<p>Has anyone had this happen and is this normal? We had a college ask us for our Tax Return and they literally logged on to FAFSA and changed our numbers, we new this because the correction went to a college e-mail they gave her otherwise I wouldn't have known. I logged on to FAFSA, and sure enough the numbers had been changed and they signed the electronic signature for both D and us! D isn't even going to this college and they changed her e-mail on the SAR to their school so I had to spend 30 minutes back on FAFSA making correction. Is this normal, am I missing something here? Thanks</p>
<p>Yes it is normal for colleges to make changes to the FAFSA figures, though it is annoying when you are dealing with multiple colleges. However, you should have financial aid offers already in hand from all colleges, so it shouldn’t influence those offers. The college that your child ends up attending can make appropriate corrections later. </p>
<p>They shouldn’t have been changing your daughter’s email, however! Typically they would only make changes to numbers drawn from the tax returns. </p>
<p>If your daughter will not be attending that college, you should definitely notify the college that she will not be coming - - and of course notify their financial aid office as well.</p>
<p>Yes colleges can and DO change the FAFSA if they see things on your tax returns that need to be changed. YOU need to check your old SAR and new SAR to SEE what the changes are. If they are accurate changes, there is little you can do. BUT colleges do make errors. You need to check to see that the information is accurate. So…figure out what was changed…look at your tax returns…and see if they are accurate changes.</p>
<p>Also, I would recommend you post this on the financial aid forum here where some financial aid officers post. They might be able to answer your question too.</p>
<p>This happened to us and has created some real issues- as we are still waiting for an aid package where D will attend. Grrr.</p>
<p>Other than changing mistakes made in transposing tax returns figures onto the forms, what else could they change? Just curious-</p>
<p>And yes, I think it’s weird that they changed her email and signed the electronic signature.</p>
<p>Purdue changed my D’s FAFSA from 2nd year student to 3rd year student because of AP credits, even though it will take the full 4 years to earn her engineering degree because she can’t take courses in her major until after she completes Purdue’s First Year Engineering program. Will this negatively impact her financial aid eligibility in her 4th (5th according to FAFSA) year?</p>
<p>One school changed S’ FAFSA after I submitted paperwork requesting “special circumstances” review. As far as I can tell, they did not submit their changes to other schools. Thankfully, they did lower the EFC, upped the aid some, and is school S has decided to attend.</p>
<p>I will admit after I received email that FAFSA has been updated, I logged in and saw the much lower EFC, called FAFSA, and the rep explained who changed what, etc. Was surprised that the school could access S FAFSA that easily.</p>
<p>You can log in with name, ssn and birthdate–info the college would have. But I thought that the electronic signature required a password.</p>
<p>It would be nice if the college would let you know what they would be doing.</p>
<p>Parents make LOTS of mistakes on the FAFSA. If the school entered the correct numbers, they did the correct thing. </p>
<p>How did they sign for you? I don’t get that … I make changes as a F/A officer, but I don’t have to sign anything. The change is logged as “school” making adjustment. Schools do NOT have your PIN!!!</p>
<p>Jiffsmom, the school probably changed your D’s year in school so that she would be eligible for loans at the proper year in school annual limit (she will be eligible for $2000 more at year 3). Also, if she is eligible for ACG or SMART, the year in school must be correct in order for the grant to pay out properly. Federal aid is given as long as the student remains an undergrad & is progressing in the program - so year 4 twice is no problem! </p>
<p>If you disagree with what a school does, you can always let the other schools know that this change was made. Make sure it was really wrong, though - if it was right it may negatively impact your aid.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info! They did adjust numbers, though incorrectly (H is a CPA), changed D’s e-mail and it did say that the new form had been electronically signed by student and parent. I don’t know how they did this. Luckily the number change did only go to their school so I just had to change her e-mail, but the e-mail change was to the original FASA record so the SAR was sent again to the school she accepted. This is our 3rd child in college and first time we’ve filed a Fafsa because we did qualify for scholarships, etc. Thanks everyone, very interesting!</p>
<p>Kels= I thought AP units did not count for year in school on ACG/SMART?</p>
<p>There is a formula used that discounts AP credits - but JiffsMom is talking about progression after the first year, so it gets more complicated. Schools can figure out progression in different ways (there are a bunch of alternate formulas). The number of credits used for ACG/SMART progression can differ from the credits used to determine year in school for other purposes. It’s confusing.</p>