Students delaying college admissions due to struggles with the new FAFSA can breathe a sigh of relief if they’re planning to attend Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The private Catholic school has decided to forego the traditional admissions deadline this year because of the botched 2024-2025 version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid rolled out by the U.S. Department of Education.
Students will now have until the start of classes in August to enroll, said Martin Aucoin, Vice President of Enrollment Management for the university.
School leaders across the nation are worried that the delays with this year’s FAFSA delays will decimate enrollment for the Fall semester. It’s salt in the wound, considering the waves of high school graduates who are considering other options besides a university degree this year.
In the state of Louisiana, FAFSA submissions among high school seniors are down by a significant margin—only 41% have completed the application so far this year compared to 60% this time last year.
Some of the students who have submitted the application are only now starting to receive the results. Typically, they would have received vital financial aid information in early Spring, giving them plenty of time to choose a college or university.
FranU hopes this waived admissions deadline will give students more time to complete the FAFSA and solidify their college plans.
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University recently made our ranking of the top 50 Affordable Small Catholic Colleges in the United States. The school is known for its high-quality degree programs in nursing and allied health.
Source: FranU waives enrollment deadline for fall semester due to FAFSA delays
Related: FAFSA and Financial Aid for Online College