NASFAA Mention: A Simpler FAFSA Could Increase Applicants

"Financial aid officers have been asking for years for a simplified federal financial aid form, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). After much work by financial aid advocates and, in particular, by outgoing Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), an overhaul was included in the Covid relief and government funding bill signed into law in December," Community College Daily reports.

..."Megan Coval is vice president of policy and federal relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), which has pushed for FAFSA changes for years.

'For students or families that may not be financially savvy, [the old FAFSA form] can be intimidating,' she said. 'If it’s asking for certain tax information, they may not be sure what they’re being asked to provide.'

The revision reduces the number of questions for all students, Coval said. But 'The lowest-income students or students with the least complicated financial situation will answer the fewest number of questions.'

The FAFSA form determines a student’s eligibility for Pell grants, and changes in the higher education bill will expand Pell eligibility by 500,000 students, Coval said. 

'This legislation will allow students to assess, based on a few factors, maybe a year or two in advance, whether they will be eligible for the maximum Pell grant,' she said. "

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: 1/22/2021

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