By Roger Adkins, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — College students in West Virginia are facing delays in receiving financial aid offers this year because of setbacks in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid process, education officials say.
The Department of Education was addressing a $1.8 billion error in how FAFSA calculates student and family income for applicants, leading to delays in sending FAFSA data to schools until early to mid-March, with financial aid offers expected in April, according to NPR.
In response to the delays, West Virginia has extended deadlines for state aid applications to May 1.
Brian Weingart, senior director of financial aid for the state’s Higher Education Policy Commission, acknowledged the challenges, stating, “It’s well documented that it was a rocky start when it opened Dec. 31. Some students had some issues.”
The new FAFSA version features significant changes, such as fewer questions, availability in multiple languages and the ability to list up to 20 colleges on the form.
