r. The great news is that the Department of Education has undertaken a significant overhaul to
simplify the application process for families. However, it’s essential to stay informed about certain
challenges that have arisen during the initial launch.

Key Updates for 2024-2025 FAFSA Submissions

Delayed Financial Aid Offers
The Department of Education has officially announced a delay in sending 2024-2025 FAFSA
submissions to colleges and universities. Unfortunately, the Department of Education doesn’t
expect to send your data to the colleges until mid-March. As a result, students can expect a
corresponding delay in the issuance of financial aid offer letters, as colleges rely on FAFSA
information to compile these offers. While colleges traditionally send their final financial aid
offer letters to students from now until April 1st, families should not expect to see their
financial aid offer letters until late March or April.

Outdated Inflation Figures
One reason for the delay is that the Department of Education failed to consider inflation in
family calculations on the new FAFSA form. This mistake would have taken away $1.5 billion
from all applicants’ potential awards. To prevent colleges from sending out incorrect offers,
FAFSA is waiting until this mistake is corrected before sharing information with colleges and
universities.

Anticipate Limited Access and Plan Accordingly
It’s crucial for families to anticipate occasional limited access to the FAFSA. The official FAFSA website
states, “We may occasionally pause access to the FAFSA form to perform maintenance and improve the
user experience.” This may lead to intermittent difficulties during the application process, but rest
assured that these measures are in place to enhance the overall user experience.

Stay tuned for further updates on the new FAFSA form for the 2024-2025 application year, and be
prepared for potential adjustments in your financial aid timeline. Our team is committed to keeping you
informed and ensuring a smooth experience as you navigate the FAFSA process.

FAFSA Experts

Our team of experienced college advisors are FAFSA experts and assist families with the FAFSA
application process every year. We stay on top of the updates so they don’t have to. We’re grateful to be
able to provide this assistance to our community and share advice when others reach out to us. RTV6

and WTHR news stations in Indianapolis recently contacted Class 101 with questions about the new
FAFSA and what families should know.
Class 101’s Randy Stegemoller spoke with Lauren Casey at RTV6, Angelia Robinson at WTHR, and Allison
Gormly on What’s The Deal on WTHR to discuss important FAFSA changes and share advice for high
school seniors and their families.

Class 101 in the News

Learn more and watch Randy’s interview with Angelica Robinson now!

Don’t stress or miss out on free aid. Call to have an expert on your side with the FAFSA application.

To schedule a free consultation, reach out to us at one of our locations:
Class 101 Brandon, FL | Class 101 Carmel, IN | Class 101 Bloomington, IN