The FAFSA application for the 2024-2025 year has proven to be difficult and confusing for students across the nation trying to receive aid. FAFSA is the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid for students in or going to college.
The form is determined by tax information to decide the amount of federal loans and grants a student can receive.
Information about the FAFSA application that was given to students stated the form would be open on Dec. 31 for students to fill out, but upon opening it experienced multiple website crashes. In years past, the FAFSA opened on Oct. 1, but due to form changes, the date was pushed back, claiming it would it be easier for students and their parents, but that has proven to be the contrary.
According to an email sent by UW-Platteville Communication Director Alison Parker on Jan. 5, different from years past, until FAFSA will not be sending the completed forms to the financial aid offices till the end of Jan. and into Feb. instead of right after the student completes the form.
Exactly one month later on Feb. 5, UW-Platteville Financial Aid and Scholarships Office sent out an email explaining “further delays” with the FAFSA process. Now once a student completes the FAFSA form, the university will not receive the form until late spring.
Waiting for the form was not an option as the UW-Platteville Financial Aid Office explained, “Rather than waiting to use the 2024-2025 FAFSA data, UW-Platteville will be using the 2023-2024 FAFSA data for continuing students’ eligibility for 2024-2025 scholarships.” Meaning, if a student’s financial situation has changed within the year, it will not be reflected in the FAFSA amount.
Among the major delays, the FAFSA website has 16 other open issues with the form, with over one million families that have filled out the form so far, it is approximated by the Department of Education that over 17 million families utilize the form every year.
Once again, students in college are being affected by the mistakes of others all because they must rely on them to be able to afford college. A change to the form has proven to be a disaster that college students around the nation are paying for.
