Anonymous wrote:The answer is probably in one of the first 20 or so companies listed here: https://www.usaspending.gov/search/?hash=22c74291a02f6ff600c9679a2dc0f3fe

$1.3B to Accenture for "Federal Student Aid"
TIVOD SUPPORTS THE ORIGINATION, DISBURSEMENT, AND REPORTING OF TITLE IV FEDERAL STUDENT AID PROGRAMS

Whether it is working beautifully today or in a week, nothing is being sent to schools until the end of January.

The answer is probably in one of the first 20 or so companies listed here: https://www.usaspending.gov/search/?hash=22c74291a02f6ff600c9679a2dc0f3fe

Anonymous wrote:Not only are they waiting until the last minute, the inflation figures are wrong so students will get less aid than they should. I’m a proud democrat by this department of education is incompetent.

But what consulting firm said they were going to deliver. There is no way Dept of Ed was developing this themselves.

Not only are they waiting until the last minute, the inflation figures are wrong so students will get less aid than they should. I’m a proud democrat by this department of education is incompetent.

Someone on DCUM works for the firm doing the development and knows something

Which consulting firm has a big presence with Dept of Ed?

Says something about periodic maintenance

Anonymous wrote:If I was a betting person - I would guess they are going to kick it to the Tuesday after MLK day.
I have worked in launching tools and if it is not up now - they have some bugs that are concerns. These are not things that typically are fixed in an hour at this point in time in the development of a new solution.

Agreed, but they should have announced something. It is a lie to say that there is a soft launch when the button to launch the form hasn't been clickable for the last 13 hours. It is waiting everyone's time and ratcheting up anxiety. The Secretary of Ed needs to post something.

What I wonder is what, if any, impact will this have on the admissions cycle? There must be ED admits waiting to see what their aid offers will be before accepting and withdrawing elsewhere, right? Will it slow down movement of people off the wait list if aid offers are delayed? At this point it seems like it could totally mess up the timeline this cycle. Am I wrong? (Yes, I have a senior applying, and am waiting anxiously for the form to come out).

If I was a betting person - I would guess they are going to kick it to the Tuesday after MLK day.
I have worked in launching tools and if it is not up now - they have some bugs that are concerns. These are not things that typically are fixed in an hour at this point in time in the development of a new solution.

Anonymous wrote:It’s hard to understand why the Dept. of Ed. didn’t stick with the old form for an additional year once they knew they could not deliver by 10/1. Your federal tax $s in action.

+1. What's the rush. Who cares if it launches for the coming academic year or the one after!

For months they said it would open "by" December 31. It's halfway through the 31st and nothing. Not sure what "soft launch" means in this context. It should just be launched. Period. And saying it is available periodically is a lie. I've been checking repeatedly and not once has the button to launch the form been clickable. Dept of Ed needs to get this sorted immediately before this becomes an evening news story.

If it means fewer questions, I’m happy to wait.

It’s hard to understand why the Dept. of Ed. didn’t stick with the old form for an additional year once they knew they could not deliver by 10/1. Your federal tax $s in action.

Told for months that it would launch BY December 31. We've been checking each day for a month. Today is December 31. The FAFSA site has been saying the form will be available "periodically" during its "soft launch." What crap. They undertook this complete redo of the FAFSA, the least they can do is get it done on time. Millions of families are waiting and it's difficult to make college decisions until it's done. Vent over.