The Free Application for Federal Student Aid officially launched Dec. 30, 2023, with several changes to length and material.

The FAFSA, usually released Oct. 1 in previous years, was modified to be shorter and more accessible to students, shortening the questions from 108 questions to 36. The “soft launch” of the online form meant that it was only available to individuals for 30 minutes per day, though the time slot opened for longer as the days went on in order to monitor and respond to potential technical issues. 

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Although simplified, the changes in the FAFSA are an adjustment for many students, as well as the University’s specific financial aid regulations. 

In a statement to the Daily Trojan, USC Financial Aid wrote that although there are policy changes in effect with the new FAFSA, such as the number of family members in college no longer being considered, USC will continue to take the information into account when determining students’ eligibility for USC-based aid. 

Nathan Silva, a sophomore majoring in journalism, said creating an account for both his parents was a struggle. 

“It was really overwhelming to fill out the form because both of my parents had to have an FSA ID,” Silva said. “It was just giving me a difficult time creating her account.” 

Silva said that he resorted to Reddit to help explain the address form for his parents’ account, and that it was a long process. 

“I am worried about what it will look like this year, I really don’t know if this change is going to affect what I’m receiving,” Silva said. “I’m hoping it’s a good change.” 

Silva said that leading up to the new FAFSA release, he saw TikTok videos about the form and attempted to retain as much information as he could in preparation. Silva says a good resource for students is someone that is knowledgeable on the form and able to answer questions.

Klarissa Palacios, a sophomore majoring in law, history and culture, said the new FAFSA form has brought up new concerns for her family.

“As soon as I heard they were changing the consideration of evaluating if you have siblings in college simultaneously as yourself,” Palacios said, “eliminating that consideration, I realized that might not be as accessible for many students who are low-income in funding their college experiences.” 

Palacios said with a younger sister coming into college, she feels a direct effect with the changes in FAFSA, and said she hopes her sister will be able to have the same opportunities she has had. 

“I understand we have a career center and a [First Generation Plus Success Center],” Palacios said. “However, on the times where I have needed help to complete those forms, they told me that’s not the right office to go to.” 

Palacios said she was advised to go to the Financial Aid Office, but was told they don’t provide advising services regarding FAFSA. Since USC does not have the services she needs, Palacios said she contacts her high school counselor for help. 

Palacios said she believes that financial aid should be one of the most talked-about subjects rather than taboo. As an Undergraduate Student Government senator, Palacios would like to make the new FAFSA more understandable to the student body. 

“This could possibly look like workshops or bringing in advisors that are aware of these FAFSA changes,” Palacios said. “Some of the wording isn’t exactly what it means, it’s kind of a sneaky move.”