"ED's Efforts to Address FAFSA Delays Amid College Financial-Aid Application Plunge"

The U.S. Department of Education is implementing a "FAFSA College Support Strategy" to address the rocky rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms, which has been plagued by delays and setbacks. However, experts believe the efforts may be "too little, too late," as colleges are facing significant delays in receiving applicant information, potentially impacting the timing of financial aid award letters. Additionally, fewer students are filing for financial aid this year, with only 3.6 million FAFSAs submitted so far, compared to the usual 17 million. Issues with completing and submitting the form, particularly for non-U.S. citizen parents, are also contributing to the challenges.