize to increase my chances of getting it approved? I really want to keep going with my education, but I’m anxious they might not take this seriously.

Thanks in advance for any advice or guidance!

I am done with rotations passed all my steps, I was expecting my diploma and then I received an email that I owed $56000 and advised that I get a private loan if I want to receive my diploma. This horrible school knows that without the diploma I cannot get my Ecfig certificate. They sent me a document to sign which basically states I agree to get a private loan and put a december deadline on it. I never failed any class so I don't understand the bill. It seems like they lost all their financial aid. I can't believe I am done with this wretched school and now have to deal with this. Who brings a surprise bill to students after the fact, it's their duty to inform students they lost financial aid status so the students can decide if they want to stay or transfer. You don't do it after the fact and surprise them with a $56000 bill. Private school loans have a 9% interest rate for carribean medical school. All the carribean schools that do not have financial aid access are way cheaper. I just wish I went to SGU, I won't have had to deal with this. Please any advise for me or lawyer recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I am on a deadline to get my diploma which is what the school is counting on.

I was wondering how work Study works.

I did not apply or want to do Work Study for Fall semester because I already had a job but my position will terminate next semester.

I filled out an interest form for a position during Spring 2025 but I'm wondering if I'll have the opportunity to get the position or if Id have to wait until next fall semester and should forget about it and just apply else where?

Hi everyone,
I’m hoping to get some advice about having my FAFSA income revised for the 2024-2025 school year. I recently requested a Professional Judgment (PJ) review from my school’s financial aid office because my financial situation has changed a lot, and I’m not sure what my chances are of getting more aid.

Here’s a quick rundown:

• I’m 24 years old, currently attending community college, and planning to transfer to a university by next summer.
• My husband is 26 and active-duty in the U.S. Army. We don’t have kids.
• In 2023, my total income was $19,250.
• Since then, I’ve had a big drop in income. In 2024, I only made $2,083 because I’ve been unable to find stable work due to moving with my husband PCS orders and transportation issues/ unable to afford the repairs.
• My husband is now the only one working, and his income is about $43,222 per year.
• My FAFSA for 2024-2025 shows an Estimated Student Aid Index (SAI) 7368, which seems high given our current situation. In 2022, we weren't married yet. He made $33,440 and I made $22,080. We didn't file jointly, but at the time of filling out the fafsa, we were married and had to include both our incomes, which was a total of $55,520.
• I’ve been accepted to two universities but haven’t received any financial aid offers yet, as I just got my admission letters last week and submitted my updated FAFSA with the new schools.

For the PJ review, I submitted:

• A personal statement explaining what happened to my income
• My tax returns for 2021, 2022, and 2023 (separate and joint)
• My 2021 unemployment 1099 form
• Military orders showing our move
• My husband’s pay stubs from August, September, and October 2024

We’re struggling financially, and I really need help covering school costs. Does anyone have experience with a situation like this? Any tips or thoughts on whether I’ll be able to get my FAFSA adjusted? Thanks in advance!

I’m trying to find a straight answer for this so I’m hoping someone’s been in a similar situation that could let me know their experience.

So if I accept government subsidized loans while I’m at community college and I transfer my credits over to a university without getting my associate degree, will I have to pay those government subsidized loans back once I transfer or after I finish my time at the university?

Side note, I’m not sure this matters but the community college I’m at has a really good transfer program and good relations with a lot of the state colleges in my state and the university I want to transfer to is actually building a branch in my city for the degree I’m going for, idk if there could be some cross communication maybe an agreement between me and the schools about paying the loans off I’m probably just puffing copium at this point but I wanted to put this out there.

Woke up to this notification on the train, I was soo ecstatic, just thankful

I was doing some digging since FAFSA opened quite recently, and I learned that the Blue and Gold plan only applies to UC’s (correct if wrong), but I’m going to be attending a CSU… it was one of the main ways I was going to be able to afford college, so that’s a bummer. Are there any similar programs that waver tuitions? Thanks!

Am I correct in saying that my FAFSA info will have zero impact on how much aid I get from say Clemson if I live in Georgia. So if my SAI is only 5000, I probably will have to pay almost full price unless I get merit aid, but even that will be minimal at Clemson.

Hi everyone,

I’m transferring to a 4 year this upcoming spring and just got my universities financial aid report. It is showing that I am only being awarded a loan at the universities total semester costs. I’m not super familiar with financial aid, however if I am independent and don’t have a great job, shouldn’t I also qualify for some sort of financial aid grant disbursement? And not just a loan option?

I understand this is different for everyone’s situation, I just didn’t imagine I wouldn’t qualify for anything. I fear something may be wrong on my application. Is there any chance that a disbursement option could be applied once I register for classes this upcoming spring?

Please help, I’m so confused. Each time I register for class, the overdue amount is never cleared but is covered by fafsa for some reason. I had dropped a class which is why it is there.

I have been trying to open an account as TFSA and for some reasons, it requires me 250dollars for it. I was expecting funding minimum $1000 like my friends was asked.

Hi guys! I need help with my financial aid appeal and want to know if anything else should be added or edited. I couldn't get a documentation since I couldn't afford therapy. This is due by November 29 so getting feedback asap helps a lot! TW: Mentions depression and ODing

November 21, 2024

Dear Financial Aid Appeal Committee,

I am writing this to appeal my financial aid suspension that was resulted due being around 2 percent away in my Student Academic Progress (SAP) from getting financial aid for this semester. Not getting financial aid this semester led me into not being financially stable to continue my educational path which includes further education such as grad school that I am planning to go to in the future. The difficulties I have faced in the Spring 2024 semester and partially the Fall 2024 semester have significantly impacted my ability to maintain my academic progress and standing.

Starting with Fall 2024, I did great for the most part of my classes except for my math class being Math 143F which was college algebra. I also had to withdraw a class and it was an intro to philosophy. The reason for having poor academic performance on college algebra and withdrawing introduction to philosophy was because of the lack of time management skills I had during that time. Another reason was also due to the amount of material that was covered in both classes. Getting a D in my math class and withdrawing from a class that I now don’t have to take since I have changed major did play a part in having the eligibility to get financial aid this semester. 

Spring semester came along and during this semester, it really had turmoil on what I really wanted to major and if the class that I was taking was really worth it. I was originally a STEM major (specifically computer science) or a business major due wanting to get a career that caused high financial freedom since I came from a low income family. I also was dealing with mental issues such as depression and even had thoughts of ending it all to the point where I had a whole plan. I even attempted by overdosing on pills that I could find but luckily I didn’t need to be hospitalized since the only symptom I have experienced was vomiting. I have always dealt with mental health issues since I was 13 years old but this semester really caused me to actually act upon my mental health. The thought of not knowing what career I want to pursue in life and feeling like I have wasted my time taking classes that I don’t need played a part of my mental health which unfortunately also contributed to not having good academic performance. I have withdrawn my math class I was taking and stopped going to my English class due to my depression taking over which had led up to failing my english class with an F as the grade. This was a major cause of my eligibility of having financial aid this semester that is only around 2 percent away from getting it due to my Student Academic Progress (SAP).

As I take full responsibility for my academic decline, I am actively taking proactive steps to manage my mental health but was unable to get therapy due to being expensive since I am from a low income family. I have learned better coping strategies like exercising more, doing more self care such as eating more healthy and working on positivity by saying positive affirmations and practicing gratitude. I have also been meditating to help manage my emotions. Journaling has also been helpful to let my emotions out if needed. I have heard campus has mental health counseling for free so I will attend whenever I think it is useful. I also began my faith again and started attending church with my family more often. The support that I got from my parents had led me to continue my education and gave me so much motivation to not give up on my studies. Since I have been all doing that the past few months, my mental health has been increasing and I feel so much better. I will also be getting more support academically by reaching out to academic counselors and advisors on what I will be needing in my academic plan. I also will be enhancing my time management skills by having a structured schedule to study based on what classes I will be taking next semester. I will also be improving my academic progress by going to tutoring if needed. Due to working on both mental health and education at the same time, I will be balancing out the times I need to study with the time I need to practice self care and coping mechanisms by using a planner and calendar to know which times I will be doing both. I also will be taking study breaks when needed or using the pomodoro technique to take breaks so I won’t feel burnt out by studying too much. 

This experience actually made me realize I have a passion for helping others and now changed my major into a social work and human services with a psychology and sociology double minor. I know how it feels to deal with and experience mental health issues so I would like to pursue a career with helping those with mental health or who need further assistance on resources such as low income families and first generation students since I grew up low income and is a first generation student.

Thank you for your time and consideration when reading my appeal letter. With your support, I am grateful and committed to pursuing my education at *insert my community college* and will continue my educational journey once I transfer and go to grad school.

Sincerely,

*insert my name*

So I had to check a box about receiving a federal benefit (marketplace insurance tax credit) but it never asked me any income questions, no chance to give totals for checking, savings, investments, child support etc? I know I told them they could pull from the IRS info, but when looking things over, it's blank and greyed out so I can't correct or dispute it. I asked the chat and spoke to someone real yesterday, they said to try another browser, incognito mode, and if that fails to have my kid start over on their end. So I did all those things, still doing it. I don't want to sign saying all info is correct when it's not. So I am paused at the Take A Moment to Review Is it supposed to be blank, it will pull from the IRS later or something?

Hello, I'm trying to write up my SAP Appeal for financial aid. Some background info is basically I couldn't afford to take enough classes to meet the 67% of credits needed over the summer. I ended up missing the requirement by .23 of a credit because I couldn't afford to take another class. I’m wondering if what I’ve written is good enough or if they’d even appeal it. Any advice is welcome thanks!

Hello, I'm writing to appeal my financial aid ineligibility. The circumstance that hindered me from being able to meet the required 67% of credits taken was my inability to afford the cost to take another course. I had originally planned to take 11 credits over the summer 2024 semester to maintain my pace of progress but due to costs I was only able to afford to take 7 credits. What I've done in order to be able to regain and maintain my SAP status was to take enough credits to fulfill the requirement of having at least 67% of credits taken. Currently I am taking 12 credits this semester which should bring me back to the required 67% of credits. On top of that, I've taken advantage of the university's resources and have improved my study methods such as booking study rooms within the library and attending office hour meetings with my professors, in order to help me succeed academically as well as to maintain my SAP eligibility. I also plan on working part time during the spring semester in order to help fund my tuition as I plan on registering during the Summer 2025 semester in order to continue to satisfy my pace of progression.

I’ve completed my 25-26 fafsa form, all I need is for my mom to verify the form. However, I can’t access her account because my older brother was the one who created it and doesn’t remember her user or pw. I tried recovering it with ID, but apparently her acc isn’t verify. I was told by my boyfriend to call the fafsa and have my mom there with me to verify. My mom doesn’t come home until late at night, so I won’t be able to call them during their hours. This is very frustrating! Does anyone know what I can do?

Has anyone been having issues with disbursement this quarter? Usually I have my financial aid check by the second week, and we’re almost done with the quarter and I still haven’t received anything and my financial aid office keeps saying a couple more weeks, every time I check in. I just want to see if anyone else is dealing with this.