History of Changes to Financial Aid Verification
Over the last decade, the Department of Education has made attempts to reduce financial aid verification rates. But despite the attempts to ease the burden, a complex web of promised solutions and new requirements has resulted in little to no change in verification rates, creating a troubling situation for both students and schools.
Financial aid administrators know all too well how easily the verification process can derail students who otherwise would receive the financial aid needed to pursue their college dreams. Not only can it impose an undue burden on students who have already overcome incredible obstacles, but it also creates more work for aid administrators, taking their valuable time away from the people who matter most: their students.
This flowchart, which outlines the sort of "one step forward, two steps back" pattern that the financial aid community has come to know with regard to verification, will be used to help with advocacy efforts related to verification, and ultimately, FAFSA simplification.
Publication Date: 9/28/2020