Without financial aid, a college degree is simply not an option for low-income, first-generation (LIFG) students. Delays and failures in this year’s rollout of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) have left millions of college-intending students and their families in a dilemma. This includes SEED students who are planning to start college this fall, and graduates currently enrolled in college.
The FAFSA is Critical
Completion of the FAFSA is a major predictor of college intention and college enrollment. It determines eligibility for financial aid, including Pell Grants, federal loans, state aid, and many scholarships. Additionally, colleges use it to determine their financial aid awards for students after they are accepted, allowing students to make informed college financing choices.
At SEED, our students begin learning about financial aid in their junior year of high school and kick off their senior year ready to apply and to evaluate the full cost of college—with the goal of amassing little to no debt. As soon as the FAFSA is released—which is traditionally in October—our students are working with their college counselors, attending FAFSA completion nights with their families, and submitting their forms as early as possible. This advance preparation is key to building a manageable plan to pay for college. Unfortunately, this year’s challenges with the FAFSA, including its late December release, have piled added stress and doubt to an already complex process. “Enrolling in college is such a major decision for our families and the delay with the FAFSA is creating a level of uncertainty. There is a resurgence of the national narrative that college isn’t worth it and the debacle with the FAFSA seems like one more proof point that the college pathway is not for them,” shared Quinton Lampkin, director of college transition & success.
FAFSA Overhaul was Overdue
The idea to streamline the FAFSA was a good one—and long overdue. The FAFSA Simplification Act, passed by Congress in 2020, was intended to make the arduous process of applying for aid easier onstudents and families. It reduced the number of questions from 108 to 46. It significantly increased the number of students who are eligible for the maximum Pell Grant award (Pell Grants are government grants of up to $7,395 available to students with the greatest demonstrated financial need). It also reduced the burden on students who have been homeless or in foster care. “While this has been frustrating and challenging, the revisions to the FAFSA are positive. Sitting down and doing the form with students has been much more efficient. Another benefit is the expansion of the Pell Grants. The changes have moved the needle on something that has been a barrier for low-income students for a long time. Anytime there is an overhaul of a system there are going to be glitches. What has been difficult is the scale of impact,” says Mr. Lampkin.
Mounting Setbacks
The delays continue to have cascading effects. College financial aid offices will not receive FAFSA application information from students until March at the earliest. This means college-bound seniors will not know how much colleges expect them to pay until sometime in April. Many colleges require students to commit and pay deposits by May 1 which leaves precious little time to make one of the most significant financial decisions of their life. Though some colleges have moved this date later, as college success professional associations such as the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and others have urged, students cannot rely on extra time.
The FAFSA is not just for high school seniors. Enrolled college students also must fill it out every year. To continue their education, SEED graduates such as college junior Harri-Anna (SEED Miami ‘21, Howard University ‘25) need to plan and budget carefully. “The delay of FAFSA has definitely impacted me as a current college student. I normally am prepared to submit my FAFSA no later than December, but with the delays I have just recently completed everything. I am a bit worried because I have never done it so late and I am not certain if there will be any changes to my financial aid,” says Harri-Anna.
SEED Scholars and Staff Persist
This is what SEED does. We have been at the forefront of ensuring that our students have what they need to get through the financial aid process, including the critical component of the FAFSA. When the award notifications finally come in, our college success advisors are going to do what they do best. They will review the letters with our high school seniors line by line, calculate tuition and living costs, scholarships, and loan amounts so students can make the most informed decision. We are in constant contact with our graduates as they figure out how they will finance their path to college completion. And we will be with graduates through the summer and all school year to help them through hurdles as they arise. “We are fortunate that our students can trust that our counselors and advisors will do our part. We are going to work with them to get everything submitted. However, I am concerned for other low-income, first-generation students that don’t have the same resources that SEED students have,” shared Mr. Lampkin.