Today's Article

"You never know what federal aid you might 3be eligible for." 

The new FAFSA- which will 4determine federal aid eligibility for the 2024-25 academic year has 5reduced the number of questions for students, from as many as 108 to as few as 18. 

The Department of Education says some applicants can complete the form in less than ten minutes.

The 6revamp- approved by Congress in 2019 and 2020- is a response to 7criticism that the previous process was too 8complicated, and simplifies applications in two major ways. 

First, a tool connected with the 9IRS will allow all applicants to pull appropriate tax data from their parents' most recent income tax filings, with their parent's 10consent. 

"The student will go in and say yes, you can pull any information on file at the IRS for me and then the parent will also go in and do the same."

Second, applicants can now skip questions that just aren't 11relevant to them. Also 12revise the way aid is calculated. 

That's expected to boost the number of lower-income students eligible for federal Pell grants, which do not need to be 13repaid. 

But, the new calculations 14eliminate the so-called '15sibling discount', where students who had a sibling enrolled in college were eligible for more aid. 

Colleges will begin to receive applicant data in late-January, setting a tight clock for institutions that typically send aid award letters in March. 

"They will be 16scrambling to get those turned around so that students and families have 17adequate amount of time so that they can consider all of their options and make their 18enrollment decision."