BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Acceptance letters are rolling in for high school seniors, but stress is still high with FAFSA delays holding up their decisions.
"I graduate next month so I'm a little panicking about where I'm gonna go and how much I'm gonna be spending on school and where I'm gonna get the financial aid from," said Makena Howe, a senior at Mount Saint Mary Academy.
But just getting to this point is much different these days, much of that is because of technology.
"So much has changed, new forms, new policies, new requirements," said David Johnson, Senior Director of College Prep at Buffalo Prep.
What's new?
The SAT is completely digital now.
"Paper and pencil is no longer. Students who require accommodations, we do accommodate those students, but otherwise it is strictly digital," said Nicole Gibbs, Senior Director for External Engagement for the College Readiness Assessments Division at College Board.
The first group of students just took it for the first time.
"It was new, definitely shorter. It was an experience. I'd prefer pen and paper, but it makes sense," said Jabari Lagunilla, a junior at Canisius High School.
Gibbs says the change is all about evolving and meeting students where they are, on laptops or tablets.
"What students are finding is that they appreciate the test is shorter, it's just over two hours instead of three, they also have more time per question," said Gibbs.
What's new at Universities?
While some schools still rely on standardized tests as their baseline, others are ditching them altogether.
"This is our first year that we are test free, we do not look at the SAT or ACT," said Danielle Ianni, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Canisius University.
She says it's about giving the students more freedom, showing that they're more than transcripts and test scores.
"We have seen YouTube channels, letters of recommendations, essays, interviews," said Ianni.
She says students don't complain to her office about the lack of standardized testing.
The Cost
Tuition has gone up about 56% at in-state public schools in the past 20 years. Private schools have gone up 132%.
Numbers of FAFSA applications in WNY are extremely low. Updates to the process are causing major delays.
WATCH: ‘Get the money today’: College-bound students in Buffalo urged to fill out FAFSA form
Award packages have gone out as early as December at Canisius, but didn't go out until April this year. Ianni predicts things will settle down later this summer.
But money is a huge factor in the decision for students.
"I've been trying to cover the gap through scholarships," said Faith Floyd, Senior at City Honors High School. "I hope for next year, the next round of high school seniors have it easier."
Some tips to make it through
Ianni has been in higher education for years and says things are different these days.
"There's a lot of flexibility, every school has a different deadline, different admissions requirements, you want to make sure you keep track of that," said Ianni.
What do they look for?
"Can a student be successful? That's looking at a lot of different things, we spend a lot of time looking at transcript, what classes they've taken," said Ianni.
Seniors say to start looking at schools as early as possible and be ready for the cost.
"Find someone who can help you really go through all your stuff and just plan...and apply to more scholarships," said Floyd.
There's also Buffalo Prep, which has helped local students save millions on their path to college.
"We talk about college options, what does that look like helping them navigate the FAFSA application what does that look like, or sometimes just to be a mentor," said Johnson.
He says it's also about knocking down barriers for underserved students and preparing the next generation.
For more of Buffalo Prep's resources, click here.
