Filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the most important thing students can do to secure funding for college. To support students and families in this crucial step, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges will host a series of FAFSA Nights on the following dates:
• February 8 — Lincoln Trail College from 4 to 7 p.m. in Williams Hall Room 112
• February 15 — Olney Central College from 4 to 7 p.m. in Wattleworth Hall Room 205
• February 20 — Frontier Community College from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Workforce Development Center Room 32
• February 27 — Wabash Valley College from 4 to 7 p.m. in Main Hall Room 205
The Financial Aid Team also will participate in individual high school FAFSA Nights throughout the IECC District.
During these events, IECC financial aid experts will be available to answer questions as they help students and families navigate changes in the 2024-2025 FAFSA form.
“This year we are asking everyone to have patience,” said Krystle Riggle, IECC Program Director of Financial Aid. “We have been gearing up for almost 24 months for the new FAFSA. We know it can be overwhelming, but we want students and their families to know they can always reach out to us for help. We don’t want anyone to become frustrated and give up.”
In preparation for the FAFSA Nights, Riggle encourages families to complete their Federal Student Aid IDs beforehand as they can take one to three days to be verified. Students who previously completed the FAFSA will use their existing FSA IDs.
Families also will need access to their 2022 tax information along with the contributors’ demographics, Social Security numbers, and valid email addresses. Families who own a farm or a small business will need to know their net worth minus any debt.
The new FAFSA form expands eligibility for federal student aid, including Pell Grants, and provides a streamlined user experience. Applicants will be able to skip as many as 26 questions, depending on their individual circumstances. Some applicants could answer as few as 18 questions, which could take less than 10 minutes to complete.
The 2024-2025 FAFSA opened with a soft launch on December 31. Riggle said the form is currently available for short periods of time as Federal Student Aid monitors site performance and functionality. During this time, FSA is initiating planned pauses for site maintenance and technical updates.
“They are working through some hiccups right now, but in the future, it will be a lot easier,” Riggle stressed. “I have to say as the Program Director of Financial Aid and as a parent who has completed the 2024-2025 FAFSA, it is moving quicker and there were fewer questions.”
To avoid interruptions, Riggle suggests accessing the FSA website prior to 8 p.m. EST. She also pointed out that the FSA calling center is not available on weekends so students may wish to adjust submission times accordingly.
Riggle said students will have ample time to complete their FAFSA as Federal Student Aid will not be sharing information submitted until the end of January.
She encourages those unable to attend the upcoming FAFSA Nights to contact FCC, LTC, OCC or WVC Financial Aid to complete the FAFSA on campus.
