Deb Fischer: “we have been hearing from my colleagues about the FAFSA fiasco, and I join them in expressing concern about it; telling…”

“we have been hearing from my colleagues about the FAFSA fiasco, and I join them in expressing concern about it; telling you about some of the complaints that we have heard from Nebraskans; and, hopefully, draw more attention to this so that we can see it fixed. This failed FAFSA launch: It was late. It was chock-full of glitches and complications. It threw a wrench in the plans of both students and universities. I know this not just because I have read the news but because my office has heard from these students and these schools. Both public and private universities in Nebraska, as well as local education nonprofits--they have reached out with their frustrations over this rollout and the chaos that it has caused. High school seniors have a hard enough time making weighty decisions about their futures, but the FAFSA fiasco is multiplying the stress and the complications of that decision process. One high school guidance counselor in Lexington, NE, said the FAFSA delay is creating barriers and curveballs for students who need those scholarships. A counselor in North Platte said it is causing serious problems for her students as well. Students don't get the different scholarships they would like to have, and they're not getting enough money to pay for college. Almost 18 million students across the country usually complete FAFSA in a typical year. This year, the number is only closer to 5 million.…”