WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — If your family relies on financial aid for college, some new changes could affect how much help students receive.
Even students denied assistance in the past could be eligible for aid.
WPTV learned why applying early can make the process a lot easier.
Experts said that filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form early increases your chances of securing student aid.
The biggest change this time around is the new "parent wizard," making the process of applying for aid simpler than in years past.
"This new FAFSA for the 2025-2026 [application cycle] has gotten ahead on the mistakes and glitches that were happening in the previous application," Ezekiel Alfred, the financial aid manager at Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth.
He said the changes will especially be beneficial to students with single parents.
Alfred laid out how the "parent wizard" will ease the application process.
"One of the issues was students didn't know which parent to use if they didn't have both parents in the household," Alfred said. "Now students can use a 'parent wizard' where students can go on there and figure out which parent to use."
The application now has more language options, and a new page makes entering your federal tax information easier.
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"They have added a new feature where as long as you hit the 'approve' button it will get the information for you, and add it to the application," Alfred said. "It's more streamlined."
According to the Federal Reserve, student loan borrowers owe $1.74 trillion.
That's why financial aid experts encourage students and parents to fill out the FAFSA, which can help students get grants that don't need to be repaid.
Kyla Duarte is one of the students hoping to receive financial aid.
"It went very smoothly," Duarte said. "I got it done in about 20-25 minutes. It's a whole lot simpler than in 2024-2025."
