How is UNC Charlotte addressing delays in FAFSA applications?
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Students may have to wait weeks, possibly months, to find out how much financial aid they’re eligible for due to delays in the application process.
Officials with the Federal Application for Financial Student Aid hoped updates would make the application easier to complete and provide greater aid opportunities for some families. However, the updates were delayed about three months. Now students and college leaders have some difficult decisions to make.
Sarah Humphries, the director of Undergraduate Admissions at UNC Charlotte, said the typical timeline is out the window.
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“In a normal year, our priority filing deadline for the FAFSA would be February first,” she said. “Obviously, we moved that back this year to March first. And because we’re receiving the data in mid-March, we’re hoping to get financial aid awards out by early April to our new incoming students.”
Some schools are pushing back admission acceptance deadlines, but not all.
“We have not made that decision yet on our May 1 deadline,” Humphries said. “We’re kind of in a ‘wait and see’ and responding as we get new information.”
Admissions staffs across the country are working hard to prepare for the shorter turnaround time, as they aim to give students as much time to make their decisions. Humphries described it as an “all hands on deck” type of situation.
“Our Office of Financial Aid is eating and breathing and living FAFSA updates and information,” she said.
There are multiple online resources to estimate what someone’s federal aid package amount could be, as well as some on-campus resources for current students. UNC Charlotte’s Niner Central office offers one-on-one sessions.
“It may not be 100 percent accurate, but it can at least get you in the ballpark so you can start thinking about your options,” Humphries said.
In the meantime, officials say they are trying to over-communicate with the applicants and hope they can be as responsive as possible.
“Wherever you have applied, make sure that you’re reading the communication from the colleges and universities and that you’re checking your email,” Humphries said. “We know that this has been a confusing and a different year.”
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Humphries recommends applicants reach out to the admissions teams if they have any situation which may cause further delay. And to keep calm during a potentially anxiety-producing situation.
“Every college and university, every student who’s applying to colleges this year is in the same boat so, there will be maximum flexibility,” she said.
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