FAFSA Updates for Seniors
Dear Class of 2024 Families:
As you likely have heard, the U.S. Department of Education recently announced a significant delay—an additional six weeks—in transmitting FAFSA data to colleges and universities. We are writing today to provide some guidance for those families for whom financial aid is a factor in finalizing a college choice.
This delay directly impacts many colleges and universities’ ability to finalize and distribute financial aid packages to admitted students, with the earliest possible release now anticipated to be in late March.
Updates we are receiving from colleges regarding this situation include:
Some, but not all, colleges are extending their financial aid application deadlines.
Some, but not all, colleges are extending their enrollment deposit deadlines past the traditional May 1st date to allow students to receive and review all financial aid awards before making a commitment.
Some, but not all, colleges are offering a school-specific financial aid application to provide estimated financial aid awards.
Some, but not all, colleges are considering flexibility regarding all of these items. Note that institutions that require the CSS Profile form have the ability to provide accurate financial aid awards without FAFSA data so they may not be altering any deadlines.
Other updates we are hearing about FAFSA
The Department of Education will begin sending data to colleges in batches at the beginning of March, in the order in which students submitted FAFSA. Students will receive an email informing them when their FAFSA data has been transmitted.
Once students receive that email (it will be sent to the email the student provided on their FAFSA application), they can log in to fafsa.gov to review and make any necessary corrections, including adding more colleges and universities to receive their FAFSA data.
While many families found the new FAFSA much faster and simpler to complete, a variety of known issues are causing some families to be unable to submit the form. There are workarounds for some of these situations now being provided at 2024-25 FAFSA Issue Alerts.
Financial Aid offices are noting that it will take, minimally, several weeks following receipt of FAFSA data to produce financial aid awards for students. They are requesting that families avoid tying up staff by calling to ask about when awards will be provided, but are encouraging families who are having FAFSA submission issues to send pertinent screenshots to allow them to assist and extend deadlines when possible.
Based upon this information, we strongly recommend that you review each of your colleges’ financial aid websites and, most especially, watch for emails from them about these issues.
The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority is also a great resource for questions about Financial Aid and the FAFSA.
Have a great break!
Ami Moore