The release of the crucial financial data to institutions is expected now, but will be delayed until early March, according to the DOE.

'We were expecting to get that now and start the process of making financial aid offers to students,' said Jill Desjean, senior policy analyst at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

Desjean says the delay compresses an already tight timeline to get financial aid packets out, and she feels the delay has the biggest impact on prospective students.

'Usually, they have financial aid offers in their hands at this point,' she said.

Students and families would normally have a few months to review offers and figure out the best fit socially and financially.

'They're going to have significantly less time to do that because admissions deposits are usually due in the spring,' Desjean said."

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.