FAFSA delays are straining families and colleges
This year's federal aid form is new and improved. But it came three months later than normal, and in its first week, online access has been unpredictable.
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
