Statement on FAFSA Reprocessing Update, Fix for Mixed-Status Families
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allie Arcese
Director of Communications, NASFAA
(202) 785-6954
[email protected]
WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 30, 2024 — On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education provided an update on the reprocessing of student FAFSA records, noting it has corrected nearly all records impacted by known data issues. The Department also shared that it has created a temporary fix to allow FAFSA applicants and contributors without Social Security numbers (SSNs) to immediately access and complete the form online.
In response to this news, NASFAA President & CEO Justin Draeger issued the following statement:
"We are pleased to see the Department make forward progress on its timeline to provide accurate student FAFSA information to colleges and universities, so they can complete the work of packaging and delivering financial aid offers to students.
It is worth noting that while we are on the cusp of May 1, which is traditionally known as "College Signing Day," many students are still waiting for critical financial aid information to make their college-going decisions — largely due to this year’s delays and data inaccuracies. Others are still blocked from completing the form entirely.
We are encouraged to see progress in communication and transparency, and we are hopeful that the Department’s temporary fix announced earlier today will clear the way for more applicants from mixed-status families to complete the FAFSA. Unfortunately, for many families, the damage may have already been done, and the proposed solution still does not fully offer mixed-status families the full benefits of the simplified form.
Even so, efforts to reach current and prospective students who have yet to complete the FAFSA must continue. For many, financial aid makes the difference between attending college or not, and everyone who is committed to college access must do all they can to encourage students to take the next steps to complete a FAFSA, and hopefully ensure students have all options available to them."
###
About NASFAA
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) is a nonprofit membership organization that represents more than 29,000 financial aid professionals at approximately 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the country. NASFAA member institutions serve nine out of every 10 undergraduates in the U.S. Based in Washington, D.C., NASFAA is the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and training for financial aid administrators.
Publication Date: 4/30/2024
