For DePaul junior Hays Brooks, completing the FAFSA is an annual tradition to ensure financial aid for the coming school year.

With thousands like Brooks applying for such securities, effective communication between federal and university levels can help to facilitate the application process.

However, the 2024-25 FAFSA form would see a sample of new additions and revisions that disrupted the financial rollout for students like Brooks.. 

“Getting finances in order for the new school year is always a challenge,” Brooks said. “When your whole life in Chicago depends on being in school, the lack of assurance regarding your finances can disrupt everything else you’re trying to manage.” 

Brooks saw a minor delay in the submission of his form following an overhaul of the document that pushed back its release date by roughly three months. 

In line with these delays, a series of processing setbacks and communication failures halted the disbursement of financial aid packages for students nationwide. 

Disheartened by the misguided application process and persistent delays, many students chose to forgo the FAFSA entirely. Data published by the National College Attainment Network indicated a 40% decline in FAFSA completion rates through March 29 compared to the previous year.

This effect would hit hard with freshman enrollment as a survey by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities revealed that “three-quarters of 384 private institutions stated the new FAFSA had affected the makeup of incoming freshman classes.”

Since the admissions process is crucial for finalizing annual college budgets, administrators faced a significant challenge in adapting to this year’s FAFSA changes. 

“Despite the potential benefits, I knew that implementing these changes within the proposed timeframe would be difficult,” Karen LeVeque-Szawara, assistant vice president in DePaul’s Office of Financial Aid, said. “Unfortunately, the timing did not allow for a smooth delivery experience.”

Among other directives, LeVeque-Szawara said the administration sent multiple updates about the review process, hosted Q&A sessions to new incoming families for financial guidance, extended deposit deadlines and stressed internal communication from within.

She said that as of Sept. 25, DePaul has “provided awards and disbursements to the majority of our students.” 

In the fall of last year the university enrolled 21,348 total students with 2,943 being new freshmen. The department of undergraduate admissions was unable to comment on the effect such delays had on current enrollment figures.

Discouraged student applicants that have to balance academic ventures with financial security will often look towards their institutions for consultation.

Marty McCahill, a financial aid counselor in the Office of Financial Aid, remembers his experience with the FAFSA as a former student. McCahill had a brother who also worked in the Office of Financial Aid at DePaul for over a decade, and noted the emphasis he placed on completing the document. 

“He always encouraged me to fill out my FAFSA on the chance that I would someday go back to school,” McCahill said. “So, I’m very familiar with the ‘old’ FAFSA having filled it out numerous times.”

McCahill graduated from DePaul last fall and moved into his new role as a counselor in March, when many students were waiting for financial decisions. 

As the Dec. 1 FAFSA start date for 2025-26 approaches, both administrators and students wonder how the process will go.

“I believe these initial hurdles will eventually lead to a more efficient and user-friendly FAFSA process, benefiting the entire DePaul community,” LeVeque-Szawara said. “Our focus remains on continually improving our processes to better serve our students and their families.”

The 2025–26 FAFSA form will be available to the public between Oct. 1 and Dec. 1, 2024  with a submission deadline on June 30, 2026.

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