For college enrollment leaders, the FAFSA application cycle has become anything but normal. The year 2025 brings new challenges, with comparisons to the problematic 2024 rollout and the historic 2023 processes. This uncertainty creates anxiety for aid and enrollment managers as they strive to achieve their enrollment goals. HCRC continues to support colleges with our interactive tracker, helping them track and compare FAFSA filings. For more detailed insights on FAFSA trends by high school, geography, and other key segments, contact us for further information.

​

Tracking FAFSA Trends with In-Depth Analysis:

​Understanding FAFSA filing trends is critical for enrollment planning. The HCRC FAFSA Tracker provides a data-driven approach to monitoring filings with insights by state, student demographics, socio-economic background, and high school feeder patterns.

In 2024, significant FAFSA processing delays disrupted enrollment offices. Our updated 2025 Tracker provides clear data comparisons to both 2024 and 2023, offering meaningful context for decision-making. These comparisons help institutions make informed strategic adjustments.

​​

Understanding Student Decision-Making:

FAFSA processing delays influence student decision-making in ways that require deeper analysis. HCRC has refined our Admitted Student Review (ASR) —a nationally recognized survey gathering insights from over 100,000 admitted students annually. The ASR provides institutions with actionable intelligence on how FAFSA timing, financial aid expectations, and other enrollment factors shape student choices. 

 

Contact Us to Maximize Your Data Driven Strategy:

Having data is important, but knowing how to use it is critical. The HCRC FAFSA Tracker is more than a reporting tool—it’s a strategic asset for enrollment leaders optimizing outreach, aid strategies, and forecasting. Contact us today to learn how you can use this data to strengthen your enrollment efforts.