DENVER — For thousands of prospective college students across the country, their university admissions experience will be marked by added pressure due to federal college aid delays.
The new, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, took more time to roll out than usual. Now, with less than one month until college decision day for most universities, incoming students and financial aid offices face tight deadlines.
High school senior Holly Hillstrom is considering the University of Denver as a potential option for the next four years. With weeks to decide, she still doesn't know if she should leave California for Colorado.
"I’m trying to take it day by day and not get super stressed out," Hillstrom said.
Hillstrom said she's receiving school aid outside of the FAFSA and hasn't dealt with too many of its problems up close. She said she used it when she applied to UC-Santa Barbara, but ultimately, decided she didn't want to go there and abandoned her federal aid form.
"I only applied to one school with it, so I went to my college counselor and was like 'Oh my gosh, I don’t know what to do. Can you help me out?' and she was like, 'If you’re not going to that school, you don’t need to give it to them,'" Hillstrom recounted.
Despite not needing federal aid herself, she knows classmates who feel the impacts of delays.
"Some people are very reliant on it so for them it’s an added stressor especially at this stage in our lives in our high school careers because you’re moving on and things are quickly ending and you have to have everything figured out before you go off," Hillstrom said. "And so if you don’t, then you’re stressed out."
DU Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment and Director of Financial Aid John Gudvangen supports students who try to make college affordable and attainable.
"This is a real concern," Gudvangen said. "I mean, I'm mostly concerned for what's happening in the nation as I am, for what's happening for just our university."
He said due to federal government delays, the Office of Financial Aid at DU is working harder than usual to get important information back to students.
"In fact, by the time we have all of them out, it will be in the next coming weeks," Gudvangen said. "I can't say for certain. And it's because we're just now getting the data six months after we normally get it. This is why we can't just turn that around in a short period of time with the testing and all that needs to be done."
He said he's trying to make sure prospective DU Pioneers know college is possible.
"If students are thinking, 'Oh, it's just too late,' or 'I haven't made plans,' it's not too late," Gudvangen said. "As you can see, by deadlines, by the fact that the process is now seeming to work or at least starting to work better. It's not too late. And we want students to understand that."
He hoped students will find a way to believe in their potential, despite a discouraging start to their college admissions process.
"Don't delay your dreams, the dream is still available," Gudvangen said. "The ability to find aid, to afford college is still available."
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