Title: FAFSA Issues Leave College-Bound Students in Limbo
Lead: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a crucial step for many high school seniors looking to attend college, but technical glitches have left some students unsure of their financial aid prospects.
Paragraph 1: At least three high schools in different parts of the country have reported issues with this year's FAFSA rollout. At Robert M. La Follette High School in Madison, Wisconsin, approximately half as many seniors have been able to successfully submit the form compared to last year. The problems could impact students' college decisions and their ability to make a living in the future.
Paragraph 2: The issues with this year's FAFSA are not limited to La Follette High School. Colleges typically gain clarity about their incoming classes in May, but enrollment projections have uncertainty due to the FAFSA mess. For instance, at Coker University in South Carolina, the number of first-time and transfer students who have paid deposits is nearly 5 percent higher than at the same time last year. However, President Natalie Harder is uncertain that all those students will show up.
Paragraph 3: The U.S. Department of Education launched the next phase of FAFSA support on May 16, providing funds to expand availability of advisers, counselors and coaches for FAFSA applications. The aim is to increase the number of high school students who complete a FAFSA and enroll in college, particularly first-time college students and students of color.
Background: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form that determines eligibility for federal student financial aid. It is used by most states and educational institutions to determine eligibility for non-federal student financial aid as well. The FAFSA application process opens every October 1, and students can submit their applications until June 30 of the following year.
FAFSA issues have been a recurring problem in recent years. In 2023, technical glitches caused delays in processing FAFSA applications for thousands of students. The Department of Education later announced that it would extend the deadline for submitting and correcting FAFSA data to give students more time to complete their applications.
Conclusion: The botched rollout of this year's FAFSA has left many high school seniors in limbo, uncertain about their financial aid prospects and college decisions. The U.S. Department of Education has launched the next phase of FAFSA support to help students navigate the application process and increase enrollment in colleges.
