Navigating FAFSA Simplification

Dear Green Terror Families,  

The path to college is difficult enough — all of the applications, the letters of recommendation, the campus visits, the late-night talks with a teenager who is simultaneously excited, scared, and confused.  

I can’t imagine what it’s like to have to navigate that process in the midst of the uncertainty brought on by the FAFSA delays. If you’re feeling increased stress about this decision and transition, I’m sorry. Please know that the entire team at McDaniel College is here to help.  

In hopes of easing your anxiety about the financial aid process (and the impact of the delays on the college decision process), I’m writing to you today with a few important updates.  

• We’ll start with some good news. We’re receiving FAFSA data! McDaniel has begun receiving FAFSA data from the federal government, and so far we have received FAFSAs for about 40% of our admitted students. To provide some context, we would normally anticipate having over 70% of our admitted students' FAFSAs this time of year. If your family has not yet submitted the FAFSA, I encourage you to do so as soon as possible. If you have submitted your FAFSA and the current status is “Processed,” consider that a positive sign. Unfortunately, there is no current way for us to know if we have received all of the FAFSAs in the queue at the Department of Education, but we will be emailing your student if their FAFSA is among those we have received.    
• Unfortunately, we are seeing rejected FAFSAs at high rates unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in my career — around 25%. A rejected FAFSA is one that has been submitted but needs a correction before we can process it. Unfortunately, the FAFSA is not allowing corrections to be made right now. If your FAFSA requires a correction (or you need to add McDaniel to your FAFSA), don’t worry. We’ll be sending you an email notifying you when the process becomes available (the Department of Education told us yesterday that they expect it to begin “in the first half of April”). If applicable, we’ll also be giving your student a call at that time to provide assistance.  

We understand that the delays with the FAFSA are creating compressed timelines, and you may not have the information you need to make an informed college decision by the May 1 national deposit deadline. To accommodate these delays, we will be extending our deposit deadline until June 1 for students who have not received their final financial aid offer.    

I also wanted to share with you our working timeline related to sending financial aid offers. Our internal mantra as we are doing this work is “Be quick but don’t hurry.” In our focused effort to get offers to you as soon as possible, we also want to be sure that we sufficiently test our systems and processes. Balancing both those intentions, we expect to mail our first financial aid offers on April 15. Here is the internal timeline we are working toward:  

• Week of March 25: Importing first FAFSAs, matching to student records, analyzing FAFSA data for accuracy. 
• Week of April 1: Building the backend of McDaniel’s financial aid system to align with new FAFSA fields and data.  
• Week of April 8: Testing all financial aid scenarios, outreach to students with rejected FAFSAs.  
• Week of April 15: First financial aid offers in the mail.  

We are also planning another virtual FAFSA Lunch and Learn at noon (EDT) on Friday, April 12. We will provide real-time updates and answer your questions. You can register here.

And finally, I want to remind you of a few special opportunities coming up:  

• April 7 Admitted Student Day: All admitted and deposited students are invited to attend our Admitted Student Day! It’s not too late to register. It is designed to be a fun day of celebration for families.  
• Check Your Parent Portal: Have you checked your Parent Portal? Such a great resource — take a peek if you haven’t yet. (And don’t forget to remind your student to check their portal, too — there are lots of fun prizes they can win in there, including free books next academic year!)   

Phew! I know that was a lengthy update, but I want to make sure we’re sharing real-time news with you as much as possible. We’ll continue to be in touch — and give us a shout if there’s anything we can do to help.   

Best,  

Janelle  

Janelle Holmboe 

Executive Vice President  

McDaniel College 

We want to let you know that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open, and we encourage you to submit your FAFSA as soon as possible.

There are significant changes to the FAFSA and on Jan. 30, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education announced that institutions of higher education, including McDaniel College, would not receive FAFSA data until mid-March at the earliest. We had previously been told to expect this data at the end of January and, unfortunately, this will further delay our financial aid award timeline.

Please know that even if there's nothing we can do to change this process, my team and I are here to make sure that you're ready for the fall.

What you need to know:

• Be sure to submit or renew your 2024-25 FAFSA prior to March 1. Regardless of when the data is transmitted to McDaniel, your submission date prior to the March 1 preferred deadline is still critical to making sure you maximize additional financial aid.
• Students and contributors each need their own Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID. You must invite your contributor(s) and they must consent to have their 2022 tax return information released from the IRS.
• The application requires student and parent (if applicable) income and household information, so you'll want to keep this in mind when you set aside time to complete it.
• If you have questions while you're completing the FAFSA, you can contact the FAFSA Help Center at 1-800-433-3243 or you can Live Chat (recommended) or email an FSA representative here: studentaid.gov/help-center/contact.
• Due to the high volume of students completing the FAFSA, and the significant changes made to this year's FAFSA form, you may experience technical difficulties with the site. If this happens, wait a day or so and try to log in again. If you experience any technical issues with the studentaid.gov site or the FAFSA application itself, please reach out to an FSA representative.

You'll find the most up-to-date information on our FAFSA Simplification Page, and we'll continue to share important updates about the FAFSA and our anticipated awarding timeline with you.

Most importantly, keep in touch with your financial aid specialist and don't hesitate to reach out to them or stop by the Financial Aid Office if you need anything.

Yesterday the U.S. Department of Education released an Electronic Announcement notifying us that institutions of higher education, including McDaniel College, would not receive Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data until mid-March at the earliest. We had previously been told to expect this data at the end of January and had been preparing our team to begin processing the data this week.   

Unfortunately, these delays create extraordinary challenges. Without data from the Department of Education, we are not able to produce the financial aid awards that help you understand how much it will cost to attend McDaniel. Many families receive additional federal, state and institutional aid based on their FAFSA results, further reducing the cost to attend McDaniel. Now you will have to wait for this information until at least April.  

At McDaniel, we spend a lot of time thinking about how we can reduce the stress of the college search process. Unfortunately, this news does the exact opposite; it causes more uncertainty and creates a more intense timeframe for important decision-making about college attendance. I’m so sorry that you must experience that on top of the already stressful college search process. I wish that there was a way we could relieve that pressure.  

But please know that even if there’s nothing we can do to change this process, we will be with you each step of the way and there are things you can do while you wait to help get ready for attending McDaniel in the fall.   

Here’s what you can do now:  

• Make sure your 2024-2025 FAFSA is submitted prior to March 1. Regardless of when the data is transmitted to McDaniel, your submission date prior to the March 1 preferred deadline is still critical to making sure you maximize additional financial aid.   

• Take a minute to complete our quick FAFSA Survey. Let us know where you stand with your FAFSA — we’re here to help you stay on track, to answer your questions and support you through the financial aid application process.  

• Have a parent or guardian attend next week’s "Lunch and Learn" virtual session with McDaniel financial aid staff. At that time, we’ll be sharing more of what we know, our expected timelines, and answering questions. Parents can learn more and register here. 

• Register for Admitted Students Day. At Admitted Students Day, we will provide additional updates based on this evolving situation and you will have a chance to meet your Financial Aid Specialist, Makenzie Elliott. Plus, it’s just a really fun day to celebrate your achievements (and I think we could all use a little fun right now)! You can register here.  

• Keep in touch with your McDaniel Admissions Counselor. We are proud of the close relationships our admissions staff develop with students and families. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything.  

We appreciate your patience as we all work through this situation together. I speak for the entire McDaniel team when I tell you how proud we are of your accomplishments; we’ll be right by your side while we navigate the next few months as a team.   

The release of the 2024-2025 FAFSA application being delayed until December 2023 has caused significant impacts on the overall timeline for processing FAFSA applications and providing financial aid packages to students. The timeline below is anticipated for the 2024-2025 aid year; we expect to return to the normal timeline for the 2025-2026 aid year. Though the FAFSA will be released by December 31st, the federal government has indicated that they will not send FAFSA data to schools until January, which will delay awarding. McDaniel is committed to comprehensive system testing to minimize errors in initial awards but please be aware that awards are subject to change if the Department of Education sends revised FAFSA data.

The Financial Aid leadership team will be hosting a virtual session to discuss the upcoming changes to the FAFSA. Current students and parents of current students, please join us on December 13th at 7:00 pm EST. Zoom meeting ID : 979 8061 5291

McDaniel College
Financial Aid Office
2 College Hill
Westminster, MD 21157-4390
Phone: 410-857-2233
Fax: 410-386-4608
finaid@mcdaniel.edu

FAFSA Postcard

Thank you for considering McDaniel as a college option! We understand that financing your education is important, and we wanted to provide you with some important financial aid information for the 2024-25 academic year. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is changing! 

New federal legislation, called the FAFSA Simplification Act, is being implemented and, due to this significant overhaul (it’s been 40 years since something like this was done!), this year will be different for all families when it comes to your financial aid awarding process. Completing the 2024-25 FAFSA will potentially unlock additional grant dollars to help with your costs beyond those you may receive through scholarship consideration. For most students, the FAFSA will require you and your parent(s)/guardian(s) to provide specific information, so please make time in early January to sit down and complete the FAFSA together. 

Once you submit your 2024-25 FAFSA, your information will be sent to the colleges you have identified in late January. We anticipate that financial aid offers will be mailed to your home mid-March through early April. Since that’s a long time between now and then, let’s be proactive while we wait! 

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO PRIOR TO THE FAFSA RELEASE DATE? 

1. Create your FSA ID https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch. 
    
2. Inform your parent(s)/guardian(s) that they should create their own FSA ID as soon as possible at https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch.
   • Note: Students and parent(s)/guardian(s) will need to have different, unique email addresses when creating their FSA IDs. 
      
3. Make sure your social security number was provided on your college application. This is required for colleges to be able to import your student aid information. If you overlooked this, reach out to each college individually to find out how to get it added. 
    
4. Maryland residents ONLY: For state scholarship and grant consideration, students can create their MDCAPS portal account. Go to https://mdcaps.mhec.state.md.us to get set up. 

Our goal is to make sure that we provide you with all that you need to prepare for and complete the 2024-25 FAFSA. You'll be receiving a postcard in the mail with this information as well. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Financial Aid Office Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at 410-857-2233 or finaid@mcdaniel.edu to connect with your financial aid specialist. 

Our best, 

McDaniel College Financial Aid Team 

Dear Family of Student,

While students are concluding their fall semester and preparing for winter break, I want to inform you of some important financial aid changes that will happen for the 2024-25 academic year. Your student received an email communication on Nov. 1 with this information.

The FAFSA Simplification Act was put into law in 2021. To learn more about the act, you can visit our website. Changes of this magnitude have not occurred in over 40 years, so I want to make sure that your family is updated as the new process rolls out.
While the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has traditionally opened on Oct. 1, due to the new developments, the FAFSA is expected to be released in December this year. The exact date has yet to be published by the Department of Education, but don’t worry — your student will be notified as soon as it’s made available. I recommend that your family is prepared to complete and submit the 2024-25 FAFSA as early as possible in January.

The FAFSA changes have resulted in the Department of Education establishing new calculation metrics to determine students’ financial need. It’s very important to understand how the changes in the federal methodology may impact your family’s financial situation, because it could result in reductions in need-based grants, including the McDaniel Grant. Examples of how it could affect need-based grants are available on the McDaniel website.

As much as is possible, McDaniel will seek to ensure that the total amount of need-based aid (including federal, state, and institutional grants) is maintained for students who submit their FAFSA by the March 1 priority deadline.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO PRIOR TO THE FAFSA RELEASE DATE?
1. Have your student go to studentaid.gov/fsa-id/sign-in/landing and confirm that they are able to log in using their current FSA ID.
2. As the parent or contributor, you should also go to the Federal Student Aid website to confirm that you are able to log in using your FSA ID, which is different from your student’s. If you are married, your spouse is also required to have an FSA ID.
3. If you or your spouse do not have an FSA ID, you should create it as soon as possible at studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch.

My goal is to make sure that your family is provided with all that you need to prepare for and complete the new FAFSA. Students can expect to hear from us as new information becomes available, and you’ll find all communications about the new FAFSA on our FAFSA Simplification webpage at www.mcdaniel.edu/FAFSA.

I’ll also be hosting a virtual Zoom session on the new FAFSA for students and families on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. I hope that you are able to attend. The meeting ID is: 979 8061 5291. An email will be sent to students, and a reminder post will be on the McDaniel Parents and Families Facebook group as we get closer to the event.
If you have any questions regarding this letter, don’t hesitate to reach out to your financial aid specialist at 410-857-2233, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Thank you,

Kemia Himon
Director of Financial Aid

As you conclude the fall semester and prepare for winter break, I want to inform you of some important financial aid changes that will happen for the 2024-25 academic year.

The FAFSA Simplification Act was put into law in 2021. To learn more about the act you can visit our website. Changes of this magnitude have not occurred in over 40 years, so I want to make sure to keep you updated as the new process rolls out.

While the FAFSA has traditionally opened on Oct. 1, due to all the new developments, the FAFSA is expected to be released in December this year. The exact date has yet to be published by the Department of Education, but don't worry - the Financial Aid office will notify you as soon as it's made available. We recommend that you prepare to complete and submit the 2024-25 FAFSA as early as possible in January. If your parents are involved in financially supporting your education at McDaniel, I encourage you to loop them in now, so they are also fully aware of changes.

The FAFSA changes have resulted in the Department of Education establishing new calculation metrics to determine students' financial need. It's very important to understand how the changes in the federal methodology may impact your individual financial situation because it could result in reductions in need-based grants, including your McDaniel Grant. Examples of how it could affect need-based grants are available on the McDaniel website.

The college's goal is to ensure that the total amount of financial aid (federal, state, and institutional) is maintained for all students, with priority given to those who complete the FAFSA prior to March 1, the college's preferred FAFSA deadline.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO PRIOR TO THE FAFSA RELEASE DATE?

1. Go to https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/sign-in/landing and confirm that you are able to log in using your current FSA ID.
2. Inform your parent(s) or contributor(s) that they should also log in to the Student Aid website to confirm that they are able to log in using their FSA ID, which is different from yours.
3. If a parent or contributor does not have an FSA ID, they can and should create it as soon as possible at https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch.

My goal is to make sure that you are provided with all that you need to prepare for and complete the new FAFSA. You can expect to hear from the Financial Aid Office as new information becomes available. If you have any questions regarding this email, don't hesitate to stop by the office Monday through Friday 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. or reach out at 410-857-2233 to connect with your financial aid specialist.