Every year, the FAFSA changes a little, and every year most families skim the headline and move on. This year, it's worth having a closer read. The 2026-27 form carries some of the biggest scoring changes in years, and they cut in two directions.
A few families will open their aid offer and find it suddenly brighter. Others will discover a door that used to be open has quietly closed. The trick is knowing which side of the line you land on before you file, not after.
