Evergreen has received 1,000 fewer federal student aid applications. Here’s why

What was supposed to be a simplified federal student aid application process has been anything but that, The Evergreen State College’s chief enrollment officer told the Board of Trustees on Wednesday.

The simplified Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known in education circles as FASFA, was rolled out late by the U.S. Department of Education and then it didn’t work correctly, including “bugs in the software,” John Reed told the board.

The result is that the four-year public college in Olympia, as of May 1, has received 1,000 fewer applications, compared to last year at the same time, Reed said.

Former State Sen. Karen Fraser, who serves as chairwoman of the board, gasped when she heard the number.

And that decline could be felt in enrollment and beyond, Reed said, adding that 82,000 Washington state high school students are set to graduate this year, but only 32,000 have completed the application, he said. That number is typically in the 50,000 to 60,000 range, Reed said.

“It could have a serious impact on fall enrollment,” he said.

Evergreen is not alone. Saint Martin’s University in Lacey has put updates about FASFA front and center on the school’s website.

One thing that could help matters is that of those 1,000 fewer applications at Evergreen, 80 percent are tied to continuing students who are familiar with the process and are possibly just delayed in submitting the application.

The college is trying to help, Reed said.

He said the college’s admissions office is hosting weekly workshops on the FASFA, as well as calling and texting students directly about their applications. The financial aid office also is set to hold workshops over the summer, he said.

“I feel really good about Evergreen’s energy and the things we are doing to help students complete the FASFA,” Reed said. “We just need to make sure we continue the energy through the summer.”

Meanwhile, the college is facing a $3.3 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2025, Chief Financial Officer Dave Kohler said in response to a reporter’s question after the board meeting. The fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30.

That number is largely influenced by enrollment. The $3.3 million projection currently is based on enrollment remaining flat, he said.

The deficit also reflects expenses tied to the college’s relatively new Professional and Continuing Education programs, Kohler said. Once PACE is fully up and running, it is forecast to return between $1 million and $1.5 million back to the budget, he said.

He added the college has been in a pattern of not spending reserves, but the school does have $8.2 million in operating reserves, Kohler said.