Navigating the ‘Better FAFSA’ changes: A step-by-step guide for a smooth application process.
And How Educators Can Help Students Overcome Them
FAFSA completion is a crucial step for high school seniors to access federal financial aid, but the process can be overwhelming. Learn how educators can support students in overcoming challenges like understanding terminology, gathering documents, and navigating technical issues. Explore tips and solutions to help students confidently complete the FAFSA and unlock opportunities for higher education
High school counselors work overtime to guide seniors during the college application season. Traditionally, this is the time of year that most seniors are applying not only for college but also for financial aid. It’s a process, for sure!
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an essential step for students pursuing higher education. From gathering financial documents to understanding eligibility, the process can be overwhelming, especially for first-time applicants. Despite the challenges, completing the FAFSA allows students to access federal grants, loans, work-study opportunities, and state and institutional aid, significantly reducing the financial barriers to postsecondary education.
To make college a reality, the school community plays a vital role in increasing FAFSA completion rates for the benefit of the student. It helps overcome barriers such as confusion about the application process, lack of awareness about deadlines, or even misconceptions about eligibility. According to data from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), 92% of high school seniors who completed the FAFSA enrolled in college by the November following graduation, compared to lower enrollment rates among those who did not complete the application. Some school districts require students to complete the FAFSA application as a graduation requirement because every student, regardless of economic background, should have the opportunity to pursue a postsecondary education. The FAFSA is a key instrument in making higher education attainable. Increasing its completion rates, with the dedicated support of educators, can open doors for many students, enabling them to achieve their academic and career aspirations.
For more insights and tips on how to help students complete the FAFSA, check out our blog post “A Guide to the New Better FAFSA: Everything You Need to Know.”
and How to Overcome Them
FAFSA launched a new “Better FAFSA,” which aimed to simplify the financial aid process for students and families. These improvements were an attempt to make higher education more accessible by streamlining the application and expanding eligibility for aid. But along the way, many families faced challenges.
This blog post will highlight FAFSA’s persistent challenges and the ongoing need for support to ensure all students can fully take advantage of available financial aid with the continued efforts of educators and the school community.
Understanding FAFSA Terminology
Many students find FAFSA terminology confusing, making the process daunting. Educators and support staff can help students understand the essential terminology so they can complete the FAFSA every year.
Below are standard terms and their definitions:
- FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the form used to apply for financial aid.
- SAI (Student Aid Index): An eligibility index number calculated using the information provided on the form. The SAI considers student income, family income, assets, household size and other factors. Students will receive the SAI after the student and the contributor have applied.
- Contributor: A contributor is anyone (the student, the student’s biological or adoptive parent, or the spouse of the student’s parent) who is required to provide information on the FAFSA form, sign the FAFSA form (FSA ID), and provide consent and approval to have their federal tax information transferred directly from the IRS into the form.
- SAR (Student Aid Report): A summary of FAFSA information.
- FSA ID (Federal Student Aid ID): Is used to log in and sign the FAFSA. The FSA ID is an important feature that is needed to complete the FAFSA. It is considered an electronic signature for both the student and the parent(s).
- Dependency Status: Determines whether students need to include parental information.
- COA (Cost of Attendance): The total cost of attending a school, including tuition, fees, and living expenses.
Educators can explain these terms with relatable examples to make them more accessible.
Accessing Required Documentation
Gathering required documents can be challenging, especially for students from families unfamiliar with financial processes. Families may not have these documents readily available or may not understand how to retrieve them, so we must prepare the students to have these conversations with their families in advance.
- Social Security Number (SSN): For identification purposes.
- Driver’s License or State ID: To confirm identity.
- Federal Tax Returns and W-2s: For income information (usually from two years prior).
- Bank Statements: To provide information on financial assets.
- Records of Untaxed Income: Such as child support or veterans benefits.
Visit the Federal Student Aid documentation guide for more details.
FAFSA Technical Difficulties
The Better FAFSA rollout process encountered several technical issues, such as error messages and not sending the contributor (parent) link. Students who encounter various technical difficulties while completing the FAFSA can experience delays, confusion, or frustration, but these issues are often manageable with the right resources and guidance.
Account Creation Issues
- Problem: Students struggle to create their FSA ID due to input errors, system glitches, or unverified email addresses.
- Solution: Ensure all personal information matches official documents. Use a valid email address and follow up to confirm the email verification link.
- Problem: Students could not create an FSA ID for their parent(s) because a sibling had previously used it while completing the FAFSA in previous years.
- Solution: If a parent has trouble resetting the password, finding the username, or unlocking the account, contact FAFSA at 1-800-433-3243 for assistance.
Forgotten FSA ID Credentials
- Problem: Students forget their username or password, locking themselves out of their accounts.
- Solution: Use the “Forgot Username/Password” feature. Students can answer security questions or request a code sent to their registered email or phone number to reset their credentials.
FAFSA Website Downtime or Errors
- Problem: High traffic during peak times might cause the FAFSA website to load slowly, freeze, or become temporarily unavailable.
- Solution: Complete the application during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening) and avoid waiting until the application deadline.
Browser Compatibility Issues
- Problem: Certain web browsers may not support FAFSA’s website, causing errors or incomplete submissions.
- Solution: Use recommended browsers like Chrome and clear the browser’s cache and cookies before starting the application.
Error Messages During Submission
- Problem: Students may see generic error messages when submitting the form, often due to incomplete or incorrect information.
- Solution: Review the application for missing fields or errors, especially in financial and personal data.
Locked Accounts Due to Multiple Attempts
- Problem: Repeated failed login attempts can lock accounts temporarily.
- Solution: According to FAFSA, wait 30 minutes for the account to unlock automatically, or contact FAFSA customer service for assistance.
Fear of Making Mistakes/
Because the FAFSA can be overwhelming, there is a lot of pressure on students, from schools and their families, to be exact and on time. Students fear that by making mistakes on FAFSA, they won’t qualify for aid. It is our duty to make sure we help them in a way that they feel confident to complete the FAFSA and not have so much anxiety that they avoid completing it. We want to help them be as exact as possible in a timely manner.
How educators can help:
- Prepare students in advance with terminology and documentation.
- Remind students of the deadlines.
- Stress the importance of early submission, as some aid is first-come, first-served.
- Use reminders and announcements to keep students on track.
Double-check their entries. - Provide workshops or one-on-one guidance to review their FAFSA.
Reassure students that mistakes happen, and that’s okay because errors on the FAFSA can be corrected within days of submitting.
Some questions can be misleading in the student section of the application. Ideally, parents should support and be with the student when they complete the student section; however, if this is not possible, students should be aware of these questions because it can steer the student into the wrong section, and they can be denied aid. Some of the questions do not have an affirmative answer, which can be confusing to the student.
- Question: Apply For a Direct Unsubsidized Loan Only – Yes or No Answer
- Solution: Read the question carefully, including the italicized phrases that FAFSA provides for clarity.
- Question: Parent Marital Status—Divorced or Separated will lead to other questions that will determine whether one parent, both parents, and/or stepparents must be contributors.
- Never Married: One Contributor and the parent who provided more financial support
- Unmarried and Both Legal Parents Live Together: Both parents as Contributors
- Married: Both parents as Contributors
- Remarried After Being Widowed or Divorced: Parent and stepparent are Contributors
- Divorced or Separated: One Contributor and the parent who provided more financial support
Students From Mixed-Status Families
Students whose parents are undocumented can be anxious about completing the FAFSA. The most important thing to understand is that these students are eligible for federal financial aid. Parental status does not impact this eligibility. They have a right to apply for and receive aid in accordance with their financial situation.
Any U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens (such as recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA) can complete the FAFSA, regardless of their parents’ status. But the challenge is the required documentation. FAFSA requires parental financial information, but undocumented parents may not have an SSN or standard tax forms. So parents without an SSN can use “000-00-0000” in place of an SSN and submit alternative income documentation (e.g., copies of tax returns filed using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN).
However, the biggest concern is fear of deportation. Families worry that information provided on the FAFSA might be shared with immigration authorities. According to FAFSA, this data is used only for determining financial aid and is not shared with immigration enforcement agencies. As an educator, I can only support the student and their family in whatever decision they choose. This is a sensitive topic that may cause concern; however, it should not be ignored.
Supporting FAFSA Completion:
Tools and Resources
For more information, watch our webinar “Helping Students Navigate FAFSA”, where we discuss practical strategies for helping students and families successfully complete the FAFSA. From demystifying the application process to providing essential tools and resources, we provide tips for guiding students through accessing financial aid opportunities and ensuring that more students can pursue postsecondary education.
For additional resources, check out this FAFSA Messaging Template to effectively communicate with students and families about FAFSA completion. Together, we can help ensure more students have the opportunity to pursue higher education.
Simplifying the FAFSA
to Pave the Way for Student Success
With the new FAFSA, we are learning to navigate this overwhelming application. The process can burn out a student because it’s challenging, frustrating, and time-consuming. However, it’s all worth it because completing the FAFSA ensures students maximize their eligibility for aid for a postsecondary pathway they deserve to pursue.
Educators, we are constantly learning with students, but we can boost their confidence by helping them with the process through workshops, providing one-on-one support, and teaching that mistakes can be corrected. By offering consistent encouragement, educators can empower students to approach the FAFSA with confidence, as it is an imperative step toward achieving their educational goals.
Monica Selagea grew up in Chicago and attended Columbia College in Chicago and DePaul University. She is currently a high school teacher in Chicago and a Program Director for OneGoal. She also teaches at the City Colleges of Chicago.