As a dedicated sophomore at Marquette University, Fernanda’s commitment to her education is driven by her dream of creating a better future for herself, her family, and her community. Her ultimate goal: to become a top criminal defense lawyer and make a meaningful impact on the justice system.
This year, however, Fernanda’s path to a college degree was obstructed by significant technical issues with the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) system. “I think I cried the first day because it was so stressful and I couldn’t get anywhere,” Fernanda said. Her mother has an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) rather than a Social Security number. “In the past, using the ITIN worked fine, but this year, it wasn’t working at all,” Fernanda explained, emphasizing the added complexity of her situation.
The technical glitches affecting the FAFSA system this year have been widespread, leaving many students and families struggling with delays and errors. Megan Keller, a College Possible Wisconsin FAFSA specialist, explained that these issues have led to a 30% decrease in FAFSA completion rates nationwide. “Students were unable to log in, and even when they managed to get a few pages into the application, it would often crash or freeze,” Megan said.
In response to the crisis, College Possible Wisconsin stepped up by offering free, one-on-one help sessions with financial aid experts. During these sessions, students like Fernanda received valuable support, including utilizing laptops to complete the FAFSA, a task that can be challenging on a mobile device. In Fernanda’s case, Megan troubleshooted the application webpage and helped her sort out her student loans and financial aid before the start of the fall semester. “It’s a huge relief, but I worry about others who are still struggling,” Fernanda said. “I just hope that the system improves for next year–so many people are missing out on opportunities because of these issues.”
College Possible Wisconsin continues to work hard to help students in the Wisconsin community overcome financial aid barriers. We remain dedicated to ensuring that students like Fernanda feel empowered to navigate the complexities of the FAFSA and financial aid and achieve their educational goals.
