The Free Application For Student Aid, better known as the FAFSA form, is released annually to assist college applicants with their financial needs. Typically the form is released October 1st and is sent out to colleges starting mid-January.
Starting in the 2024-2025 form, the Department of Education introduced a new version of the FAFSA form. However, certain issues led to a delayed release of December 31st, 2023, and will not be sent out to colleges until “mid-March” 2024. With this new version, came many problems such as website crashes, incorrect questions, and more.
Another thing to come out of this new form was a new section for the parent or guardian of the applicant if they listed themselves as a dependent. This section was subject to the biggest issue, parents not having a Social Security Number. The normal workaround for this was for the parent to continue the form regardless but as Gear-Up Academic Advisors Ms. Ball and Ms. Martinez said, “The website refused to allow the student to continue if the parent did not list a Social Security Number.”
The Department of Education has promised a permanent solution to this problem but has yet to provide one. Due to the mass influx of reported problems, the Department of Education had to expand its call center and even brought many Spanish-speaking staff to cut down on the need for translators.
As for the parents who are having these issues, they must receive a case number to fix it, with this number they can submit a formal case to get help from the Department of Education. As far as Ball has seen “Even parents who submitted their case number as early as January have not heard back.”
Martinez stated that almost 50% of students applying for financial aid at HP have been affected by this issue.
Ball added, “We work day in and day out trying to fix these issues, and it’s been extremely mentally draining for everyone involved.”
It has reached the point where some students feel so dejected that they have given up on the idea of even going to college anymore.
Until the Department of Education reaches a permanent solution, parents, students, and counselors all over will continue to feel this stress and dejection. As the Gear-Up advisors said, someone must hold them accountable for the problems they have put so many families through.
Written by, Isaac Ramos Staff Writer