College Students: Big brother is reviewing your FAFSA

[central scrutinizer]

I work with students sometimes on financial aid issues and most file the FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid. After filing, the student receives their SAR (Student Aid Report) in the mail for confirmation of the data submitted. A note on a recent SAR:

"Your citizenship status has been confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and you meet the citizenship requirements for federal student aid."

[evil_orange_cat]

1. DHS should be reviewing FAFSA's...

... as well as student visas. What's the big deal? It's information that the federal government already has. It's not as if you are releasing information that is inherently private.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. If we're paying for you to go to college

You should at least be a U.S. citizen.

[Bill McBlueState]

3. Haven't they always checked for citizenship?

I suspect this is one of those functions that was moved from some other department to DHS after its creation.

As long you have to be a citizen to receive federal loans, and all they're checking is whether I'm a citizen, this does't bother me. After all, I did submit the information to the government.

[strategery blunder]

4. I don't have a problem with it

unless the government also uses private/commercial databases to obtain information you did not voluntarily provide.

This government seems really intent on giving me a problem. :evilgrin: