PAINESVILLE, Ohio — High school senior Anthony Reynoso is going to miss a lot of things when he goes away to college. But there’s one thing at the top of that list.

What You Need To Know

  • This year's FAFSA Application for college student aid is delayed until the end of December

  • One high school senior is putting off selecting the college he'll be attending while he waits for an aid package

  • The new online application will be streamlined with fewer questions and to allow tax information to be imported from the IRS

“I'm going to miss my mom, my mom's cooking,” Reynoso said.

Reynoso has applied to four colleges within Ohio. So far, he’s been accepted by Cleveland State University and the University of Akron.

He said he's eager to make a decision about where he’ll spend the next four years, but the issue of financial aid is holding it up.

 “If I were to have gotten it by now, I think it would have it would have definitely made the decision more clear,” he said.

Reynoso is waiting to apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — or FAFSA — to be available, but the application has been delayed. FAFSA determines a college student’s eligibility for financial aid.

For the first time in 40 years, the federal government is updating the online form and changes to it have caused the delay, according to Liz Brainard, an advisory director at LEAF. The organization is a nonprofit that helps students figure out next steps after college free of charge.

“What they've done is they've streamlined the form. They've asked fewer questions. They are allowing tax information to be brought directly in from the IRS,” Brainard said. Past applications required that tax information be entered manually.  

The application would normally be out Oct. 1, but is now scheduled to be out by Dec. 31.

The delay is keeping Reynoso from making additional deadlines including getting priority registration.

 “You can pick your classes first. You can get into whatever specific schools they have,” Reynoso said.

In addition, he worries about placing financial burden on his mom.

“I don't want my mom paying for it because she's helped raised me. She's given me a house, clothes, food, a place to live. So, I don't want to put on more financial weight,” he said.

Despite the current stresses, Reynoso is eager to begin the next chapter.

“You're free to do whatever you want, but now that means it's all on you if you do something you are supposed to,” he laughed.