"Challenges and Solutions: Navigating the FAFSA Maze for Student Financial Aid"

College enrollment is on the rise for the first time since the pandemic began, with more undergraduates enrolling and applications increasing. However, the chaotic rollout of the new FAFSA has caused massive delays, potentially erasing these gains. The FAFSA complications could make college unaffordable for many, particularly low-income students, and enrollment-dependent institutions are vulnerable. The Department of Education is under pressure to fix these errors quickly, as the future of higher education enrollment hangs in the balance.