How do you know if a college got your FAFSA?

I submitted my FAFSA a while ago, but I'm worried that the colleges might not have received it yet. Is there a way to confirm that each school on my list got my financial aid application?

You can check the status of your FAFSA and the list of schools that should have received your information by logging into your account on the FAFSA website.

When you successfully submit your FAFSA, you'll receive a Student Aid Report (SAR), either by email or by physical mail, depending on what you requested. This report indicates that your FAFSA has been processed and has information about your eligibility for federal student aid. The SAR also has a section called "FAFSA Data Release Number (DRN)". Colleges use this DRN to access your FAFSA information.

Subsequently, each school you listed on your FAFSA should send you a financial aid offer, assuming you have been admitted. This financial aid offer will show that they received and processed your FAFSA. However, the timing of these offers can vary greatly based on the school, so don't worry if you don't receive anything immediately.

If you're still concerned, I'd recommend contacting the financial aid office at the colleges on your list directly. They'll be able to confirm whether or not they've received your FAFSA. Always better to double-check and ensure everything is on track!