FAFSA shows 24-25 application instead of 25-26 for incoming freshman - did I start the wrong form?

yes ur doing the wrong year. 24-25 is for ppl attending college starting THIS fall (2024). for NEXT fall (2025) u need the 25-26 form. its not available yet tho, doesnt open until December probably

You're definitely working on the 2024-2025 FAFSA, which is for students attending college between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. For a freshman starting in Fall 2025, you'll need the 2025-2026 FAFSA, which isn't available yet. The Department of Education typically opens the new FAFSA in December of the preceding year, so you should be able to start the correct application in December 2024. Unfortunately, you'll need to wait until then to submit the correct application. The good news is that you'll have plenty of time - most college priority deadlines for Fall 2025 freshmen will be in February or March 2025.

OMG this whole FAFSA system is such a NIGHTMARE!!! Why don't they make it clearer which form is for which year?? I spent THREE HOURS last year filling out the wrong form and then had to start all over again. And then when I finally submitted the right one, they flagged us for verification and we had to submit like 50 more documents. The whole thing is designed to make it impossible for students to get financial aid!!!

The year in the FAFSA application (24-25) refers to the academic year your daughter would be attending college. Since she's starting in Fall 2025, you need the 2025-2026 FAFSA, which will be available in December 2024. However, there's a silver lining here: you've essentially gotten a practice run with the new FAFSA format. The Department of Education completely redesigned the form last year, so having this experience will make completing the correct form much easier when it becomes available. I recommend making notes about what financial information was required so you can have it ready in December. Also, be aware that the 2025-2026 FAFSA will use your 2023 tax information (they use tax data from two years prior to the start of the academic year).

Ran into this exact problem when my son was applying to colleges! If she's applying for Fall 2025, you need the 25-26 FAFSA which isn't out yet. One thing to note - if she's applying Early Decision to any schools, some of them have financial aid deadlines in November, before the new FAFSA is even available. In those cases, they might use the CSS Profile instead, which is a different financial aid form used by some private colleges. Worth checking the financial aid deadlines for each school she's applying to.

I work in a college financial aid office, and this is one of the most common points of confusion we see. For a student starting in Fall 2025, you'll need the 2025-2026 FAFSA, which should be available in December 2024. While you wait for the correct FAFSA to become available, I'd recommend a few things: 1. Make sure you both have FSA IDs set up (which it sounds like you do since you started an application) 2. Gather your 2023 tax returns and W-2s (that's the tax year needed for the 2025-26 FAFSA) 3. Research scholarship opportunities - many private scholarships have early deadlines 4. Check if any of her potential colleges require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA The good news is that you're clearly planning ahead, which puts you ahead of many families!

When I was trying to reach the FSA help desk about this same issue last year, I spent HOURS on hold and kept getting disconnected. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that held my place in line and called me back when an agent was ready. Saved me so much time and frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. I'm definitely using it again when the new FAFSA comes out because those phone lines get crazy in December!

btw when the new fafsa drops in dec it gets SUPER slow the first couple weeks cuz everyones trying to do it at once. might wanna wait till like mid jan if ur deadline isnt till february or march

One other important thing to note: The FAFSA for 2025-2026 will use your 2023 tax information, but if your financial situation has changed significantly since 2023 (job loss, major medical expenses, etc.), you can submit something called a Special Circumstances form to the financial aid offices after you receive aid offers. Each college handles these differently, but they can potentially adjust your aid if your current situation is much different than what's reflected in your 2023 taxes. Just something to be aware of!

I just went through this same confusion with my daughter last month! You're definitely on the wrong form - the 2024-25 FAFSA is for students starting college THIS fall (2024), not next fall (2025). For incoming freshmen starting Fall 2025, you'll need to wait for the 2025-26 FAFSA which typically opens in December. I know it's frustrating to realize you've been working on the wrong form, but honestly it's not wasted effort! Going through it now gives you a great preview of what information you'll need when the correct form opens. I'd recommend saving a list of all the documents and financial info you gathered so you're ready to go in December. Also, double-check the financial aid deadlines for all the schools she's applying to. Some might have early deadlines that require the CSS Profile before the FAFSA is even available. Better to know now than be surprised later!

Don't feel bad about the confusion - this catches so many families every year! The FAFSA naming convention is really counterintuitive. You're absolutely right that you need the 2025-26 form for Fall 2025 enrollment, which won't be available until December 2024. One silver lining is that you've now seen the new FAFSA format (they redesigned it last year) so you'll be much more prepared when the correct form opens. I'd suggest keeping notes on what documents you needed and any questions that came up during the process. Also, while you're waiting for December, this is a great time to research and apply for private scholarships. Many have deadlines in the fall/winter before the FAFSA even opens, and every bit of scholarship money helps reduce what you'll need to borrow. Your daughter's guidance counselor should have lists of local scholarships too. You're actually ahead of the game by thinking about this now - many families don't even realize they need to fill out financial aid forms until much later!

This is such a common mistake - you're definitely not alone! The FAFSA year system is confusing because it refers to the academic year, not the calendar year you're applying. Since your daughter is starting Fall 2025, you need the 2025-26 FAFSA which opens in December 2024. While it's frustrating to realize you filled out the wrong form, you actually got a valuable preview of the process! The new FAFSA format (redesigned last year) can be tricky the first time through, so now you'll be much more prepared in December. A few tips while you wait: - Keep all those financial documents organized - you'll need your 2023 tax info for the 2025-26 form - Check each college's financial aid deadlines (some are as early as February) - Look into whether any schools require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA - Start researching scholarships now - many have deadlines before the FAFSA even opens The silver lining is that you're thinking about this early, which puts you way ahead of families who scramble at the last minute!

I made this exact same mistake when my son was applying! It's so confusing because you'd think "24-25" would be for someone applying in 2024, but it's actually for the academic year that starts in 2024. For Fall 2025 freshmen, you definitely need the 2025-26 FAFSA that opens in December 2024. The bright side is that you've essentially done a practice run with the new FAFSA system! I'd recommend taking screenshots or notes of what information was required so you can gather everything ahead of time. Also, make sure to check if any of your daughter's target schools require the CSS Profile - some private colleges need that submitted before the FAFSA is even available, especially for early decision applicants. One more tip: when the 2025-26 FAFSA does open in December, try to submit it as early as possible. Some financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and you don't want to miss out because you waited too long. Good luck!

This happens to so many families - the FAFSA naming system is really confusing! You're absolutely right that you need the 2025-26 FAFSA for Fall 2025, which won't be available until December 2024. The "24-25" form you filled out is for students starting college this fall (2024). Don't think of the time you spent as wasted though! You've gotten familiar with the new FAFSA format and know what documents you'll need. I'd suggest making a checklist of all the financial information you gathered so you're ready to go in December. While you wait, this is actually a perfect time to start scholarship hunting. Many private scholarships have deadlines in fall/winter, well before the FAFSA opens. Your daughter's guidance counselor should have local scholarship lists, and there are great online databases too. Also check if any of her target colleges require the CSS Profile - some need that submitted earlier than the FAFSA for certain deadlines. You're actually ahead of most families by starting to think about financial aid this early. When December comes around, you'll be much better prepared!