"The bungled rollout of this year’s new Free Application for Federal Student Aid started with a two-month delay, pushing the usual Oct. 1 launch date to the end of December—a shift that raised eyebrows across higher ed and portended the disastrous financial aid cycle that followed," Inside Higher Ed reports.

..."Lawmakers aren’t the only ones dubious about the department’s timeline. Earlier this month, a coalition of 25 advocacy organizations, including the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and the National College Attainment Network, sent the department a letter urging officials to commit to an Oct. 1 launch date for next year’s form.

'We are concerned that the FAFSA will be delayed again, and that the release date will remain uncertain until just before the form becomes available,' the letter read. 'This approach will lead to a repeat of last year, with schools and counselors unable to plan the counseling and outreach efforts that are needed, colleges unable to ensure a smooth and timely process for generating financial aid offers, and students left in the lurch.'

There is plenty of reason to be worried, said Jill Desjean, NASFAA’s director of policy analysis. Last year the ED released a draft of the new FAFSA on March 27, she said; by this point in the early summer, they usually have a second draft ready for testing.

This year, 'We haven’t even seen the first draft yet,' she 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.

Publication Date: 6/24/2024