"Roughly 3% fewer students renewed their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as of May compared to a year ago, according to new data from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN)," Education Dive reports.

"... Administrators are also 'bracing themselves' for an increase in financial aid appeals among returning students who have experienced economic hardship, wrote the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) in a post on its website. 

NASFAA surveyed nearly 300 colleges last week to assess the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on students' financial aid requests. Institutions use a standardized assessment to determine a students' financial aid award, but officials have the flexibility to use 'professional judgment' to gauge a student's circumstances and change how much aid they receive, NASFAA wrote. 

The group found that nearly half of colleges surveyed received more requests for a personal 'judgement' between March and the end of May than they did during the same period last year."

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

Publication Date: 6/13/2020