TEXAS, USA — As high school seniors gear up for graduation and make crucial decisions about their academic pursuits, a cloud of uncertainty looms over their heads. Last year, The Department of Education took on the task of making the Free Application for Federal Student Aid shorter and more user-friendly.
Traditionally, students are able to start filling out the FAFSA in October, but after technical issues caused glitches for users, the site was not available until Dec. 30. Hardin-Simmons University Associate Vice President for Student Financial Services, Thomas Ratliff, has seen the effects of these delays first-hand.
"We're still waiting at the moment at the school level to receive any of the student data. But reportedly, that is starting to come in now as well. So we're very hopeful that we can start getting past the delays and start serving our students and their families like we're used to doing," he said.
Ratliff emphasized the gravity of the situation and said traditionally, students are encouraged to make their decisions about where they want to apply to college by May 1, however that date is completely unreasonable this year.
“Students need to have all of the information about the different colleges available to them, including what their net cost is going to be, and that's the part that has really been delayed this year,” he explained.
The delay in opening the FAFSA portal has left high school seniors scrambling as enrollment deadlines draw near. Angelo State University Vice President for External Affairs, Jamie Mayer, highlighted the repercussions.
“Nationwide, the number of students that have filled out the FAFSA is actually quite a bit lower than years past,” she said. “Affordability is one of the number one factors for a college student to make a decision."
With financial aid packages still pending, students are left unable to make informed decisions about their college choices or even determine if they can afford to attend college in the fall.
Affected students should maintain communication with their admissions administrators and explore alternative funding options such as scholarships and grants that do not depend on FAFSA eligibility.