Free Digital Advisor Helps Students with Revamped FAFSA Form for College Financial Aid

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Wyatt®, the digital FAFSA advisor that has helped 30,000 students secure nearly $40 million in federal grant aid for college since 2019, is now fully updated to provide students with on-demand guidance to complete the revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, Benefits Data Trust (BDT) announced today.

Wyatt communicates over text message to share timely information and answer students’ questions as they work to complete the FAFSA in advance of deadlines to apply for all the federal, state, and institutional aid for college they may be eligible for.

The 2024-2025 FAFSA was released in late December – more than two months later than usual – after significant updates to simplify the form. In a dozen states, completing the FAFSA is or will soon be a high school graduation requirement.

Wyatt is free for students and powered by BDT, a national nonprofit modernizing access to government assistance. Backed by research and using artificial intelligence to understand and reply to questions, Wyatt helps students access accurate FAFSA guidance quickly – just a text message away.

“More than 5 million students will be eligible to receive the maximum federal Pell Grant for college thanks to updates to the FAFSA eligibility formula, but only if they complete the form to apply for those financial aid dollars,” said Trooper Sanders, CEO of Benefits Data Trust. “We created Wyatt for students to have a simple, straightforward tool to get the FAFSA done correctly – and quickly.” 

Four in 10 high school seniors did not complete the FAFSA in 2022, leaving $3.6 billion in Pell Grants on the table.

To update Wyatt with guidance specific to the new FAFSA, BDT collaborated with uAspire, a national nonprofit working to improve the economic mobility of underrepresented students by increasing access to financial aid and postsecondary pathways.

BDT is also collaborating with Common App to share information about Wyatt with all students and counselors who use the Common App platform.

Students can sign up at www.GetFAFSAHelp.org to text with Wyatt about the FAFSA. 

About Benefits Data Trust

Founded in 2005, Benefits Data Trust (BDT) is a national nonprofit using data, technology, policy change, and direct service to help eligible people tap the more than $80 billion in unclaimed benefits that support needs such as food, healthcare and education. 

Contact: 
Kelsey Ruane
kruane@bdtrust.org
445-895-2471

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SOURCE Benefits Data Trust