DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – After many students faced confusion and delays in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) last year, one eastern Iowa college is hoping to make the process easier.
For many students, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the deciding factor in whether or not they can afford their education.
However, the form is not exactly user-friendly.
“Some questions might be confusing to some. When it comes to the question of who is a contributor, is it my mother, is it my father, is it my spouse, or am I the sole eligible beneficiary?” says Dawn Fleming, assistant director of financial aid at Northeast Iowa Community College.
These questions are one reason why the NICC in Dubuque helped students fill out the form for free on Saturday.
Another reason is that recent changes have made the FAFSA process even more challenging this year.
Many families have had to wait months to complete the forms, meaning they will have to wait even longer for financial assistance.
“You can imagine that this is holding them back from any future options they might consider because they are missing a very important piece of information. And that is how I can afford my education,” says Amy Gaffney, vice president of student services at NICC.
According to Gaffney, the significant delay means that many students have not yet completed the FAFSA form.
Even if classes have already started, NICC says it is not too late to fill out the form.
“That’s OK, I still encourage students to get it done, get it done. Maybe January is a good time to start,” Gaffney said.
The NICC financial aid team says that even a few minutes of help filling out the FAFSA application correctly can make a big difference in a person’s education.
“I want to be the person who helps them achieve their educational goal,” Fleming said.
The community college says it remains willing to meet with students in the future, regardless of which college they plan to attend.
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