Last year, Ellen Lubbers and her parents almost decided not to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA.
We knew we wouldn't get much aid
and it's so long we initially thought it's not worth the bother said Lubbers, an Ohio University freshman studying biological sciences.
But now Lubbers says she is glad they filed the form.
As the economy goes down people are having more trouble (paying for college) and just having done (your FAFSA) puts you in the pool (for financial aid)
she said.
With the economic recession, more and more families are turning to financial aid consultants to help them fill out the complicated form as the federal government considers ways to simplify it.
Too much red tape
The FAFSA, created in 1992, is used by the U.S. Department of Education to distribute its $83 billion in loans and grants to eligible students. It estimates how much a family can contribute to a student's college education. The form consists of 137 questions and can be filled out as an eight-page form or online.
During his campaign, President Barack Obama promised to streamline the financial aid process by eliminating the FAFSA and letting families check a box on their tax forms to get aid, according to change.gov, the former Web site for the Office of the President Elect.
Although no specific efforts have been made to eliminate the FAFSA yet, former Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings proposed reducing the form to 27 questions, according to a news release.
Another potential fix is to link the FAFSA with the Internal Revenue Service so that people's income tax returns can automatically be used to determine their aid eligibility, said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of the free financial aid Web site, finaid.org.
Kantrowitz testified in favor of simplifying the FAFSA in 2006 at the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance.
Although simplifying the FAFSA would make it easier to fill out, some state colleges could create their own financial aid form, which could be just as confusing, Kantrowitz said.
If the FAFSA does change, OU will probably change its financial aid process, said Soni Williams, director of the university's Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
Being a state institution
I don't foresee that we would go down that path (of having our own forms)
she said. If it's good enough for the federal government
it's good enough for us.
More need than ever
Although the form has yet to be simplified, more people are applying for federal financial aid this year.
FAFSA applications at OU are up 4 percent so far, Williams said. At the end of February last year, 11,643 students had submitted a FAFSA, compared to 12,107 this year. OU students need to complete their FAFSA for next school year by Sunday, Williams said.
This increase mirrors a nationwide trend. The Department of Education has received about 1.5 million more FAFSA applications this year compared to the same time last year.
More people are affected by the recession
even people with upper level incomes who have college savings are hurting
said Mary Fallon, senior director of communications for Student Financial Services Inc., a company that offers financial aid consulting services to students and their families at www.fafsa.com.
The company collects financial information from clients and completes their FAFSA forms in 20 minutes for a fee ranging from $80
to $100.
Student Financial Services has seen a 35 to 40 percent increase in calls and online requests for help since the beginning of the year, Fallon said.
Although it might be beneficial for students to seek help if they are applying to a private school, Williams said she doesn't recommend students at OU use a consultant for their FAFSA.
A lot of the application is not really that overwhelming
she said. Try to go through it a little. Don't assume you can't do it. If you are having trouble with a specific question
highlight it and ask.
The Financial Aid office has advisors who can help students or parents with questions and counselors who can meet with students with complicated situations.
Tax consultants and high school guidance counselors are also good sources of information. Although they won't fill out the form, they can help answer specific questions, Williams said.
Dan Decker, a senior studying sports management, learned how to fill out his FAFSA at a workshop at his high school. He has completed his own FAFSA for the last four years.
Although the form is long, Decker said he needs the financial aid it provides him.
It's just what you've got to do
