Financial Aid Challenges for Summer Term Students

Posted May 29, 2024, 12:00 am by The Experts at TeenLife

USA Today recently published a story detailing the ongoing challenges with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Some students, like nontraditional and low-income students eligible for year-round government assistance, are reliant on federal dollars—like Pell Grants—to attend summer classes. But delays in FAFSA processing have created bottlenecks at many schools.

As of Friday, May 24, 2024, the Education Department said it had processed over 10 million FAFSA forms and shrunk the processing time from weeks to just three days. While the news is welcome, summer classes have already begun at some colleges and universities—and some students are still waiting for their aid.

Because colleges can't yet appeal financial aid calculations, students with special financial considerations—like those with medical conditions, family member unemployment, changes in housing status, etc—may be at particular risk of having to skip summer classes this year. To learn more, read the full article.