The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, more commonly known as FAFSA, will have updated changes to it for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year.
FAFSA forms changed for the upcoming school year, which includes having fewer questions for students to answer on the questionnaire portion, and a goal of helping more low-income students and their families with new formulas has been added.
Another change is the questionnaire, which in the past opened up to students in October, but will now become available in December.
Ally Taylor, a junior communication studies major, believes that having fewer questions is better for applicants.
“I think the fewer questions aspect is a good idea,” Taylor said. “When I was filling it out, it was a lot of time and stress with all the questions. I feel like [time] is a problem with loan issues.”
Alyssa Tiffe, a sophomore ASL to English interpretation major, said she agreed that the lengthy FAFSA application process was often stressful and confusing.
“I think that they’re a good idea because I’ve always struggled to get my FAFSA figured out,” Tiffe said. “Me and my dad always fight over it because he won’t work with me and expects me to know what to do, and we’re both confused the whole time.”
Other major changes to the FAFSA include consent notifications going out to individuals whose tax information is being transferred and allowing certain students to automatically qualify for the maximum Pell Grant.
Taylor said how she liked “the idea of providing the maximum grant to people that need it right away.”
With these new changes coming to the FAFSA, Tiffe supported a redesign, knowing she is not the only student who struggled with the program in the past.
“I know if I’m struggling with it, there are probably other people probably struggling with it,” Tiffe said. “So a simpler setup would help everyone.”
Additionally, the new changes will allow all students to list up to 20 schools on their FAFSA forms and require all members filling out information on a student’s form to have their own FSA ID.
For more information on the FAFSA forms, visit studentaid.gov.
Lex Ogilvie is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
