<p>Yesterday I had a really strange conversation with a FA office. I had called to ask about a delay in receiving their award letter. The person I spoke to looked at the file and said that the delay was "because the FAFSA wasn't filed until after the priority date, in March." I file all the FAFSAs for our family in January, so I said I thought that wasn't correct, because the FAFSA was filed earlier. The FA person looked further and said that they had gotten a second filing -- a correction -- in March, so that meant I had missed the deadline. </p>
<p>Today, daughter got a package at another school that seemed very bad given the EFC and situation. I'm now worried that by filing a correction in early March, I somehow ruined her financial aid standing at schools. I have never heard of filing a correction counting as "resetting the financial aid clock", but the rep I spoke to seemed to be saying that they counted the FAFSA submission from the time the most recent version arrived. </p>
<p>The correction in question was going from "will not file" status on the tax return to "have filed" status. I do not have to file because of the small amount of income this year, but it's just easier to send schools the tax return than go through the song and dance about income and stuff. We're almost always subject to federal verification, so I just plan for that. I think I may have also corrected which line some miscellaneous income was, but the totals for the FAFSA and the EFC were not effected: it's still 0. </p>
<p>Anyone got any insight about this? We still haven't seen the aid package from the school that told me this, so I don't know how much to worry yet.</p>
<p>I think it depends on the school. I know on CC the conventional wisdom is to file early and then make corrections. But my daughter’s school does not consider FAFSA received complete until it is finalized (taxes filed) and any requested verification documentation is received.They will not even start on a FA package till then. I am sure it varies by school.</p>
<p>There was a college financial aid officer who spoke at an event in my area a few months ago, and he told students not to submit corrected FAFSAs because then the people in the FA office have to start all over again. He said, just submit it once and let the FA office do the adjustments. I thought that sounded so strange, and posted the story here. No one had heard of that advice before.</p>
<p>Well, I guess it’s too late to do anything now. I’m terribly worried that I have destroyed my daughter’s chances for any decent aid, but other than appealing when awards come in, there’s nothing to do at this point. </p>
<p>I’ve spent half the day crying; I suppose I’ll end up crying myself to sleep. <em>sigh</em></p>
<p>I’ve never heard of correcting a fafsa meaning missing the deadline. That is weak if true. What, do they just not want you to have corrected it?</p>