Current seniors are at the edge of being thrown into the depths of something scary, but exciting: Life. The Department of Education decided to give them a warm welcome by delaying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
In years past, FAFSA typically released their aid amount for applicants starting in April. This year, the FAFSA will release their aid amount to applicants toward the end of May, or possibly even later.
This delay is due to two reasons, the first being not only the increase in FAFSA applications, but also the new processing system that was put into place. The new system is the first redesign of the application and evaluation process in 40 years. Parents, students, counselors and university administrators are collectively experiencing frustrations due to these difficulties.
The question is… Will this delay by the Department of Education influence the decisions of incoming freshmen students all across the nation?
Current senior, Mia Rich, has been dealing with frustrations recently, with the Department of Education to blame. “I don’t want to commit before I know how much aid I’ll get from each school, so I’ll just have a really short amount of time to make my decision,” Rich said.
While for many, the delay is an added stress, for senior, Lydia Tymchenko, it is not. “The news of the delay in FAFSA will not affect my college decision,” said Tymchenko.
Whether students have already made the decision of what university they will be attending in the fall of 2024, or are waiting for a response from the Department of Education, it is no doubt that this year’s FAFSA has created chaos across the board.
