Financial aid officials share how they’re advising college students now

Education Dive

Jeremy Bauer-Wolf

October 15, 2020

The clock turned over on the financial aid calendar with the launch of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) earlier this month. With fall enrollment tracking far below last year’s numbers, ensuring students are aware of their aid options is critical as the pandemic persists.

Heading into the season, three-quarters of college presidents are reporting increased expenses related to financial aid, according to an American Council on Education survey in September.

Another report, from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), found that 60% of colleges got more requests to personally evaluate financial aid awards between March and September than the same time last year.

This uncertainty among students and families has compounded an already complex process. Education Dive contacted several financial aid experts and asked them one question: What changes in the financial aid process should colleges account for during the pandemic, and how should they communicate those changes to students, families and the public?

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