watch nowBy most accounts, the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA, was disastrous from the start. Even now, some college students don't know the status of their aid awards for the fall. "The Department's poor planning has led to a stunning failure: Some college students might not have financial aid dollars in their hands in time to start classes in the next few weeks," said Beth Maglione, interim president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Families 'are falling back on borrowing for college'For many families, financial aid is crucial when it comes to covering college costs, which have now crept into the six figures. The share of parents taking out federal parent PLUS loans to help cover the costs of their children's college education has also grown, other studies show.

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Persons: Beth Maglione, Education Miguel Cardona, Mark Kantrowitz, —, Kantrowitz, Sallie Mae's, Jennifer Berg, Sallie Mae, " Berg Organizations: Federal Student Aid, National Association of Student Financial, U.S . Department of Education, Education Department, Department, Education, Finance, Harvard, College