TULSA, Okla. — Changes are coming to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid which looks to simplify the application maximizing the number of applicants each year.
2 News spoke with Scholarship Owl's Director of Student Advocacy Jennifer Finnetti about the changes coming to FAFSA.
The application that previously opened in October will now be available starting in December. The delay is due to system tests to ensure the application changes function properly before the launch.
Finnetti said the application will also feature fewer questions from 108 to 36 in hopes of pushing more people to apply.
"There were a few reasons why FAFSA changes were desired," said Finnetti. "One of the main reasons is that there was a concern that a lot of families that might be eligible simply weren't submitting the FAFSA."
The application prioritizes families with the greatest financial need and makes sure they are the ones actually getting the aid.
For families with more than one student in college, the new application may not make them more eligible for federal aid. Finnetti said the number of kids in college at a given time will not increase eligibility as the application no longer sees that as a factor.
Meanwhile, students with a single parent or are parents themselves increase their eligibility and potential for federal aid.
The previous form gave applicants an Expected Family Contribution number which is now replaced with a Student Aid Index number. This change was made to clarify the terminology and improve financial aid determination.
"If the Student Aid Index number you receive is between -1500 and 0, you will be eligible for the maximum Pell Grant. Which in the 24/25 school year is going to be $7,395," said Finnetti. "If you receive an SAI number more than 0, you still may be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, but it might not be for the maximum amount."
While FAFSA is one way to apply for financial aid, many organizations and colleges offer independent scholarships to help pay for school.
Tools such as Scholarship Owl help locate applications and provide apply assist features that help maximize potential. Another way is looking at schools' websites and using resources provided by colleges and universities.
"I encourage all families to prioritize making sure they do not take on the burden of student death," Finnetti said. "Whether you are able to get federal aid grants or not you can definitely apply for scholarships."
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