Iowa university leaders, students say federal financial aid difficult…

LAMONI — Agriculture has played a large part in Iowa State University student Jennifer Holliday’s financial aid over the past few years. The junior and class body president at ISU said coming from a background in livestock and crop farming, scholarships from agricultural organizations and Pell grants have helped fund her education.

However, with changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) adding the value of a family farm or business to the aid formula, Holliday said she’s predicting some changes to how much aid she’ll receive this fall. That is, if the form she filled out will ever be taken off hold so she can actually submit it.

University officials say glitches are continuing, with federal agencies sending incorrect data back to the schools.

Despite her sister filing the FAFSA with the same information and having no problems, Holliday is eight weeks into a waiting period to get information back from the government…