It’s all the real FAFSA. A soft launch is “the release of a new product or service to a restricted audience or market in advance of a full launch.” Basically, web traffic is going to be restricted (slowed) at first. Once bugs are worked out - no one knows when that will be - the user experience should be normal.
4 Likes
I’m not sure it will launch today. The original note on the website said 1 pm, then was later updated to 3:30 pm. It now just says it’s unavailable & check back later.
1 Like
It is open as of now.
I am not able to access it.
They are limiting the number of people per day so it probably filled already, but I am in the form and working through it.
You must have gotten in at just the right time. Good luck with your submission.
Thanks. I’m already stuck 10 minutes in though, lots of bugs it looks like. They had over a year for this and they still can’t get it right.
I know…it’s not like they didn’t know this was coming…and they sure are cutting it down to the line getting this new form ready for submission by all.
i don’t have access either… wondering if this will reduce the aid i get because i heard that it’s first come first serve?
You have to be MANY months behind schedule (like filing in April or later) for this to even affect you.
2 Likes
Oh wow, really? Everyone’s I’ve heard is like “fill it out the minute it comes out” because you get more aid that way… that’s crazy
Earlier is better, but it’s not necessary to be “first.”
In FSA’s defense, their systems are not exactly state of the art. And much of their work has to be done by vendors & then coordinated by FSA. I used to think that they weren’t doing their jobs until I started going to federal aid conferences and understanding that- like other federal agencies such as IRS & SSA - they don’t have the kind of technological infrastructure that would be considered current.
I read somewhere that FAFSA won’t be releasing the first batch of submissions to colleges until mid January so there is no benefit to trying to submit the first day. I don’t remember where I saw it, but they won’t run out of money day 1.
1 Like
Today felt a bit like when I was trying to get a COVID vaccine in 2021. I refreshed the web page every 15-20 minutes between noon and 3pm. No luck --for a long time (even as late as 2:30), the page said that it would be available “around 1pm.” Then at about 2:30, it switched to “not available. Check back later.” I know that there is plenty of time, but I just want this whole processto be done or at least my part of it. My kid still has some RD applications to complete, but It is not just the admissions applications, D24 has several outside scholarship applications pending with early January deadlines, and they all require FAFSA submission before their deadline. Happily, I think the FAFSA itself should be pretty quick to fill out. Still I just want it done and off our plate.
1 Like
This does not instill confidence on me. But if this sort of discussion is going to continue, it needs to be on the PF, I would guess.
In the meantime, those FSA folks are really screwing around with a lot of people. And they have had a LONG time to get this done.
Schools have finite resources and typically establish an internal date for submission that is used for their initial aid packaging run. For example, they might have a priority deadline of February 1 for optimal aid - FAFSAs submitted by the priority deadline would be in line to receive the best possible aid package given their financial situation. If they don’t receive your FAFSA until after the priority deadline, you might miss out on aid you would have received if you’d submitted before the deadline (SEOG, FWS, possibly some institutional grants). Of course, you might have a financial situation such that you would not have received more aid had you filed earlier … but because Federal Work Study is often awarded first come, first served, even those who wouldn’t have received grants had they filed earlier might miss out on work study if the wait too long.
The FAFSAs won’t be transmitted to schools until late January, but they will be dated as of the date the FAFSA was accepted by the federal processor. That said, submitting early means early … not immediately. So don’t stress if you miss out on the soft launch.
And I’ll add…back in the day when my kids applied to college, the FAFSA didn’t become available for submission until January 1. BUT most people submitted in February once they had completed their income taxes for the prior year.
Somehow, the colleges all made that work…as did the students.
I’m guessing this will all be just fine!
4 Likes
I agree. I really don’t think it will be a problem for most students. (Financial aid offices will just put it in overdrive and scramble to make sure that they get information to students as soon as humanly possible.)
2 Likes
It just (re)opened now.
https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
We’re going to wait until after S24 is done with RD apps (about a week). Hopefully the dust will have settled by then.
2 Likes
@kelsmom this language states that if equal support from divorced or separated parents, or unmarried, or parents don’t support …that the parent with the higher income is used. I think that is different from what you had mentioned earlier about if the parents don’t support.
Sounds like it is no longer the information from the last year the kid got support, but rather the higher income parent. Am I reading that correctly?
Provide information about the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months. If both parents provided an exact equal amount of financial support or if they don’t support you financially, provide information for the parent with the greater income or assets.