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Dave Larsen writes about higher education.
Kelly Mori writes about health and higher education.Home > Blogs > On Campus > Archives > 2009 > June > 25 > Entry
Obama administration simplifies FAFSA
The White House on Wednesday, June 24, unveiled a plan to simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the six-page form commonly known as FAFSA.
President Barack Obama had promised during his campaign last year to do away with the form, which critics say discourages some low-income students from applying to college.
The plan announced Wednesday doesn’t go that far, but it will greatly simplify the process of applying for student aid, while creating momentum for broader change going forward, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan presented the plan at his first White House press briefing, highlighting several changes that do not require Congressional approval.
This summer, the Education Department will take advantage of existing technology on the Web-based FAFSA to allow married or independent students to skip questions about their parents, among others, according to Inside Higher Ed.
In January, the department will stop requiring students with low incomes to answer questions about their financial assets.
The department also plans to ask Congress to strike from the form dozens of questions about family income and assets, and allow some applicants to retrieve tax data to answer many of the remaining questions, according to the Chronicle.
“With students and families more worried than ever about how to pay for college, the Obama administration’s actions to simplify the financial aid process couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Laura Asher, president of the Institute for College Access & Success.
“The important changes announced today will help make the federal student aid application a gateway rather than a barrier to college,” Asher said.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Higher education politics
Comments
By Anon
June 25, 2009 11:58 AM | Link to this
“President Barack Obama had promised during his campaign last year to do away with the form, which critics say discourages some low-income students from applying to college.” That pretty much means low-income people are stupid and can’t read or understand what they are reading…and maybe lazy as well.By Agreed
June 25, 2009 12:22 PM | Link to this
Anon: I completely agree with you. I have filled out the FAFSA form, and in no means is it difficult to understand (as long as you have your tax information on hand. I would have to say that laziness would play the biggest role.By With You Both
June 25, 2009 2:09 PM | Link to this
I have filled it out every year since 2003 (I go 6-9 credit hours a quarter) and it’s not rocket science. You would either have to be lazy or not smart enough to go in the first place which either way is a waste of financial aid that would benefit someone worthy.By Brian
June 25, 2009 4:51 PM | Link to this
Just another example of the administration’s hand-holding even the most trivial of tasks. Must be nice to want to have someone babysit everything in life. What will these people do when life puts something really challenging in front of them? (Call the babysitter, of course.)