Normally this is the time of year that college students would be completing the FAFSA.

That's the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

But because of an overhaul of the financial aid process last year, this year's form is delayed for a second year.

Our Kelsey Starks explains what you need to know if you plan on applying for financial aid for the next school year.

More in tonight's Education Matters segment.

The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and it really is the first step, like the gatekeeper step to get access to all the financial options.

It's even if you're applying for a scholarship at a university, they're going to ask you if you filled out your FAFSA.

So it really is step one to be able to open the doors to hear all the options of how to help me pay for college.

It's an important first step in the college application process, figuring out how to pay for it.

The FAFSA Simplification Act, passed in 2020, requiring an overhaul of the federal student aid system, including the FAFSA form.

The educators and the professionals that work in this area have been advocating for a simpler FAFSA form for several years.

So this is a good thing.

But change doesn't always come easily.

The most significant overhaul of the federal student aid system in years means more students will qualify for financial aid and the process will ultimately be easier and faster.

But last year's initial rollout saw significant problems.

The biggest issues were, first of all, normally the FAFSA opens on October 1st and we gear all of our efforts toward that date.

Unfortunately, that was delayed until December 31st.

If that had been the only hiccup, we could have, I think, not had as big an issue.

However, even when it opened on December 31st, a lot of students had trouble logging on.

The system would start and then stop.

There were some changes in the way questions were asked and certain elements were processed that caused some confusion.

So it's been those types of growing pains, if you will, for rolling out a new form that has caused the delay.

That means everything is running behind, including the process for next year.

That delay has really impacted FAFSA completion rates, not just in Kentucky, but across the nation, because we've been working in a much shorter time frame than we typically have been used to in terms of helping students get into the form and helping them get through the process.

There are 13 key counselors available across Kentucky to help get through that process, and they all say in the long run, change is good.

As bumpy as this rollout process has been, when a student and family has successfully submitted it, we're hearing it's taking 10 to 15 minutes and that investment is worth it because more students are going to have options and more students are going to be eligible for that aid.

It takes away the biggest barrier, right as is cost, Even if it's even if it's a perceived barrier, it helps it break down.

I may have thought my whole life that I can't afford to go to college.

And this is the first step to show you there is help available.

And that big price tag that you have in your head can come way down if you just kind of go through the process.