I’m stressed about FAFSA delays!
Still stressed about FAFSA and financial aid? You’re not alone! Right now, most schools are struggling with figuring out how to provide financial aid and scholarship packages to their newly admitted students. Because of these issues, many schools are working to be flexible to help students make informed decisions and reduce stress (as much as they can). Currently, I’m fielding a lot of the same types of questions:
When will I get my financial aid package?
My college’s FAFSA application deadline is approaching but I can’t complete the application. What do I do?
How do I handle FAFSA and scholarships? When do I apply for one or both?
I have to accept my enrollment offer soon but I still don’t know how much aid I'm being offered. What do I do?
There’s a lot of chaos, madness, and confusion going on in the financial aid world. The first thing we’re going to do is pause, take a breath, and remember that lots of students are experiencing similar issues. It doesn’t make the stress go away, but it reminds you that you’re not going to be the first (or last!) person to ask these questions. So, what do you do if you’re dealing with similar issues? I’m so glad you asked!
When will I get my financial aid package?
That’s a great question, and it’s going to depend on the individual school. Some colleges and universities have adopted a rolling notification process where they’re alerting students of scholarship opportunities as decisions are made. That means you should be checking your email regularly! Some schools are pushing back their notification deadlines to a later date when FAFSA info will be in. Finally, some other schools are doing batches of notifications where you get a “preliminary” offer with the caveat that you will have a confirmed number later after financial aid information is finalized. If you don’t know how your school is operating, you should (politely!) reach out and ask what their timeline is! This will help you figure out your timeline and school choice decisions.
I have to accept or decline my admissions decision, but I still don’t have a financial aid offer. What do I do?
You should contact the university ASAP! Many schools are adopting information flexibility policies, even if they’re not publicly announcing them, and will work with students on deadlines if they don’t have a financial aid package. You should (politely!) reach out to the college’s financial aid office, explain you have not received a financial aid offer, ask for a timeline, and ask for an extension on your enrollment decision. Most schools are being very flexible with students encountering this issue.
My school’s FAFSA application deadline is approaching, but I still can’t log into the application to complete it!
If you cannot access the FAFSA due to a number of reasons, you should contact your school’s financial aid office immediately and explain what is happening. After you’ve explained that you cannot access the application, ask for a deadline and ask what their timeline is. Like my above answer, most schools are understanding and will work with you!
Should I still be applying for scholarships outside of the FAFSA?
YES - even in a “normal” year, you should be exploring every financial resource opportunity you can find! If you’re school has their own scholarship application system, apply ASAP. if your teachers give you a scholarship application, you should submit it! If you hear about a scholarship from the local Rotary or Kiwanis Club, apply for it! FAFSA is one financial aid resource. You should apply to as many scholarships as you possibly can! (Also, remember my tips about seeing if a scholarship is a scam or not.)
If you haven’t sensed a theme so far, the most important action item you can take right now is communicating with your college or university, sharing what you’re experiencing with the FAFSA system, and ask relevant questions! Be polite, be honest, and be patient if it takes a little bit to get a definite answer. Colleges and universities are crossing a lot of hurdles to get financial aid packages, so we should all give each other a little grace this year! But you can never go wrong with just asking questions to get a better understanding of timelines and processes!
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