INDIANAPOLIS — Families all over the country are reporting issues with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) filing.
According to the National College Attainment Network, only 1.2 million high schoolers have submitted applications which is 34% lower from the previous FAFSA application cycle.
"We get calls every single day, and a family is nervous that everyone else has filed. Everyone else has their information except for them. And that's not the case,” explained Indiana Higher Education support group Invested Vice President of Communications Bill Wozniak.
“The FAFSA was delayed. It normally opens in October but this year, it opened in January,” explained Wozniak.
“Since it opened in January, there have been glitches."
The FAFSA can greatly impact the price of college for families of all income backgrounds.
"I can't tell you how many families over the years have said to us I'm not going to get financial aid,” shared Wozniak. “It’s just a shame when a family could get $3,000 to $5,000 in aid because there's so many types of aid. And then they don't get that aid, just because they didn't file.”
Due to the ongoing issues with FAFSA, some Indiana Colleges and Universities have extended their intent to enroll deadlines to accommodate students who will receive financial aid information later than usual:
Indiana University: May 15
Purdue University: May 15
Ball State University: June 1
Butler University: May 1 but will accept deposits and offer a refund of enrollment deposit through June 1.
Indiana State University: June 1
For help filling out the FAFSA form, Parents and students can reach out toInvested Indiana on their Website or visit see pro tips from the U.S. Department of education.
