Significant changes to the FAFSA have also caused major issues for high school seniors applying for the first time, leading to stress from upcoming college and scholarship deadlines.
The FAFSA is the official form that students or their families use to apply for financial assistance for college from the federal government. It allows students to be eligible for grants and loans to assist in paying for a post-secondary education.
The idea behind the changes was to make a more straightforward application, much shorter with fewer questions, and to rely almost entirely on the parent’s tax returns from two years prior.
The general FAFSA deadline is June 30, but the college’s deadline for the form is usually much sooner, which this year is causing problems as some colleges found themselves pushing the deadline to a further date. For years, the FAFSA opened on Oct. 1, but this year’s FAFSA didn’t open until Dec. 31.
Because of recent significant changes, high school seniors are having more trouble applying than in past years. According to the National College Attainment Network, fewer than 5% of eligible high school seniors have completed the FAFSA by Jan 5, compared to 31.6% of seniors last year. One explanation is the fact that it opened so late. Around the end of January, the numbers are still very far from last year’s: 35.7% last year, and 16.3% this year.
Two Park High seniors, Emily Jesson and Veronica Glenn, mentioned that the new FAFSA is frustrating because of the waiting time for feedback. Senior Silas Hjortsberg stated that the “waiting time for feedback is long, and the wait time sucks.”
Park High’s guidance counselor, Abby Kinsey, said she appreciates the “Department of Education trying to make the process easier for kids and their families.” She also mentioned, “The Department of Education should’ve used their old website while the new one was created.” Although, she did state that the new FAFSA seemed “easier.”