"College students and their families could be in for a wave of delayed financial aid after the U.S. Department of Education announced it would not allow schools to submit batch corrections for student FAFSA applications," Newsweek reports.

... "That puts low-income students at risk of not being able to attend college, according to Beth Maglione, the interim National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators President and CEO."

"'Today's announcement is beyond frustrating,' Maglione said in a statement. 'Once again, the Department of Education has failed to provide a key FAFSA deliverable when promised. While we understand that resources are finite and ensuring next year's FAFSA is fully functional is critical, the federal government is still obligated to ensure this year's students are able to access critical funds.'"

"Maglione said some college students might not have financial aid dollars in their hands in time to start classes in the next few weeks, and the financial aid offices themselves could be put in a state of disarray."

"'For schools, the impact of today's announcement means more than a few extra hours of work,' Maglione said. 'It's the difference between pushing a button versus making thousands of keystrokes in terms of administrative burden.'"

"The announcement from the Education Department comes around eight months after the launch of what aimed to be a new and improved FAFSA."

"However, Maglione said the new FAFSA did anything but make the process easier for students and their families. Millions have faced delays and glitches within the system, preventing their applications and aid disbursements from coming through."

"'Those who didn't give up in frustration have worked through glitches, errors, and lapses in communication,' Maglione said. 'We've heard stories of parents waiting on the phone with the Department for hours to ask for help, only to be disconnected or eventually hang up in exasperation. We've heard of students castigating themselves for 'messing something up,' when in reality the FAFSA process is what's broken.'"

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: 8/1/2024