<p>Finally got my tax returns back from CPA and was dropping the final numbers into the FAFSA when I noticed that they have me down as having 2 kids in college for 2011-2012! I only have one and remember putting 1 when I originally filled this out. I can't believe that I just noticed this mistake now! My second child won't be in school until 2013. </p>
<p>Since I figured that we wouldn't qualify for need-based aid anyway (and none of the FA packages we had received to date included any), it wouldn't normally have been a big deal. However D just got a financial aid package from the only private school she applied to and they are giving her $16,000 in a need based grant this year, plus $3k work study. Since our EFC went from around $23k to $44k with this change, I highly doubt she would be eligible for this aid with the correct numbers. </p>
<p>How long will it take FAFSA to get the correct numbers to the school FA office, and for us to get a revised FA package? Should I call or notify the FA office right away? D was leaning towards committing to this school if we could make the numbers work, but now it's a whole new ball game.</p>
<p>Why don’t you just contact the financial aid office and ask? It’s probably not a big deal to them – whether it is a mistake in data entry or not, it’s probably fairly common that siblings already in college drop out, or that siblings planning to attend college change their mind. When my d. was applying to college, her older sibling was out of school but planning to return – but waffling in his plans – so I filled out the FAFSA as if he would be in college, but I actually didn’t know until June of that year whether he would return or not. My d’s financial aid award was very confusing – and at the same time seemed too good to be true – so I called to ask what would happen if my son didn’t return to college. I was told that the aid had actually been calculated as if he was not in college – so if he didn’t attend college the grant would stay the same, but if he did attend college, the grant would be increased based on his COA. </p>
<p>Just wanted to thank you, Calmom, for talking me down from my freak-out! </p>
<p>I did call and ask and the FA rep told me that she couldn’t give me any information until they received the corrected information from FAFSA. She said it generally takes 5 working days for FAFSA to get the info to them and 5 days for the school FA office to process it.</p>
<p>Well, 6 days later we received our revised aid package. All the “Federal” stuff - work study, subsidized loans - was taken away, but the private institutional aid and, of course, the Stafford remained in the same amounts. So, even though they state on the award letter that the private grant amount was based on FAFSA, they must have had their own formula for calculating aid. Phew!</p>
<p>I just wanted to post this update for others who might find themselves in similar situations.</p>
<p>Most private schools use the CSS profile to determine awards. I suspect your CSS profile was correct and therefore the institutional aid didn’t change.</p>