Due to a disagreement between the Democratic and Republican parties within Congress, the government was shut down because of the inability to establish a functioning financial operation.

Recently, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has been made available to the public, and many students and families are seeking help with completing it. Many teachers at Rogers Heritage High School are concerned about the absence of government assistance in filling out the FAFSA.

“It affects the students because the FAFSA is a crucial basis of their scholarship process,” said Kristie Daut, College Composition and AP Research teacher at Heritage.

Assistance in the college application process at Heritage is fundamental to all students, especially the first generation students trying to go to college. With little knowledge in the application process, some families do not understand the importance of filling out the FAFSA, while some families struggle with obtaining the information needed to fill it out.

“The FAFSA is already confusing enough to students, even though it’s gotten better with some of the changes and so this is just another setback,” said Daut.

The FAFSA, being a government-funded program, has little choice over the students chosen to receive funding for their education. It is a first-come, first-served process, making it an even more frustrating moment for all the students who are attempting to receive financial aid.

“Everything I have read says that the shutdown should have minimal effect on students who are applying for Federal Aid with the 2026-27 FAFSA. The FAFSA and the helpline are considered essential, so they are still up and running,” said Jennifer Pierse, a scholarship coordinator for Heritage High School.

The case of the FAFSA problem is difficult to an extent. Those who have no knowledge of the steps required to complete it may struggle more than they should but with the help lines still up, it will not be as much of a problem as it is stated.

Finally, the problem has been confirmed to be not as bad as it once seemed but few may still encounter various difficulties receiving help while they are trying to get it completed. Still, there are ways that Heritage is willing to help. Kristie Daut, Jennifer Pierse, our FAFSA nights and any senior teacher are some of the many support options available.