<p>Yikes...I hope this doesn't last all weekend.</p>
<p>are you trying to pull up the SAR from the link on the email? you will get that message if that is what you are doing. try just logging in regularly and follow the link you will see and all will be well.</p>
<p>No. It’s down. At least for me on four different browsers at this link, [Home</a> - FAFSA on the Web-Federal Student Aid](<a href=“http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/]Home”>http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/) when I click Start Here.</p>
<p>Jeez, this is like the IRS site being down in April. Major gov fail. (and I’m a big spending government liberal type)</p>
<p>Here I was hoping to submit before the Giants game today. Go Big Blue!</p>
<p>Not sure why this should be a surprise. It’s a holiday weekend. Government types are off. :)</p>
<p>btw: the system frequently goes down on the weekends for “maintenance”. I remember trying to log in last year and the year before. Same situation.</p>
<p>It just went back online 12:08pm EST, but still. No excuse for it being down for 12 hours in the middle of January with priority deadlines looming.</p>
<p>That is why I (a past master in the art of procrastination) try not to wait until the last minute when I need someone else to cooperate to make a deadline. This is even more critical when I know I’m counting on a faceless government agency.</p>
<p>Signed,
Another Big-Spending Government Liberal Type Who’s Reconsidering in Her Old Age</p>
<p>If you are just curious about what your SAR is likely to be, run your numbers through the FAFSA calculator at the College Board website, or google “EFC Formula 2013” then print out the formula itself and work your way through it on paper. Both of these should give you to-the-dollar results.</p>
<p>@absweetmarie</p>
<p>January 15th is not the last minute. It’s well within the range of due diligence for a Feb 1 priority deadline–especially when I’m just about ready to hit Submit.</p>
<p>And @<em>&)()(@$</em>@!!! it seems to be down again.</p>
<p>No, I’m not trying to estimate, I’m trying to complete my FAFSA over the weekend. This is even more frustrating because for Child #1 we did not get even one dollar of aid. I remain hopeful for some aid for the Child #2 though since we are still paying off loans for college-graduate Child #1’s tuition.</p>
<p>And I’m a small government, fiscally conservative-type. :)</p>
<p>the site is up again</p>
<p>@latichever,</p>
<p>Sorry. I assumed the last minute was more imminent due to the angst. But one needs to be careful when one is trying to be clever. I should know that by now. Especially when uncooperative government agencies and computer programs are involved.</p>
<p>@absweetmarie,</p>
<p>I do have to say that the fafsa is one of the clunkiest forms I’ve encountered, with the multiple overkill layers of security PINS and passwords, and multiple screens to plow through before you can get to the form.</p>
<p>Somehow, the CSS Profile makes do with a simple id/password combo.</p>
<p>(BTW, like your screen name, “Your railroad gate, you know I just can’t jump it.” Dating myself, but it takes me back.)</p>
<p>That’s me, @latichever. Living outside the law, but trying to be honest.</p>
<p>All done! Adding wine to today’s grocery list to take the sting out of the estimated EFC. (but, thankful we both have jobs!) :)</p>
<p>In the next life I’ll have my kids closer together!</p>
<p>I know it’s hard to be patient…but think of it this way…thousands upon thousands of folks are completing the FAFSA. Thank goodness they take the time for maintenance of the site every so often. If they didn’t and the whol thing crashed, there would be bigger problems than the inconvenience of it being shut down for maintenance.</p>
<p>BUT his does underscore the reason NOT to wait until the last minute (and I know the posters on this thread weren’t doing so)…you never KNOW when it’s going to be down…or your own ISP down…allow yourself some leeway in terms of deadlines.</p>
<p>Well you guys are lucky. My cable and Internet have been down all day. Went to work out and the gym was closed due to a power outage.Maybe it’s the apocalypse :)</p>