5 Strategies to Support Your Families Through the 2025 FAFSA

With another atypical financial aid cycle upon us, planning and preparation are key. Appily’s financial aid webinar, “The FAFSA is delayed...again. Now What?,”along with the FAFSA Resource Hub and Parent Hub, provide a wealth of resources. Here are 5 strategies to set you and your families up for success:

1. Promote Early FSA ID Registration

One of the simplest ways to prepare students and families is by encouraging them to get their FSA IDs early. This ensures they’re ready to submit the FAFSA when it opens nationwide on December 1, avoiding delays caused by last-minute registration issues.

2. Help Families Estimate Aid Using Ranges

Since exact financial aid amounts won’t be known until after the FAFSA is submitted, using award ranges can help families manage their expectations and understand the difference between net price and sticker price. By offering examples of potential aid packages based on income brackets, you can help them feel more confident about what to expect.

3. Encourage Open Conversations About Affordability

Now more than ever, it’s essential that families be realistic and transparent about how much they can afford to pay for college. Your student and parent meetings can be great settings to set up these conversations and to help families explore other ways to pay for college. For more general FAFSA questions and concerns, virtual or in-person Q&As can give families a chance to ask questions and learn more in supportive environments.

4. Leverage Net Price Calculators

Many families are anxious about the true cost of college, and using a Net Price Calculator can give them an early estimate of what they can expect to pay. Encourage families to use these tools on college websites to get a clearer picture of potential financial aid packages, even before they submit the FAFSA. Families should also feel empowered to contact a school’s financial aid office if they have any questions about the estimate or want to verify its accuracy.

5. Advocate for Day One Submission

We know some families will be hesitant to complete the FAFSA when it opens nationwide on December 1 as they may want to allow time for any “kinks” to be worked out. However, that’s the purpose of the beta test. Universities will still package students as they receive financial aid applications, so it’s best for families to gather their financial documents now and submit the FAFSA as soon as they receive access.

Need a financial aid resource for your students? We crafted these 5 FAFSA Tips to help them stay on track.

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