May 30, 2024 By Brad Hundt 4 min read

Filling out financial aid forms is hardly a task that fills anyone with joy, but this year it has been particularly burdensome.

That’s because the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that was rolled out earlier this year has been marred by glitches and snafus, and has left some graduating high school seniors uncertain about how much or any financial aid they will be receiving and what college or university they will be attending in the fall.

Janet Toth, a counselor at Charleroi High School, said that she has had to help students with the forms “more than ever before.”

“I usually try to stay out of that business,” she added. “This year, I have had to answer more questions and go into kids’ applications more than ever before.”

The root of the problem is with a form that the U.S. Department of Education promised would be simpler, but has instead become an albatross around the necks of applicants. There have been numerous reports of delays, technical problems, and processing issues. The form became available on Dec. 30, three months after its typical release date. This has left some students in limbo on where – or if – they will be attending college in the fall, and how much aid they will receive.

At the beginning of April, the education department reported that about 30% of all applications had potentially been affected by data or processing errors.

“It has affected a lot of students with the delays in processing,” according to Courtney Baker, scholarship coordinator at Uniontown High School. She pointed out that local entities that distribute scholarship money rely on information from the FAFSA, and that has slowed the process down.

“It has caused a big problem,” Baker said.

State officials are urging students and their families to complete the FAFSA before Saturday in order to get state financial aid. Dr. Khalid N. Mumin, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, said in a news release, “It is imperative that students planning to attend college next year fill out the FAFSA to ensure they aren’t leaving money on the table. Thousands of dollars in aid are available to help students pursue postsecondary education without taking on unnecessary debt, and the key is submitting an application for free student aid before (Saturday).”

Because of the problems with the FAFSA, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency extended the deadline to complete the form to Saturday. Not only are federal and state aid and local scholarships determined by the FAFSA, but also work-study funds and institutional aid.

Completion of the forms has dropped nationally compared to last year, with some characterizing it as being at “crisis-low levels.” What isn’t clear, though, is whether the decline is being driven by problems with the form or whether more students are forgoing attending a college or university. If the numbers do not increase, experts say there could be at least 4% fewer students enrolled at American colleges or universities this fall, with the overwhelming majority of those not enrolled coming from low-income families, or from families with parents who did not go to college.

The drop in FAFSA completion is reflected in Washington, Greene and Fayette counties. According to the National College Attainment Network, applications have fallen by almost 16% across Greene County’s high schools, 12% in Washington County and 23% in Fayette County. Some schools have seen declines that are particularly steep – there are 40% fewer students who have completed the FAFSA at Brownsville High School compared to last year, 35% fewer at Avella, and 35% fewer at Mapletown Junior/Senior High School.

The drop in applications could also be driven by a belief that applying is basically futile, Toth said.

“Some families believe they don’t qualify for anything,” she explained.

And though this year has been particularly trying, Baker is crossing her fingers that the problems with the FAFSA will eventually be ironed out.

“Hopefully they can get it in order and they won’t have to deal with it next year,” she said.