"Delays and glitches in implementing the overhaul of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid have left millions of students worried about whether they can attend college this fall," The Dallas Express reports.

..."The scale of the FAFSA issues is staggering. This year, fewer than 6 million students have managed to submit their FAFSA form, a massive 66% drop from the 17.5 million who did so last year, according to DMN.

Many colleges and universities have already pushed back the dates by which they must receive students’ financial aid information. Texas A&M, for instance, has postponed its deadline to April 15, while the University of Texas at Dallas has moved its deadline to May 1.

'Schools can only work with valid and correct data that is provided to them from the U.S. Department of Education,' explained Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, per Inside Higher Ed. 'It is not feasible or realistic to send out incorrect FAFSA data and ask thousands of schools to make real-time calculations and adjustments to the federal formula on the school side.'

'At this stage in the game and after so many delays, every error adds up and will be felt acutely by every student who is counting on need-based financial aid to make their postsecondary dreams a reality,' he added."

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: 4/3/2024