Glitches and errors in the FAFSA process hamper enrollment efforts|The Bent Tree|CC BY-NC 2.0
The recent rollout of the new federal financial aid form, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), has disrupted colleges and universities nationwide, including Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles.
Despite getting 40% more applicants for the 2024-2025 academic year, the number of paid deposits to attend Mount St. Mary’s in the fall is 7% lower compared to last year.
The trend mirrors broader challenges across institutions as glitches and errors in the FAFSA process hamper enrollment efforts. By the end of May 2023, over half of high school seniors had completed the form, but this year, just 42% had done so.
With completion rates for the FAFSA lagging behind last year’s figures, colleges are extending deposit deadlines to accommodate the delays.
Students from mixed-immigration-status households are facing additional hurdles in navigating the FAFSA process. The ripple effects of FAFSA disruption threaten to derail college plans for many students, posing economic repercussions.