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Consumer Testing the New FAFSA: Findings from Student and Parent Focus Groups

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Title: Consumer Testing the New FAFSA: Findings from Student and Parent Focus Groups
Language: English
Authors: National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)
Source: National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. 2026.
Availability: National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. 1101 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-785-0453; Fax: 202-785-1487; e-mail: membership@NASFAA.org; Web site: http://www.nasfaa.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Two Year Colleges
Descriptors: Student Financial Aid, College Students, Parent Attitudes, Parent Student Relationship, Private Colleges, Public Colleges, Community Colleges, Financial Aid Applicants, Need Analysis (Student Financial Aid), Grants, Federal Aid, Vocabulary, Paying for College, Consent, Data, Communication (Thought Transfer)
Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: Pell Grant Program
Abstract: This research supplements the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators' (NASFAA) ongoing advocacy efforts to ensure smooth implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act by incorporating the student voice into its feedback to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to help improve the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and process. NASFAA previously submitted comments to ED in response to draft 2024-25 FAFSA forms released in March and September of 2023. This feedback represented NASFAA's membership and focused primarily on providing detailed feedback about wording and instructions to improve clarity for students and families. It is important to listen to the experiences of students and families who have completed the FAFSA in the past, to learn from their perspectives, and to incorporate their feedback into the future refinement of the FAFSA form and process. This will help ensure that the newly released FAFSA is easier to complete and will help increase the number of students applying for and receiving federal financial aid. Some of this feedback, such as changes to wording, may need to wait until the next FAFSA cycle to be applied. However, focus group feedback for increased customer support and soliciting feedback from FAFSA completers can be enacted more immediately with the 2024-25 cycle. Participating students and parents appreciated having the opportunity to learn about upcoming changes to the FAFSA and to discuss their concerns related to the FAFSA with one another and with a representative from NASFAA. A summary of their responses is provided in this report, along with considerations for improving the FAFSA based on their feedback.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679985
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Consumer Testing the New FAFSA: Findings from Student and Parent Focus Groups
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  Data: National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. 1101 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-785-0453; Fax: 202-785-1487; e-mail: membership@NASFAA.org; Web site: http://www.nasfaa.org
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– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: This research supplements the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators' (NASFAA) ongoing advocacy efforts to ensure smooth implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act by incorporating the student voice into its feedback to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to help improve the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and process. NASFAA previously submitted comments to ED in response to draft 2024-25 FAFSA forms released in March and September of 2023. This feedback represented NASFAA's membership and focused primarily on providing detailed feedback about wording and instructions to improve clarity for students and families. It is important to listen to the experiences of students and families who have completed the FAFSA in the past, to learn from their perspectives, and to incorporate their feedback into the future refinement of the FAFSA form and process. This will help ensure that the newly released FAFSA is easier to complete and will help increase the number of students applying for and receiving federal financial aid. Some of this feedback, such as changes to wording, may need to wait until the next FAFSA cycle to be applied. However, focus group feedback for increased customer support and soliciting feedback from FAFSA completers can be enacted more immediately with the 2024-25 cycle. Participating students and parents appreciated having the opportunity to learn about upcoming changes to the FAFSA and to discuss their concerns related to the FAFSA with one another and with a representative from NASFAA. A summary of their responses is provided in this report, along with considerations for improving the FAFSA based on their feedback.
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Student Financial Aid
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Student Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Private Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Community Colleges
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      – SubjectFull: Financial Aid Applicants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Need Analysis (Student Financial Aid)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Federal Aid
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      – SubjectFull: Vocabulary
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Paying for College
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      – SubjectFull: Consent
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      – SubjectFull: Data
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      – SubjectFull: Communication (Thought Transfer)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pell Grant Program
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Consumer Testing the New FAFSA: Findings from Student and Parent Focus Groups
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