KIPP New Jersey reposted this
Across the country, high school seniors are anxiously awaiting letters from colleges informing them whether they got accepted and how much financial assistance they will receive. Their anxiety has just increased with yesterday’s announcement from the Department of Education stating that colleges and universities will receive Free Application for Federal Student Aid applicant data as late as mid-March. While the reason for the delay is a good one---the Department fixed an error in how aid eligibility is calculated---the consequences are less so. The delay has a domino effect: College financial aid offices will be delayed as late as April in sending out packages, leaving students insufficient time to compare offers and negotiate aid before they’re expected to commit to a college in early May. That only gives them barely a month to make one of the biggest decisions of their lives. Who will be most hurt by this are first-generation and low-income students KIPP serves, the kids least able to wait to see whether they can afford college. The uncertainty may prompt them to not consider more selective colleges with high sticker costs, but with more resources to help them graduate. KIPP hopes the Department moves quickly to rectify this grave situation and ensure young people aren’t stuck between a rock and a hard place. Their futures depend on it. https://lnkd.in/drrnfnGT
Farhad Asghar
5mo
Thanks for sharing. The consequences are worrisome.
Brian Vohden
5mo
You wouldn't shop for a car without knowing the full prices....I don't know how a student and their family makes an educated decision with this latest FAFSA issue. Tough year for these kids.
Agreed. This is an unfortunate additional barrier to the already challenging application, decision and financing experience for many.
I holistically agree Shavar Jeffries. In the words of the late and great bell hooks, “Education as the practice of freedom affirms healthy selfesteem in students as it promotes their capacity to be aware and live consciously. It teaches them to reflect and act in ways that further self-actualization, rather than conformity to the status quo.”
Michael Raub
5mo
As a father of a high school senior, this pain is all too real!
Your tax dollars at work. Completely unacceptable
William Crawley
5mo
This guy should be fired.
Mmmmm😒
Educator | Innovator | Entrepreneur | Social Justice Ally
5moBetter yet, how about DoE funding a year of college for all students in 2024-25 as they work out the bugs! I work in IT and thus do understand the complexities of these types of system updates but as a father of a kid who is actively applying and being held to deadlines for applications, if the DoE is going to miss their own deadline for deploying a bug-free system then there should be some consequences and ones that don't impact students who have worked hard to meet all of these deadlines!