Will the FAFSA Cycle Be Smoother This Year?

"The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was among the 2,000-plus higher ed institutions that served as the initial beta testers for the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid," Higher Ed Dive reports.

... "The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators is among the groups anticipating an easier rollout this cycle, thanks to the beta testing period. Sarah Austin, a NASFAA policy analyst, said before the official launch that she expected the beta testing period to allow the Education Department to work out 'most of the kinks.'"

"This year, the Education Department has also been more transparent about the testing period, issues impacting the form, and the delayed rollout — chronicling all the updates and trouble areas on its website, Austin said. Last year, financial aid administrators didn’t learn about delays until 'it was too late to proactively plan for them,' Austin said."

"'We do know that this delay is happening well in advance so they really can plan for how to make their timeline work this year,' Austin said."

... "If financial aid administrators do run into issues once they start receiving the forms, they should report the problems to software vendors and the Education Department so they can be investigated and resolved as quickly as possible, Austin said."

... "One silver lining from last cycle’s challenging rollout is more colleges are realizing how critical their financial aid offices and staff — as well as financial aid in general — are to the entire institution, Austin said."

"'I know there has been burnout and I know it has been a hard year,' Austin said. 'But they are some of the most hardworking and dedicated staff and I know they are going to continue to get things done for those students and families.'"

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: 11/25/2024

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