Changes to the FAFSA for 2024-2025

I became nervous last year when it was evident that the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) was not going to open until late December/early January for the 24-25 aid year. Even before this delay, I have worked with students who have been accepted to their top choice colleges before Christmas, and yet fail to receive a financial package, detailing the cost of tuition and any associated tuition assistance until nearly spring break, or after. A financial package should be sent from every college a student is accepted to, allowing the student to make decisions about the best financial fit among every school have been offered acceptance.

Receiving an even further delayed financial package makes it more challenging for students and families to select the right college based on financial fit in time for the May 1, Decision Day, deadline. In general, colleges will hold all students acceptance spots until May 1. If the college has not heard a yes or no from you by that date, they can and will offer your spot to another student on their wait list.

What makes it so challenging for this aid years application process, is that families could not fill out the FAFSA until January of this year, and that will inevitably delay all colleges abilities to submit financial packages to families. Colleges have been told by the Federal Office of Financial Aid that they will not even recieve a students financial information until March. Yikes! This year, most students wont receive their financial packages until sometime in April.

NACAC, the organization that oversees college admissions, is urging all colleges to extend the May 1 Decision Day deadline until at least May 15 this year, offering students and families more time to make the decisions about which college to attend. While this decision of whether or not to extend the deadline will be left up to each college, I am hopeful that all institutions will offer some flexibility this spring as thousands of families and college access professionals navigate these changes.

Its not too late, for the 24-25 academic year, you can still apply for the FAFSA at studentaid.gov