"The dust has yet to settle from this year’s disastrous rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The U.S. Education Department is still fixing glitches, processing aid forms and working to boost completion rates that lag 11 percent behind last year’s. But officials must also turn their attention to next year’s form, which is set to launch in just a few months, and they face more pressure than ever to ensure it arrives on time and ready to use," Inside Higher Ed reports.

..."Karen McCarthy, vice president of public policy and federal relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, said she’s heard from some worried members about the unorthodox College Board crossover. But with pressure mounting and little time to waste before the new form’s Oct. 1 deadline, she’s not sure there’s a better alternative.

'We see the potential conflict of interest concerns … and I hope and assume there were [nondisclosure agreements] signed,” she said. “But if you’re bringing in somebody who needs to hit the ground running right away, then someone with experience on the Profile makes a lot of sense.'

McCarthy added that the CSS Profile also had to adjust to the new federal aid calculations and requirements last cycle, and that the College Board seemed to have far fewer issues than the department itself in making the pivot.

'I haven’t seen many complaints about the 2024–25 Profile rollout,' she said. 'It’s encouraging that the department recognized the need for outside help … This was a humbling decision for the FSA to make.'"

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: 7/9/2024