What used to be a confusing process for students has become just a bit easier.
The Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority has created a program that guides users through the Free Application for Free Student Aid, a process that has frustrated many students seeking financial aid throughout the years.
“It’s definitely not fun to fill out,” said Ameena Khan, a sophomore in gender studies.
The tutorial, titled “Navigating the FAFSA,” is available at www.uheaa.org and was made to guide users easily through the application. However, unlike other similar programs, it isn’t designed to complete the application for the user.
“It shows you the links and defines the terms and jargon,” said Michael Nemelka, associate executive director for business development for UHEAA. “Parents, students and high school counselors can all use it. It’s an effective way to bring together the best information.”
The program has only been online for two weeks and has already received positive feedback, Nemelka said.
The FAFSA, an application available to college students to request federal financial aid, consists of 31 questions ranging from participation in selective service to whether or not a student has been convicted of possession of illegal drugs.
Khan isn’t the only student who has had problems with the process.
“We wanted to help resolve some of the simple problems we’ve faced in the past,” Nemelka said. “We thought that an effective way would be to create a tool that could be presented on the Internet.”
Plans for the program have been in the works for years, but various obstacles stood in the way of the actual development of the site.
“We had to wait for the federal government to change the application, but it hasn’t happened yet, so we went ahead and made the program,” Nemelka said. “We just decided to do it now instead of waiting for the Department of Education to change the FAFSA.”