New FAFSA system complicates financial aid for low-income students

FAFSA — the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — is the first step in any college student's quest for need-based financial assistance. It serves as an application for tax-subsidized student loans, but most universities also use the FAFSA to determine eligibility for internal need-based scholarships.

While the FAFSA has long been available online, recent changes to the system have complicated the application process, especially for low-income students who may not have reliable internet access at home. Complaints reported by Inside Higher Ed allege that the new process is cumbersome and time-consuming, with problems including:

• The security questions, which can be used instead of email to recover a forgotten password or ID, are unusual (“Type a significant date in your life”) and difficult to correct if typed incorrectly.
• Email confirmations can take up to 24 hours, and in some cases, never appear at all.
• One method for changing a forgotten password requires a 30-minute wait.
• Accounts lock after multiple failed attempts to log in and the help-line wait can be hours. [Inside Higher Ed]

The Department of Education said it has not received any "complaints" about the new FAFSA system, but admitted that the updated site is a chief driver of "inquiries" about difficulties with the application.

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