I just submitted FAFSA to a few schools. And this message popped up:
“Your application was submitted and is being processed. This usually takes up to three business days from the date submitted, so check back later.”
I have a few more schools left to submit, but I couldnt find how to add more schools. Do I have to wait a couple days to make any changes to my school list?
Yes you must wait s few days (until you get your SAR) then add more schools
https://fafsa.ed.gov/help/fotwfaq14.htm
I found this info
Thanks!
And one more question–I read that colleges wont be able to see the ordering of colleges on FAFSA from this year–is it true?
Yes, it is true
@sybbie719 Thank you again : )
Sorry to bother you, but you know a lot and I have one more question. I was deferred by an EA school, and my parents’ real 2015 income was a little off the prediction we made in November, so do I update the school now, before their 2/1 deadline for RD applicants, or after 2/1? My parents wont be able to finish filing 2015 tax return by 2/1 though, so if I update before 2/1, everything will still just be predictions.
Thank you!
Update what? For the EA school, you likely had to complete a Profile. Right? That cannot be updated online.
Complete your FAFSA using best estimates for the 2015 tax year…submit using a “will file” status. Then, get you taxes done ASAP after February 1, go back into the FAFSA website, and update to reflect the actual numbers from the 2015 tax return. Change to “taxes completed” and submit again.
2-3 weeks after you complete your taxes, you will need to link your FAFSA to the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
If you submitted an early priority deadline Profile and the numbers aren’t accurate…contact the college. See what they want you to do. Some will just use the FAFSA…because that is what is on the 2015 tax return. Some participate in IDOC and will require those documents. Some will ask you to print out the profile and hand write the corrections and send them (although I think this is not done as much anymore).
Hello, hoping to get some FAFSA guidance. We live in Pennsylvania. Should I list PA schools first to be considered for state aid? The directions I read for PA said to just put my son’s top 3 schools. What if these schools are not in PA? Will I be jeopardizing his state aid if I list out of state schools?
On this FAFSA, the colleges can’t see the other schools to which you are submitting. So how would they know the order?
Good point. I’m just trying to follow what I read online. I am not concerned if the schools see where my son is applying. I am concerned with the vague instructions from PA. If he doesn’t list Pitt, PSU and/or Villanova in his top 3, will PA skew his aid? In other words, will he get less or no aid if Ohio State or Boston University are in the top 3 instead of a PA school?
Once more…there is no list. How would the school know if they are number one two or fifteen, when each school will no longer see a list of other schools?
How will the PA school know if your son even submitted the FAFSA elsewhere? They won’t.
@sybbie719 please confirm that what I’m saying is correct!
The instructions for Pennsylvania state aid probably haven’t been updated to account for the change in FAFSA procedures (i.e. FAFSA recipients no longer see a list of schools that the student has submitted the FAFSA to).
I was also confused by the PA instructions for how to order the colleges on the FAFSA when we did it this morning. Every other state either indicated to put in-state schools at the top of the list or that the order didn’t matter whereas PAs instructions said to vaguely put your top choices without a mention as to whether those were in-state or not.
Hopefully those changes made where recipients no longer see the full list of schools makes the ordering question downright irrelevant.
The state instructions haven’t been kept up to date with FAFSA changes. I’m sure they’ll get to that in a few months. 
Just put your PA schools at the top just in case. Make sure you also follow the link to the PHEAA page after you submit FAFSA (link should be on the submission confirmation page), and print out the signature page to mail to Harrisburg.
Actually, while state schools cannot see the order in which you place schools on the FAFSA, the agencies which disburse state aid can see the order that you place schools on your list.
For example; in NYS, where state aid comes from HESC (higher education services corp), they can see the order.
Also for HESC, when you fill out your TAP application, you can only place one school on your TAP application (you will update once you actually choose a school), because the amount of TAP you receive will fluxuate based on the school you attend.
While TAP is capped at $5100/year, you can have the following scenarios based on a 0 EFC:
One student may end up attending to a SUNY CC with ~4200 in tuition/year
Student attending a CUNY CC @ ~4800 year
Student attending 4 year CUNY @ $6330 year
Student attending 4 year SUNY @ $6470 year
Even though it is not suppose to matter, if it give you peace of mind, list your state school first on the FAFSA.
Thank you for your insight everyone, especially @adlgel and @mommdc. I wound up putting Villanova first on the FAFSA list just in case Pennsylvania will consider giving more $$ to a student attending a PA school. I didn’t put Pitt or PSU at the top because I know my son is not serious about attending there. And yes, I did click the link for PHEAA mailed the signature page yesterday. I appreciate the help. All is well except for the new page of questions that appeared on the CSS Profile when I went to send that off to BC, BU, and Michigan. Apparently BC would like to know every detail about everything that pertains to anything!
@Winky1 yes…those are supplemental questions on the Profile. You do need to answer them.