You may know that the 2024-25 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) underwent a significant overhaul to simplify the form for college-going students and their families. Although there were good intentions, the “Better FAFSA” launch was a bit disastrous, including a delayed launch date, technical glitches, calculation errors, and more. Federal officials have been working diligently to make necessary changes along the way, such as the wording of questions, the creation of Student Aid accounts, and many other issues that arose after the initial launch of the FAFSA form.

Overcoming Challenges

Change typically comes with challenges and transitions. Since the FAFSA had not seen any notable updates in several years, a complete transformation was necessary to simplify the 2024-25 form. Federal Student Aid officials had to consider every scenario possible for calculation purposes. Not an easy task! Hence, the reason for the delayed release, followed by corrections to the form and additional delays. Completed FAFSAs were not passed on to colleges until Federal Student Aid felt confident that everything was working correctly. This, of course, backed up the colleges’ processing and awarding of Financial Aid Offers to students by several months. 

Impact of FAFSA Delays

For most college-going students, the amount of financial aid they are offered is one of the most crucial pieces of the puzzle when determining where to attend college – or whether to go to college at all. Not only were the glitches frustrating, but the delays have been detrimental to some first-time college students. Federal Student Aid hears you! College Financial Aid offices hear you! Please don’t let this year’s FAFSA woes keep you from attending college – you still have time to get everything in place!

It’s Not Too Late

If you have not filed the 2024-25 FAFSA yet, it’s not too late! Check out this blog  to get the scoop about the FAFSA process. If you have already submitted the FAFSA and have not received your Financial Aid Offer yet, reach out to the Financial Aid Office at the college(s) you listed on your FAFSA. Keep in mind that you must have applied and been accepted for admission to the college(s) to receive financial aid offers.

Need help?

Are you having trouble getting your FAFSA form submitted or understanding your financial aid offer? Schedule an appointment with one of our College Planning Specialists at EducationQuest. We’d be happy to assist you! As a reminder, our services are completely FREE!

By Jacquie Butler