‘My heart drops a little bit’: FAFSA delays leave students worried about college decisions

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – For students looking to attend college, filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is the main way to access grants, loans and scholarships to help cover the cost.

The application recently underwent a major overhaul to become shorter, streamlined and open up more opportunities for students to receive aid. However, a botched rollout of the new application caused delays in processing, leaving students across the nation unsure of how much they’ll have to pay; or if they can even attend college.

FAFSA usually opens Oct. 1, but this year, it didn’t go live until Dec. 30. When the application went up, website glitches and submission issues further slowed the process.

“I would not be surprised if it’s midsummer before some of our kids are getting to see what schools have to offer them,” Amy Carreon, who teaches AVID at Bryan Collegiate High School, said.

In past years, students will usually know how much aid they’ll receive within a few weeks of submitting their FAFSA. Colleges will use FAFSA data to determine the amount of aid they’ll offer accepted students. Without an updated FAFSA, students won’t know how much financial aid they’ll receive.

It’s stressing them out.

“They’ve checked all the boxes. They’ve set their goals really high and their expectations for themselves really high. So to see anything that is a setback for them is frustrating,” Carreon said.

Carreon said to her knowledge, only three students have received their complete aid statements so far. Normally, that information is available around March.

One of her students left in limbo is waiting to know if she’ll receive her aid statement in time for decision day, which falls on May 1.

“It’s kind of scary to think about. My heart drops a little bit,” Makayla Sauseda, a Bryan Collegiate senior, said.

Sauseda will be a first-generation college student. She’s been accepted to multiple colleges, but her ability to attend her dream school, the only one offering her a pre-med program, depends on information she still doesn’t have. She dreams of attending medical school after completing her undergraduate degree in psychology.

“The deadlines for the schools are coming close. So I need to figure out where I’m going because I feel like to me, not going to college is not an option,” she said.

Sauseda knows she’ll go to college no matter what, but feels her doctoral dreams could be at risk.

“I kind of feel a little bit bad for my freshman self because I just remember her thinking, ‘This is what I’m doing.’”

The latest update from the Federal Student Aid Office said applications and corrections are now being sent to schools within a few days of submission. Teachers like Carreon, who help students navigate the college process, hope to see those aid statements roll out soon.

“Colleges require that to determine financial needs. So there’s no way around it,” Carreon said.

Some schools have chosen to extend the May 1 decision deadline to accommodate the delay in FAFSA aid statements, giving students the chance to evaluate their options and make an informed decision.