Application submissions for federal student aid among students in Kentucky’s high schools are down compared to this time last year, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education.
The rollout of this year’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) faced multiple delays. Typically, the FAFSA form opens for submissions on Oct. 1 of each year, but the form for the 2024-25 school year soft-launched on Dec. 30.
Additionally, while the Department of Education was initially supposed to begin sending FAFSA data to colleges in late January, that data only began being sent to schools in early March.
Some of the delays stem from efforts to make the form easier for students and families to fill out. The new form uses data from family IRS tax returns to determine family income. The U.S. Congress also passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in 2020 which helped reduce the amount of application questions.
Some fear that fewer FAFSA completions could result in fewer college enrollments. According to the National College Attainment Network, 90% of high school seniors who submit a FAFSA form attend college soon after graduation, compared to just 55% of high schoolers who don’t submit one.
Educators and federal officials are urging students who haven’t filled out their applications for the 2024-25 school year to do so as soon as possible.
Casaundra Newsome is a guidance counselor at Paducah Tilghman High School. She said the delay has caused concern among students and their families as they prepare to apply for scholarships and higher education admissions.
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“Sometimes the money runs out,” Newsome said. “It is a big deal. This year, when they pushed it back, there was panic.”
Newsome said it’s important that families know they are not alone in struggling to apply for FAFSA and that there is still time.
“The students and parents were very concerned they weren’t going to get the money they needed,” Newsome said. “My job for a long time was to constantly reassure them that everything is okay. This is not just around here, this is nationwide. As soon as it’s open and functioning we’ll get started.”
The U.S. Department of Education recommends students and families organize their documents, including their recent IRS Tax returns and their records of child support. The department also recommends students create their account first before their parents fill out the application.
Students can start their application on the Federal Student Aid website. According to the FAFSA website Kentucky students and families should apply as soon as possible after Dec. 31, 2023. Financial awards are made to families until all funds are used.
This story is republished with permission from WKMS. Read the original.
