(TNS) — Following suit with universities across the country, the University of Pittsburgh is extending its first-year commitment deadline by two weeks amid delays associated with the revamped Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Incoming freshmen now must commit to Pitt by May 15 rather than May 1. The latter date is traditionally observed as National College Decision Day.
“Pitt is excitedly awaiting students’ commitments but understands how crucial this decision is, which is why we’re extending the deadline,” Marc Harding, Pitt’s vice provost for enrollment, said in a news release. “The extension ensures that students and families have ample time to review their options and make an informed decision when choosing Pitt.”
Earlier this week, Pennsylvania’s state universities also announced they would extend their commitment deadlines to “at least” May 15.
Pitt’s decision follows hiccups with the new FAFSA, released at the end of December. When the updated form initially dropped, many students and their families faced technology issues and limited time frames to actually complete the application.
Then, several weeks ago, the Department of Education announced that it wouldn’t begin transferring financial information to colleges until March — a month later than initially anticipated.
That means prospective Pitt students won’t receive their financial aid offers until mid-April, officials said.
Pitt will continue to “closely monitor” the situation, the release says.
The updated FAFSA aims to better both the application and the way the government analyzes student needs.
Key changes to the form include a shortened question pool and a streamlined process for government access to the financial information of applicants and their families. Beginning in the 2024-25 award year, a new interface allows the government to directly receive federal tax information from the Internal Revenue Service when determining student needs and grant eligibility.
Also beginning in the 2024-25 award year, the federal government will determine financial aid needs based on a Student Aid Index metric. Compared to the previous metric, this new metric disregards family size in its calculations and will provide more funding for low-income applicants.
The new FAFSA is available online.
