The Fallout from FAFSA Isn’t Over

The fallout from the new FAFSA launch continues to impact many people.

Of course, all college students, who rely on financial aid are stressed not knowing how much aid they will receive this year, but incoming students are the most seriously affected.

The class of 2028 is in limbo because schools won’t receive student information until next month – probably mid-March. This means students won’t receive their financial aid packages until April, which doesn’t leave adequate time to make an informed decision.

What that information will look like and how college financial aid administrators will process it remains unknown.

The U.S. Department of Education has pledged to aid in the processing of student data by dispatching personnel to help.

There’s also been an easing in the verification process.

Given the disastrous launch and subsequent delays caused by department errors, it’s difficult to be optimistic. 

See updated information on FAFSA processing progress.

Giving Students a Little Breathing Room

In response to the ongoing situation, some colleges and universities have already announced an extension to the usual May 1 commitment/deposit date.

Here are the ones that have come to our attention. They have been reported by more than one media outlet. If you are aware of others, please comment below.

We will continue to update the list as new information comes in, but it will not be in real-time and is not represented as a full accounting of all schools with adjusted dates.

FAFSA Isn’t Just for Federal Aid

If you’re attending school in your home state and haven’t filed your FAFSA, now is the time to file your app.

States rely upon FAFSA data for their financial aid awards. Most states have priority consideration deadlines. Many states have extended these deadlines, but the clock is ticking.

If you sat out the early round logjam it’s understandable, but don’t miss your best opportunity for state funds to go along with the federal dollars.

You don’t want to leave money on the table – every dollar counts to avoid taking out loans.

Moving Forward

We will keep you posted on further developments, as information is released.

With pressure mounting from all directions on the ED, we remain hopeful that the road ahead will be smoother.

Time will tell.

We’ve been blogging about the changes to FAFSA since 2022. You can read all that has happened with FAFSA by reading our previous financial aid posts. 

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