NASFAA Mention: The Federal Government Is Verifying Fewer Fafsa Filers. Here’s Why That Matters.

"A world tangled up in red tape just got some welcome news,” The Chronicle for Higher Education reports. "The U.S. Education Department on Wednesday said that it had reduced the percentage of federal student-aid applicants it will select for verification, an onerous process that’s widely seen as a barrier to college for low-income and underrepresented students. In the past, the federal government has verified about 30 percent of all aid applications in each enrollment cycle; starting in 2020-21, it will verify 18 percent."

…”Justin Draeger, president and chief executive of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, described the decrease in the selection rate as meaningful progress. And he said in a message to The Chronicle that the Education Department had ‘confirmed what aid professionals have know for a long time: that at the end of the day, most verifications result in no change in grants for students. There’s more progress to be made, but we’re glad we’re at least on the right path.’”

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: 12/3/2020

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