Due to the U.S. Department of Education’s troubled implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act, colleges and universities across America, Drake included, did not begin receiving 2024–2025 FAFSAs until mid-March—over six months later than previous years. Additionally, nearly half of these FAFSAs were impacted by federal errors or were rejected due to missing consent or signature for the student or FAFSA contributor(s). The Department of Education’s many late revisions to FAFSA technical specifications left software providers (and the schools that rely on them) scrambling to adjust.
The good news is that things are getting better. Schools have now received reprocessed FAFSAs resolving most of the calculation errors and data issues. Students are now able to make needed corrections to their FAFSAs. Students and contributors who do not have a social security number are now able to complete the online FAFSA as well.
Challenges remain. Schools still cannot make changes to students’ FAFSAs, which are needed to correct known errors or to process appeals for special or unusual circumstances. No timeline for that functionality has yet been provided by the Department of Education.
Drake’s Financial Aid Office has been creating financial aid offers as quickly as possible, starting with FAFSAs that were processed accurately. We recognize the hardship and frustration these delays have caused, and we are committing all available resources to make up for lost time. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate these unprecedented challenges together.
Drake is committed to providing accurate financial aid offers and the flexibility that you need to make an informed college decision. Here is what you need to know:
Most importantly, we want all our students and families to know that we are working diligently to expedite and send out financial aid packages. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this process to make it as smooth and stress-free as possible.