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President Obama Simplifies the FAFSA for You
By Kathryn Knight
June 24, 2009
In a statement today, the Obama Administration announced sweeping changes to the FAFSA. Families filling out the FAFSA will no longer have to go through such a painstaking process just to see if they qualify for aid. With the new changes, the online FAFSA will see a drop from 30 screens of questions to 10, according to CNN.
The goal, according to the press release issued today by the U.S. Department of Education, is to “increase postsecondary enrollment, particularly among low- and middle-income students” through a more simplified process. Some of these changes have been put into effect already while the rest will span out over the course of a few months, culminating in the January 1, 2010 release of the newer, simpler FAFSA.
Changes to the FAFSA, according to the U.S. Department of Education:
- Instant estimates of Pell Grant and student loan eligibility—went into effect May 2009.
- Skipping questions. If you’re 24 or married, you can skip questions about your parents’ finances. Or if you’re a male over 26, you can pass over questions regarding Selective Service Registration—this change will be made throughout the summer.
- Elimination of 25 financial questions. The FAFSA will ask only financial questions that the IRS asks when citizens are filing their taxes—will go into effect in January.
According to The New York Times, an estimated 1.5 million students do not fill out the FAFSA each school year because of its intricacies. With these changes put in place by the Obama administration, the FAFSA will not only be less daunting but will also enable students to continue their education by making the most important financial aid application easier to understand and thereby complete.
To access the U.S. Department of Education’s press release on the new FAFSA as well as more plans from the Obama Administration’s Agenda for College Affordability, click here.
YvonneT23
3 months ago
Thx Prez Obama!
madelinecrespi
3 months ago
I Thank Obama To Be That Best President I Hope He Onway Be Are President,Or Iff They Have Too Change Are President ,To Give That Presidencial To His Wafe
HeatherJ693
3 months ago
Can we say 'Barakariffic'?
KeneseP
3 months ago
ambie, you can talk to the financial aid officer at your school and ask for "special consideration" of your FAFSA. Basically you tell the school that the FAFSA is not reflective of your CURRENT financial situation and ask them to make award adjustments based on the current picture. I've helped lots of students with this process and it works, sometimes it is knowing what questions to ask. Good luck!
akmgators
3 months ago
It doesnt matter what obama does.. it says in the article that it is making it eaiser to qualify ..getting the money is the hard part.. .. good luck ambie2823.Don't give up!!!
ambie2823
3 months ago
Heres what I think. I recently was denied this program due to my 2008 taxes. But heres the thing I worked until sept 2008 and then quit because I was having a baby. My husband still works but is in the army and those of you that are aware of the armys paychecks there not exactly huge. So I have to pay my tuition in full because no one will help. Its bull i havnt worked in almost a year and now I want to better myself by going to school and its costing an arm and a leg!
AlexA493
3 months ago
great! now it wont take forever! =)
MsLandry09
3 months ago
I am so happy that god gave us OBAMA--->he is the definition of change =)
jjori
3 months ago
Thank You Obamaaaa!!!
SueannW4
3 months ago
I received financial aid covering more than half of my yearly tuition. All you people complaining, just knock it off, really! People who recieve the aid get it because of their financial situations!! My mother makes less than 12k a year, she is a single parent of 4 children and I needed all the help I could get to go to school. This isnt about race at all. When you think you're struggling, there is someone else doing worse than you. Just be thankful for everything you have.
ajfresh2009
3 months ago
Thank God for a blessed President of the United States and he is in my prayers always. Adrian Bowders
RebeccaG527
3 months ago
I agree with Cecilia. I'm hispanic and got no scholarships or grants, and not because i applied late, because of my parents income. So people who use excuses like that are just ignorant.
flonfrank1
3 months ago
MIAH9 I SAY DITTO
MiaH9
3 months ago
whoever said that this benefits lazy people is so dumb. I think that this is a move where we can work smarter and not harder. If you like spending most of time reading and answering thousands of questions and you're not getting paid for it, then you have No life! Oh, and the comment about someone not getting aid because they're white is pure bull...Stop making excuses, you probably didn't get aid because you waited too late to apply...so ignorant! Anyway I think Obama made a good decision.
CeciliaR41
3 months ago
Wow how close minded. It doesn't matter what race you are you it really depends on you're financial standing.