JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Millions of students and families in Florida may try to log on to a website Thursday that could save them thousands of dollars on college, only to have the sign-up process not work.
The new roll-out for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA, has been rocky, according to families signing up and education experts helping them. "Rolling blackouts" and a much shorter timeline are a few of the issues they say they’re dealing with.
The updated FAFSA sign-up mandated by Congress is supposed to make the process easier on families, but because of how it's rolling out, experts say it could cost them.
"These are my twin sons," Rosalind Dexter-Harris said while showing First Coast News a picture on her phone.
Dexter-Harris says her family is paying for two college tuitions at the same time.
"Since they took away that it benefits you, that you have two in college, I'm really kind of concerned to see how the new formula will work for me and my family,” Dexter-Harris said.
That’s one issue mothers like Dexter-Harris are concerned about. Another concern has to do with the shorter timeline to sign up.
Usually, the University of North Florida gives student aid packages to families to look over by Thanksgiving, according to the university’s assistant vice president in that office. This year, the website for the new roll-out for applications went live less than two weeks ago.
Anissa Agne, assistant vice president of enrollment management and student financial aid at UNF, says this means students may not find out they need to apply for more scholarships to afford college until after those scholarship deadlines have passed.
"They may not realize that they need to," Agne told First Coast News. "And so, we're telling students: plan to apply for additional scholarships regardless."
The new FAFSA form is supposed to use a more generous formula for families. What didn't happen that was supposed to, according to experts and first reported by the Washington Post, is calculations were not adjusted for inflation. Agne says UNF will look at that and work with families.
In Clay County, the school system is helping families learn about FAFSA at events like the One Clay Parent Academy event happening Thursday at Clay High School at 6 p.m.
Tabbatha Johns, Clay County school district’s secondary school counseling specialist, says there is light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to FAFSA sign-ups.
"It's getting faster and more people are able to get in," Johns said. "And the amount of time they're having to shut down is getting shorter along the way. So, that's good."
Johns says the FAFSA website is usually available between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., but not in the evenings. She advises trying to log on as soon as possible because you have to wait a few days for your account to be verified.