The FAFSA is completed by millions of families and students across the nation each and every year. The Department of Education spends thousands of hours trying to streamline the process and help make the experience a successful one for those submitting the application. However, something simple, that no amount of planning and foresight can prevent, will inevitably go wrong.

Apparently, this year the “Are you Male or Female?” has been identified as being the question causing the most grief for FAFSA filers. William Leith, the service director for  Federal Student Aid, states “Our research indicates that the increase in the number of applicants leaving the “Are you male or female?” question blank is resulting primarily from the current location of the question in the Student Demographics section of the FAFSA on the Web application. The “Are you male or female?” question is displayed in close proximity to fields that are pre-filled with data provided earlier in the process (such as first and last name), and to the right of these questions, which we believe is causing applicants to overlook it.”

Mr. Leith says that the location of the gender question on Fafsa.ed.gov has already been moved to a more prominent location below the “Your Date of Birth” question in hopes that it will be answered by the appropriate response of MALE or FEMALE.

It appears that forgetting to answer this question doesn’t necessarily reject your FAFSA but it will extend the processing time involved by the Central Processing System and the Selective Service office. In addition, your FAFSA will be flagged with a SAR C designation that requires your information to be verified before any need-based awards will be able to processed on your behalf by the college or university you are attending.

Exciting times in the world of the FAFSA!