The FAFSA mess disrupts Decision Day - Fine Point Communications

The next time you see your school’s college counselors, you might bring them some consolation chocolate.

This has been a year from hell for these folks, as shifting federal rules repeatedly disrupt their jobs and create new headaches.

First, the Supreme Court’s summer decision on race-conscious admissions forced a new regime of guidance around applicants’ personal statements. Then the U.S. Department of Education struggled — and ultimately failed — to roll out a simplified financial aid form, FAFSA, on time. The department still hasn’t begun providing FAFSA data to colleges, which prevents them from calculating the cost of attendance for incoming and returning students.

Caught in all this turmoil are the teenagers ready to settle their college plans. For many years, higher ed has expected students to commit to an offer of admission by May 1 — what is commonly called National College Decision Day.

But as the FAFSA delays continue, scores of colleges and universities are starting to give up on that date. What’s more, the trend is picking up speed: The number of colleges changing their decision deadlines quadrupled in the past three weeks.

The way this is going, it’s possible that some of your school’s seniors may not finalize their respective college choices until after graduation. The growing fallback date for Decision Day is June 1, although this may slip yet again.

This has a ripple effect for independent schools and their communicators: Many save a section of the annual report or summer magazine to announce the universities their seniors have chosen. This year, such a list may not be firm by the press date. Updating schools’ college profiles may be similarly delayed. Even social media plans to celebrate the college choices may be pushed off.

Of course, the impact is much worse for this year’s seniors. They started high school at the height of the pandemic, when the very nature of school was thrown in flux, and now must go through a similar disorientation around the start of college. Worryingly, the number of students who’ve submitted a FAFSA is down sharply this year.

Consolation chocolate all around?

Keep an eye on NIL

In 2021, the NCAA changed its rules to allow college athletes “to benefit from their name, image and likeness.” In the years since, NIL (name, image and likeness) has become a common shorthand in collegiate sports and — depending on which school you root for — a godsend or a menace.

Athletes are now able to sell the commercial use of their name, image and likeness, blurring the line between amateur and professional. Alumni at big sports schools are using NIL to channel payments to players, which has inspired lawsuits.

The head of one conference lamented to the U.S. Senate last fall that “management of college athletics is shifting away from the universities” to donors. The financial arms race is also leaving behind smaller schools and women’s athletics, furthering a dynamic of haves crushing have-nots in college sports.

The NIL boom has reached K-12 schools, too. Some 30 states have made the arrangement available to younger students. One is California, where a 9-year-old signed an endorsement deal last year.

But at Refill, we’re more interested in the example of Jada Williams, who moved in 2021 from her Missouri public school — where NIL deals were not allowed — to an independent school in San Diego. By the time Williams graduated in 2023, she had reportedly amassed NIL deals totaling six figures.

It’s very early to understand how NIL will play out collegiately, much less in K-12 athletics, and the environment is shifting fast: This month, North Carolina became the latest state to embrace NIL for K-12, but only for independent schools; public school students cannot sign NIL deals. And a Delaware lawmaker cited NIL as driving his bill to ban private and public schools from competing against one another in athletics.

Given all this activity, it’s timely to discuss NIL with your athletic director, to understand better where your school and its competitors stand on the issue, in case you’re called upon to help with any messaging in the future.

What’s new at Fine Point Communications

This month, we presented about storytelling at the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States’ Annual Conference. The session gathered officials from several of the country’s 22 military schools. Many of these schools are boys-only and boarding-only and have long and proud histories. Yet they are also in transition, trying to shift their value proposition from military training to college preparation. Storytelling is an ideal tool for these schools to engage and persuade prospective students and parents. Big thanks to Chris Pryor of LeadTeam Partners, who facilitated Fine Point’s involvement!
Two days later, Fine Point conducted its first webinar. As mentioned last month in Refill, we focused on making the most of summer to develop school communications. The presentation went great, and we’re already thinking about our next webinar! (Stay tuned for updates.) We are so grateful for everyone who made the time to attend and offer up questions.
We also finalized a new sponsorship, with The Heads Network. This terrific organization works to elevate and support women leaders in education, a cause that aligns closely with that of another group we sponsor, the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools. We are delighted to associate with such outstanding and important groups.
And Fine Point played a supporting role with St. Anne’s-Belfield School on its annual Day of Giving on Feb. 14. We are thrilled that St. Anne’s surpassed its Share the Love goal of 900 gifts and pledges, collecting nearly $1.2 million! Congratulations to Chief Advancement Officer Pam Winthrop for driving such a terrific outcome!
As you can see, it’s been a busy February!