Even when they’re running well, big systems can produce a lot of errors.
Seventeen million people fill out the U.S. Department of Education’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, every year. As its name suggests, this form provides students with need-based government grants and loans for college.
Dan Currell was deputy undersecretary and senior adviser in the U.S. Department of Education from 2018 to 2021. He is a trustee of Gustavus Adolphus College.
