2008 Woodie Awards
FAFSA available electronically only
Shantrice Radford
Issue date: 1/8/08 Section: News
Prospective and current students no longer can find a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on campus.
In an effort to cut unnecessary costs, the U.S. Board of Education has announced that the FAFSA will be accessible electronically only.
"The reason why there are no more papers is simply that we don't have that many people using them," Financial Assistance Officer Felicia Chambers said.
There have been reports of schools ordering thousands of paper FAFSA forms only to have a few hundred returned by students.
Financial Assistance Director Kim Ellisor doesn't think students will be affected greatly by the change.
"Many FMU students are already doing their FAFSA online, so the switch shouldn't make much of a difference," Ellisor said. "We haven't heard any negative feedback."
Those who don't have a computer at home can access one on campus to complete the form.
"The library and computer center here will offer access," Ellisor said. "Other students can also go to local colleges for computer use."
A benefit of the electronic form is that it allows for a quicker application process. The online version takes about three to five business days, while the paper FAFSA takes four to six weeks to process. Additionally, the online form includes a problem-shooting feature to inform applicants of potential mistakes, which helps avoid delays because of errors.
According to the FAFSA Web site, about 90 percent of applicants go online to complete their forms. Junior Nayasha Prince is one of those students.
"It's just quicker going online and more convenient," Prince said.
Sophomore Toya Young also said the electronic method is faster than mailing the printed version.
"It's a good move - a lot faster and more convenient than sending it through the mail" Young said.
A PDF version of the application can be downloaded and printed from the FAFSA Web site.
Chambers recommends that students complete the FAFSA as soon as they file their taxes.
"March 1 is the priority deadline," Chambers said. "We get certain types of assistance in limited allocations, so the earlier you apply, the better chance of you being considered."
In an effort to cut unnecessary costs, the U.S. Board of Education has announced that the FAFSA will be accessible electronically only.
"The reason why there are no more papers is simply that we don't have that many people using them," Financial Assistance Officer Felicia Chambers said.
There have been reports of schools ordering thousands of paper FAFSA forms only to have a few hundred returned by students.
Financial Assistance Director Kim Ellisor doesn't think students will be affected greatly by the change.
"Many FMU students are already doing their FAFSA online, so the switch shouldn't make much of a difference," Ellisor said. "We haven't heard any negative feedback."
Those who don't have a computer at home can access one on campus to complete the form.
"The library and computer center here will offer access," Ellisor said. "Other students can also go to local colleges for computer use."
A benefit of the electronic form is that it allows for a quicker application process. The online version takes about three to five business days, while the paper FAFSA takes four to six weeks to process. Additionally, the online form includes a problem-shooting feature to inform applicants of potential mistakes, which helps avoid delays because of errors.
According to the FAFSA Web site, about 90 percent of applicants go online to complete their forms. Junior Nayasha Prince is one of those students.
"It's just quicker going online and more convenient," Prince said.
Sophomore Toya Young also said the electronic method is faster than mailing the printed version.
"It's a good move - a lot faster and more convenient than sending it through the mail" Young said.
A PDF version of the application can be downloaded and printed from the FAFSA Web site.
Chambers recommends that students complete the FAFSA as soon as they file their taxes.
"March 1 is the priority deadline," Chambers said. "We get certain types of assistance in limited allocations, so the earlier you apply, the better chance of you being considered."
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