<p>Today I received an email from one of the schools my son applied to stating they had not received (or could not view perhaps) our tax records at SSS. They were submitted before the end of January and are logged in as received on 1/28/10. Everything for all five schools he applied to shows as received. So I had to print out my PFS and copy all my tax info for 2008 and 2009 and now I have to fax these 32 pages to the school. They know the material was submitted and while I don't think it will hinder whatever chance he has of getting financial aid-it made my stress level jump way up. Each day is different. Some days I think he'll get in everywhere, but with no aid (making it impossible to attend) and other days I think he won't get accepted at all because everyone's stats here seem so amazing. And other days I am sure he will get plenty of aid. It makes me wish we had applied to 10 schools just for back up...somehow now, five seems inadequate. I know I am obscessing and worrying...but I can't help it. I don't think the next six days could go any slower. I am so hopeful but, well, you know...</p>
<p>Yeah I’ve heard that SSS has not handled the increase of documents this year well at all. I have had a ton of problems with them. We are applying to five schools through ABC (A Better Chance) and received an email from the program director Sunday asking us to send our 2009 W2 and tax return directly to each school since there have been so many problems with SSS processing the documents.</p>
<p>JoyHuffs: we’re in a similar situation and are also wishing we had applied to more schools. I think that goes along with waiting and wondering and going crazy with it. I would take the fact that they are pursuing this with you as a good sign. I have no idea if this is true - but common sense (an some professional experience) says that they wouldn’t be asking if someone wasn’t considering an offer. Good luck!</p>
<p>I was very surprised with the new process at the beginning. Just the thought of *every * family applying for FA at every school sending pages and pages and pages of documents to SSS and NOT to the schools had me worried. Thinking about it - most people submit right near the early February deadlines - so in a matter of days they would be swamped with tens of thousands of papers to log in and scan. AND, I was told that they are entering some info from the 1040’s first, THEN scanning them. How could they possibly do all that without having an army of people? </p>
<p>One of our schools had us, from the beginning, send hard copies to them. One asked us later, and the other said they were ok waiting, even if it was this week before they came online.</p>
<p>No worries. The bottom line: the school won’t let SSS stop them from making offers to the students they want on March 10. One way or another they will get what they need.</p>
<p>I strongly suggest scanning/emailing docs to the schools if there is a SSS problem. They may very well want to make an offer but without knowing what the numbers look like, it’s difficult for them to figure out how to divy up the pie. It is, after all, a zero sum game. Why leave something as critical as this to chance?</p>
<p>My son will be a returning student in September. I email pdfs to the FA director when it became clear that something wasn’t quite right with the new SSS. We received our contract, along with a very generous fa award, early last week. </p>
<p>Get those forms into the Admissions offices as soon as you can. They will use them as placeholders and then verify with SSS, if they ever get their act together.</p>
<p>Has anyone heard or read any statements about how large the pool of FA applicants is this year, and how much it has increased from last year? It sounds as if they’re inundated. After all, the point of centralizing the process is to avoid duplicating submissions at various schools.</p>
<p>I don’t recommend you send your tax info to the school directly if they have not asked for it - especially not in email. It’s not secure. And, if the school is not prepared for it, it could be left unchecked or misplaced.</p>
<p>The secure delivery button works very well when transmitting protected information. </p>
<p>In the end, everyone needs to do what they think is best. Personally, I feel much better knowing that this issue is resolved.</p>
<p>SSS is not exactly secure. Two years ago they mailed our EFC to another family - complete with my income and my children’s social security numbers on them (required that year). The thought of sending them my 1040’s & W-2’s was horrifying to me. I absolutely blacked out all SS#'s.</p>
<p>Glad you posted that Linda. Wish I had thought to black out our ss#'s.</p>
<p>It doesn’t really matter for me. I just learned (via email) that the deceased client of a prominent London attorney has solicited my help (from the grave?) in establishing several brokerage accounts and disbursing 19 million USD, an endeavor for which I will be handsomely compensated for. So yeah, my days of tussling with SSS paperwork are clearly numbered…</p>
<p>Yeah definitely not that secure. I didn’t redact my SSN information from the copies I sent SSS (I wish I had), but I did on the hard copies I mailed to the schools. SSS also has a supplemental form that was for one specific school accessible to all the other schools on my list. They told me they would take care of it 3 weeks ago, but it still shows up on all the schools.</p>
<p>nylecoj007 - omg!!! that is such an incedible coincidence!!! congrats to both of us!</p>
<p>OMG Me 2!!! And I’ve had so many of these offers now that I am a multi-biilionaire. Trouble is, the money hasn’t shown up in my account yet and until it does I have to keep applying for FA ;)</p>
<p>It seems that the lists of all schools you apply for FA on SSS are accessible to all Finaid officers. I wonder what do they think of a long list?</p>
<p>napviet - that was the case previously too with the paper system I believe.<br>
Most ask the question on their application too, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to them.<br>
Also, they must know if you do the PFC before the application deadlines that you may not actually apply to all of them.</p>
<p>Thanks Linda S for the feedback,
I am concerned that seeing the list of schools, they would think other schools would give finaid and they will not give aid.</p>
<p>I have a question if anybody knows it may be a little of subject but one of the schools is asking for my w2 and something else of my parents. I think it is the taxe return i forgot what it is but anyway it includes my step dad info and we only put my mom since she is going to help… so what is going to happen…</p>
<p>The Tax returns etc. including W-2 should be from the parent or legal guardian who is claming the child as dependent on their tax return or supporting the kid. All the others who are not dependents are not applicable as long as you have identified them on the SSS application that some funds are coming from trust accounts, grandparents, family friends etc. Information from the parent or guardean who is claming the child as dependednt is critical. In case of joint custody both parents need to file the information. </p>
<p>The school and SSS typically sometimes request that we provide all information/documents from all sources. This may or may not be true since it is the discretion of the Financial aid officer at each school to determine what relavent information/documents are required, before determining the amount of FA to award. Some school are happy with what has been submited with your SSS. Some schools need more information and some school may request additional documentation during/before enrollment process. Till your child is formally enrolled and admitted to a school, FA is not guaranteed.</p>
<p>My advice is, always try to provide the lease amount of information or documents unless you are being requested form more information/documents from a Financial Aid Administrator or officer of a specific school.</p>