Created in 1992 as a way of simplifying the financial-aid application process, the FAFSA form has become so Byzantine that its critics say it scares off the families that need it the most and prevents some teens from going to college. Some families have become so frustrated with the process of filling out the form (U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says "you basically have to have a Ph.D. to figure that thing out") that they take the unusual step of hiring outside help in order to complete the application. Craig V. Carroll, chief executive of a company that charges $80 to $100 to fill out the form, says calls are up nearly 35% over this time last year.
This complexity may prove problematic. More families than ever are filing the forms this year, their first step toward a variety of federal aid that includes Pell grants, Stafford loans, Perkins loans, work-study programs, and a great deal of state aid as well. As of February 15, the Department of Education had already received 2,213,408 forms, 20% more than at this time last year.
To read the full article from the February 23 edition of The New York Times, click here.
