Here are 3 major injuries inflicted by last year’s FAFSA on fall enrollment
Alcino Donadel
November 13, 2024
Issues related to last year’s FAFSA have significantly affected private colleges and universities’ incoming class enrollment, revenue and relationship with the Department of Education, according to a fall survey from the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
Of the 251 member institutions surveyed, 82% said FAFSA’s turbulent rollout affected other institutional processes, such as housing, registration, billing and more. Nearly nine out of ten (87%) continue to grapple with unresolved problems.
A different incoming class
About half of all surveyed private colleges and universities said their incoming class was “more difficult” to fill, and 44% reported lower enrollment. More than a fifth (22%) accepted fewer financial aid recipients and 11% noticed a decline in their students’ racial diversity. All in all, 74% said that last year’s FAFSA “changed the composition” of their incoming class.
Private nonprofit institutions usually market their net price to prospective students early into the admissions cycle, the report explained. However, the glitch-ridden FAFSA website stunted students’ ability to file on time, thus delaying institutions from sharing estimated aid packages. Private institutions boast some of the highest (though mostly misleading) sticker prices in the nation.
