For college hopefuls, cost is often the deciding factor on whether — and where — to go to school. For more than 17 million students, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the key to unlocking government dollars to help cover that cost. But this year's FAFSA has been beset by delays and confusion, and the recent "soft launch" of the form has bedeviled families and experts alike.
"It's been challenging," says Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, or NASFAA. "That's the word we've been using over and over again, so I'm going to stick with it. It's been a challenging couple of days for students and families who have been waiting for the FAFSA to open later than they've normally waited."
