How can the FAFSA be improved?

Although there is a belief that financial aid could greatly improve educational outcomes, there also are many reasons to question the efficacy of the nation's current system of financial aid. read more

The FAFSA can be improved by simplifying it. The complexity of the form itself acts as a barrier to access to college by the students it is intended to help. The form is much more complicated than the federal income tax return. See the discussion at First Steps Toward Simplifying the FAFSA for additional ideas. read more

The application determines how much federal aid a person will receive. After you fill out FAFSA, they get back to you with how much aid you are eligible for, and in what form of aid (ie, grants, loans, etc). Filing FAFSA can take hours, and is often complicated. read more

You can fill out the 2016-17 form as late as June 30, 2017 and possibly qualify for aid retroactively. But don’t use that flexibility as an excuse to procrastinate. If you’re planning to attend college in the fall of 2017, fill out the 2017-18 FAFSA as soon after it becomes available Oct. 1, 2016 as you can. read more