FAFSA delays pushing financial aid packages to June - no time to compare schools?

Yep, we're in the same boat. My son has 5 acceptance letters and ZERO financial info. Normally aid packages would come out 4-6 weeks after acceptance letters, which gave plenty of time to compare before May 1 decision day. Now with this FAFSA nightmare, schools don't even have the data they need to make offers! I called two of his schools yesterday. School 1 said "hopefully by mid-May" and School 2 said "we're still waiting on government data transfer, so June is likely." THIS IS INSANE.

Historically, financial aid packages would arrive between February and early April, giving families approximately 4-8 weeks to review offers, submit appeals, and make informed decisions before the traditional May 1 commitment deadline. This year is unprecedented due to the FAFSA Simplification Act implementation delays. The Department of Education didn't even begin sending SAI calculations to schools until March 21, and most schools are still receiving data in batches. Schools can't generate accurate aid packages without this information. If your decision deadline is June 1st, I recommend: 1. Contact each school's financial aid office directly to explain your concern 2. Ask if they can provide an estimated aid package based on previous FAFSA information if you're a continuing student 3. Request an individual extension beyond June 1st if packages arrive late 4. Ask if they'll waive deposit fees if you need to change decisions after receiving aid info Most institutions understand this predicament and are being more flexible than usual with deadlines this cycle.

lol welcome to the great FAFSA disaster of 2024... my kid committed to his second choice school yesterday because they were the ONLY ONE that gave him an aid package! cant wait around forever when apartments near campus are filling up fast too

I work in college admissions (not financial aid specifically) but here's what I can tell you about the situation: In typical years, most schools aim to get financial aid packages out 2-3 weeks after acceptance letters, which traditionally gave families the entire month of April to compare offers before the May 1 deadline. Some highly organized schools even got packages out in March. This year, the FAFSA processing delays have created a cascade effect. Schools didn't start receiving SAI calculations until late March, and many are still waiting on complete data for their applicant pools. Without accurate SAI numbers, financial aid offices can't assemble accurate packages. The June 1 deadline extension is happening at most schools nationwide, but you're right to be concerned about getting packages on or near that same date. Your best approach is to: 1. Contact financial aid offices weekly for updates 2. Ask if they can provide preliminary estimates while you wait for official packages 3. Request a personalized deadline extension if packages arrive too close to June 1 Most schools are being extremely flexible this year because they recognize this is a systemic problem not caused by students or families.

I finally got through to someone at my daughter's top choice after trying for days. They said they're sending aid packages in batches as they get the FAFSA data, but admitted they're way behind. The person I spoke with actually suggested we put down deposits at multiple schools to hold spots until aid packages arrive! That's potentially THOUSANDS in deposits that might not be refundable! This whole situation is ridiculous.

after trying to call financial aid offices 50+ times this week and getting nowhere, i finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. got through to 3 different schools in one afternoon! one confirmed they won't have aid packages until at least May 20, another said early June, and the third actually offered to give a preliminary estimate over the phone. at least i have some info now. they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ personally i think schools should be REQUIRED to extend decision deadlines if they can't provide aid info at least 2 weeks before the commitment date. how is this fair to anyone?

The whole FAFSA simplification thing was SUPPOSED to make this process easier but instead it's a complete disaster. My neighbor's kid is first-generation college student and they're completely lost in this process with ZERO guidance because even the school counselors don't know what's happening. The system is BROKEN.

our financial aid finally came yesterday!!! literally called my daughter at school crying because one package was SO MUCH BETTER than we expected. don't give up hope! they explained that they're prioritizing packages for students who listed their school as first choice on fafsa. did you guys put the schools in preference order when you submitted? that might be affecting which ones come first.

As we navigate these unprecedented FAFSA delays, here's what financial aid administrators are saying behind the scenes: 1. Most schools are processing aid packages as quickly as they receive SAI data from the Department of Education 2. Many institutions are creating contingency plans for students who commit without aid information, including extended decision windows and modified refund policies 3. Some schools are offering preliminary aid estimates based on previous year formulas (though these could change) 4. Almost all schools understand this is not the fault of students and families If your student absolutely must decide by June 1st without aid information, ask the financial aid office these specific questions: • "If I commit now and later find your aid package insufficient, what specific policies do you have for releasing me from my commitment?" • "Will I receive a full deposit refund if I need to change my decision based on aid that arrives after the deadline?" • "Can you provide a timeline in writing for when I can expect my aid package?" Get these answers in writing (email) whenever possible.