Miami Dade College is providing crucial support to students navigating the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a vital resource for many in achieving their educational goals.
The U.S. Department of Education postponed the launch of the 2024-25 FAFSA form to implement changes including making it faster to complete.
"We see a big improvement, because the application before was 108 questions, right now it has 41,” Berta De Leon, Director of the Financial Aid Office at Miami Dade College’s North Campus.
Despite glitches during the rollout, De Leon notes that students are finding the process smooth. "A lot of the students, they are impressed," said De Leon.
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Daniela Martinez, entering her third year of college completed her application in just 10 minutes. "I remember when I did my last application it took like 30 minutes, but it’s incredible,” said Martinez.
The process requires each person involved in the application to set up a Federal Student Aid account and complete their portion of the form. In Martinez's case, her parents are not part of it, but for others applying, it could impact the time required to complete the application.
De Leon emphasizes the importance of this application, stating, "the application is the base of everything if they don’t complete the FAFSA they might not be entitled for additional grants, even those students that are not eligible for financial aid we have special grants just assigned for that type of population.” She also reminded students that federal student loans require completing the FAFSA.
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However, it's important to note that the new application launched with Consumer Price Index numbers from 2020, not accounting for recent inflation increases. The Department of Education has announced that it will update these numbers, potentially resulting in up to $1.8 billion more in aid for college-bound students applying this year.
The Department of Education provides online assistance at StudentAid.gov for those facing errors or problems completing the form, along with live chat options for additional support.
