After nearly two weeks, there is a published article regarding FAFSA Beta-1 testing feedback.
Beta testing began on October 1 with the six selected community-based organization and their invited students kicking off the first round.
The Front End
As reported in the Inside Higher Education article one director from a participating CBO stated that the vast majority of students were able to complete the application that day.
A precise number would be more informative. We can reasonably conclude the figure is above seventy-five percent, but that is a guess.
If the number is higher, why not way so?
What were the reasons some students couldn’t complete the application?
Yes, this is the preliminary round, but ED needs to exert maximum effort to restore public trust. Total transparency should be provided.
The media was not granted access to phase-1 testing Will the next phases also be closed to the media?
If ED is to repair its relationship with the public and restore trust, total transparency is needed.
The Back End
Students and their families completing the application is the first step for the FAFSA application. The data they input must be processed, Institutional Student Record Information (ISIR) generated and sent to receiving institutions.
Due to software issues from third-party vendors, this stage of processing is experiencing delays.
“But GMU can’t do anything with the forms, Burge said, until their software vendor, the popular Ellucian Banner, makes updates to handle them. He said that could take a few weeks, and until then he and his staff are holding their collective breath.”
A timeline for when these issues will be fully corrected is elusive.
What’s Next?
Phase-2 of testing is slated to begin this week with a greater number of participants accessing the system.
A list of accepted organizations, schools, and state participants was published by ED on September 30. Note that at the end of the list is the University of Sydney.
Is this to test functionality with international systems?
All interested parties are hopeful that these subsequent testing phases go smoothly.
Concern regarding the narrow testing window remains high. If ED has been unable to correct lingering issues from the December 2023 launch of the 2024-25 FAFSA, how can it identify and correct errors in the 2025-26 application in two months or less?
While many slogged through last year’s application, it was expected that the experience this year would be better.
Thus far this appears to be the case.
These subsequent phases and the response from ED will determine what the next FAFSA cycle experience will be for everyone.
Stay tuned.
