The 2024-2025 Federal Application for Student Aid, or FAFSA, was fraught with issues that have continued to affect Northside students’ college planning. The application was distributed approximately three months later than expected, in December rather than in September, and many students were unable to access their aid estimates until April. Some applications have had to be reprocessed, meaning students may not have access to financial aid packages from their school of choice until later this spring, which complicates families’ ability to make informed college decisions.
What’s different about FAFSA this year and beyond?
- Fewer questions than previous versions, making it quicker to fill out.
Image from: Allegheny Finance Group, 2019. - You now must provide consent and approval to be eligible for financial aid.
- The formula used to calculate your financial eligibility is changing.
- You may qualify for additional Pell Grant Funds.
These changes may seem beneficial for many families, but the rollout of the new program has caused mass delays in the allocation of aid. Many seniors did not have complete aid packages by May 1st, which is commonly known as the National College Decision. This date has been the commitment deadline for many higher education institutions around the country in previous years. This year, many colleges and universities pushed their commitment deadlines back to May 15th or June 1st to accommodate these financial concerns. However, this was not true for some schools, forcing students to decide to give up their spot at school or commit to a mysterious amount of debt.
In talking with Northside College Counselor, Ms. Moore, we learned that all FAFSA information and aid reports should have been released by now and that you can always appeal your financial aid package with the university that you are attending.
If you have more questions about affording college, you can reach out to Ms. Moore at [email protected] to set up a meeting.
