Colleges tell Education Department they need more time to process FAFSA data

A recent survey found that nearly two-thirds of colleges and universities are facing challenges processing student financial aid data in the upcoming weeks. Less than half of these institutions have made changes to their decision deadlines at this point.

The concerns were outlined in a letter sent to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona by the American Council on Education and other college organizations in Washington. 

These findings reflect the responses of over 350 colleges addressing the delays in the release of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) this year. The Department of Education recently admitted to errors affecting hundreds of thousands of students, blaming an external vendor and rectifying the situation since then. 

For more details:Errors in financial aid data impact around 200,000 students

Colleges’ acknowledgment of these issues validates fears that the problematic rollout of the new financial aid form would have repercussions for millions of students. April will be a critical month for college financial aid offices, especially those yet to extend their decision deadlines. 

Even Secretary Cardona is urging governors to push back their statewide financial aid deadlines past early May, given that students won’t have the option to make FAFSA corrections until the first half of April.

“The prolonged uncertainty has significantly impacted the Class of 2024, introducing more chaos,” observes Karla Robles from OneGoal, an organization supporting disadvantaged high school students. “For many low-income students, FAFSA can be the deciding factor in pursuing higher education.”

To learn more:Students face impending deadline to compare financial aid offers

The redesigned FAFSA, mandated by Congress, is expected to expand financial aid eligibility for hundreds of thousands of low-income students, according to the Education Department.

However, the administration’s lack of transparency regarding the rollout challenges has strained trust among the federal government, colleges, and students. As the Department works through a backlog of around 2 million applications, colleges stress the importance of transparency regarding any future obstacles. 

Karen McCarthy from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators emphasized the need for prompt disclosure of any issues that arise during a podcast interview.

Challenges with the New FAFSA Implementation

The survey by the American Council on Education sheds light on key concerns raised by colleges.

Firstly, institutions are facing technical difficulties with the mailbox system established by the Department to share FAFSA information. Colleges without set-up encounter connectivity issues, software updates, and limited departmental support.

For more insights:Financial aid impacted by Washington shutdown turmoil

Secondly, the timing is a significant issue. Most colleges argue that a few weeks are insufficient for processing detailed records, suggesting the process could take up to a month or even six weeks.

Administrators are apprehensive about the data influx amid existing backlogs and delays as students rely on this information for crucial decisions about their higher education paths.

The Education Department announced a relaxation of deadlines for new oversight regulations to assist institutions in focusing on student aid distribution this spring.