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PublicationDate: 3/9/98 Summary: 1998-99 Processing Status Update # 8 Author: ODAS - Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary - SFA Posted March 9, 1998 TO : Financial Aid Administrators FROM : Diane Rogers Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Student Financial Assistance Programs SUBJECT: 1998-99 Processing Status Update # 8 I am pleased to present you with my eighth message on the processing of the 1998-99 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). During the week of February 23-27, we processed 313,297 applications for the 1998-99 cycle, bringing our year-to-date total to 1,217,620 applications. The volumes received this past week were very high and, as a result, we are working to allocate the forms to the various processing sites in order to optimally process the majority of forms within expected turnaround times. As you know, each year FAFSA applications peak rapidly during each new processing cycle. During at least two weeks of the year we have to balance turning around applications promptly during the peak period with the cost of maintaining excess capacity for the rest of the year. We project that the week which ended March 6th (Week 9) will be the peak week. In anticipation of peak applications, the Department activated its temporary, alternate processing site on February 17th to increase processing capacity and ensure that FAFSA would be handled promptly. The majority of forms are being processed within the expected turnaround time. Due to the peak volume of applications, it is taking us several additional days to complete some forms. However, the processing times remain in an acceptable range. The number of electronic applications are over 40 percent higher this year than this point last year. We expect the proportion of applications submitted electronically to increase as the filing season progresses because FAFSA on the Web is now accessible to many more web browsers and because electronic filings have historically increased near processing deadlines. The following statistics are through Friday, February 27: FAFSA and Renewal Applications RECEIPTS PROCESSED YEAR TO DATE--GRAND TOTAL 2,028,194 1,217,620 I. Paper 1,956,422 1,145,848 II. Electronic 71,772 71,772 |