As our senior grizzlies prepare to take the next big step into college, many are already facing one of the most stressful parts of the process: filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. But with increasing conversations about simplifying the system or completely getting rid of it, some are wondering—what else can they do to financially support my higher education?
For years, FAFSA has been the go-to form for students to apply for federal financial aid for college. It asks for detailed information about a family’s financial situation, and the data is used to determine how much financial help a student qualifies for. However, the application process is often complicated, and many students feel it could be simplified. Many have also stated it feels like a barrier between them and the funding they need to attend college.
“I’ve heard a lot about FAFSA being a really confusing and long process, just to try to get money for college,” says senior Lesley Rodriguez-Meija. “It’s a lot of work, and it feels like you’re just filling out random information. It would be amazing if there was a simpler way to get financial aid.”
Recent discussions are exploring whether the FAFSA system should be eliminated entirely or at least simplified. Lawmakers have been debating whether to replace the complicated form with a more automated system, using tax data the government already has on hand. This could potentially save students stress and hassle of filling out lengthy forms.
“I’m not eligible to receive any FAFSA money, so it’s not important to me personally, but I do know that many of my friends are relying on FAFSA as a big crutch to be able to afford college,” said senior Kate Burak. “ It wasn’t difficult for me personally, but my friends have told me it can take hours, and often miss deadlines because of how complicated the process is.”
The idea of getting rid of FAFSA has raised both excitement and concern. On one hand, a simpler system could mean less stress for students, and more families might be able to access financial aid. Under the new proposal, instead of filling out forms, students might be automatically considered for aid based on the tax information the government already has, such as income data from their parents’ tax returns.
”I know that it would be great if the application process was more simple in order to help more seniors go to college, maybe they would find college less intimidating if they knew they had more financial help,” says senior Zaydeus Palado.
However, there is caution that erasing FAFSA entirely might not be the best solution for everyone. As students already find the entire process of applying for college and financial aid to be exhausting and long, if it was to be completely gone it would be likely that the desire for higher education would go down significantly. Despite the growing calls for change, it’s unclear when or if FAFSA will be fully erased. Some lawmakers are pushing for a system where FAFSA still exists but is made simpler and faster for students to complete. Others want to completely replace it with an automatic system that could speed up financial aid distribution.
In the meantime, seniors like Lesley Rodriguez and Zaydeus Palado will still need to complete their FAFSA forms if they want to qualify for federal aid. But the future of the application process remains uncertain, and some students may find that future FAFSA forms look a lot different than the ones their older siblings filled out.
Whether FAFSA stays or goes, one thing is clear: our senior grizzlies will need to stay on top of their financial aid process to ensure they get the support they need to attend college.
