FAFSA Complexity as a Barrier to Aid

FAFSA complexity as a barrier to aid deters millions of low-income students from accessing grants they qualify for, pushing them toward loans instead. Despite simplification in 2024, the form still takes an average of 80 minutes to complete, compared to 60 minutes for the simpler CSS Profile, and errors cause 25% of eligible students to lose Pell Grant aid. This practice is slower than the average aid process and forces 2 million students annually into debt, making it a structural gatekeeper worse than Private Loan Variable Rate Bait-and-Switch in total financial impact.