Note: Since this article was originally published, FSA has announced that the Better FAFSA will open by December 31, 2023.
With the new 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) set for a delayed opening of December 31, 2023 (as
opposed to October 1), now is the time for National College Attainment Network (NCAN) members to alert their partners and the media about the major changes coming to the form and process. Branded as the “Better FAFSA” by Federal Student Aid (FSA),
that is how NCAN has and will refer to the new form and process. Let’s dive into when you should start communicating with your partners and the media, what they need to know, and how to do so.
Talking to Your Partners
There’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that if you haven’t already started communicating to your partners on FAFSA completion about the Better FAFSA, you’re behind. The good news is that it’s never too late to start.
Utilizing the talking points outlined below, start first by alerting them about the delay in opening date and major changes (and benefits) coming. If applicable, they should make a contingency plan. This should be done as soon as possible.
Later this year as summer winds down and school is about to resume, remind them about the changes to the form and delayed opening date while also letting them know about the Better FAFSA resources, tools, and trainings that will inevitably be available
by then.
Communicating with the Media
Getting the media to pay attention to you is always a challenge, and with the Supreme Court expected to make decisions on affirmative action and student loan debt forgiveness in June, most of the media’s focus with regards to education will be on these
rulings. However, this could also serve as an opportunity to discuss the Better FAFSA. As the high court is expected to strike down both affirmative action and student loan debt forgiveness, the importance of the FAFSA and financial aid as a whole
will be magnified. Try and work this into any conversations you have. Even if the court does uphold one or both, there may still be a way to work the new form into your communication with media outlets.
In all likelihood, most media outlets will not pay attention to the Better FAFSA until closer to the opening date, as this is when students and their families (i.e., their viewers, readers, or listeners) will be paying attention. For our part, NCAN will
be doing a smaller media push before the summer begins before kicking into higher gear in the fall once the new school year starts.
Talking Points
When conversing with your partners or the media about the Better FAFSA, there are several key points that should be communicated. For the media, focus on the following:
Opening date in December, not October: The opening date for the Better FAFSA will be delayed until
December 31, 2023 as opposed to October 1. An exact date has yet to be provided by FSA but is expected long before the release date and will be shared as soon as possible. This change means that the fall college application process
for high school seniors will unfold on a different timeline this fall, and high schools should consider how to rearrange schedules for college application and financial aid assistance. The FAFSA opening date will revert to October 1 again in 2024.
More Pell Grants: The new form and process will mean more students qualify for Pell Grants. The maximum award amount for 2024-25 is $7,395 – that’s a lot of money for one year of college that doesn’t have to be paid back!
Changes are comprehensive: The changes coming with the Better FAFSA are the biggest since 1997, when the paper form went online. They also require a total redevelopment of the technology platform on which FAFSA resides.
Changes are numerous: As expected, the Better FAFSA brings with it plenty of changes as outlined in this article. Highlights
include:
All FAFSA contributors will need an FSA ID and multifactor authentication will be required when logging in to complete the FAFSA.
The number of questions on the new form has been significantly reduced.
Students will be able to list up to 20 colleges on the FAFSA.
The form is role-based, and each person will only be able to see the questions assigned to them based on their role (e.g., student, parent, or spouse).
Families with an adjusted gross income of $60,000 and higher will be required to answer questions about their assets. This is more favorable to families than the previous income threshold, which was $50,000 and only applied to families that
filed the 1040 EZ or 1040 A.
Simplification brings benefits: Despite the delayed opening date, there are numerous improvements coming to the new form which we’ve outlined here. These include:
Expansion and increased transparency around Pell Grant eligibility.
Individuals without Social Security Numbers (SSNs) will be able to obtain an FSA ID.
Data sharing with the IRS will reduce the need for verification.
Achieving provisional independence will be easier.
States need to act now: Students and families need enough time to complete the form. State financial aid deadlines need to be pushed back to April 1, as well as institutional financial aid deadlines and decision days. This will require legislative
action. Learn more about NCAN's efforts in this area.
Your partners on FAFSA completion should also be aware of everything mentioned above, plus the following:
Make a contingency plan: How will they deal with the delayed opening date? How will they communicate the delay and changes to their students and families? When will their FAFSA assistance workshops begin? These are all things to consider.
Pell Lookup Tables released: The 2024-25 Pell Grant Lookup Tables have been
released as of May 19. This essential early-awareness tool can be used to determine if students are eligible for the minimum or maximum grant. Learn more about how to use this tool here.
NCAN has a suite of Better FAFSA resources and tools: NCAN will be here to guide our members and the students they serve through the rollout of the new form. All our Better FAFSA-related content can be found on this page which will be updated as the year progresses. Resources and tools include:
“Better FAFSA” is FSA’s branding: Whether or not the Better FAFSA will indeed be “better” is subjective. However, there are many improvements coming as mentioned above.
Improvements for individuals experiencing homelessness and foster care youth: The Better FAFSA contains important new policies on youth homelessness and foster care that remove barriers and streamline assistance. Read more about this
here.
Public comment period coming: The first public comment period was open March 23-May 23 (you can read NCAN’s comments here). The next comment period will be 30 days and open in July.
Do you have any questions about conducting outreach to the media or your partners in FAFSA completion? Is there anything else you'd add? Reach out to NCAN's Communications Manager Matthew Odom at odomm@ncan.org.
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