Aid Applications Submitted Online

Applications for Harvard College financial aid, due last Friday, were submitted online this year for the first time.

The move online is part of Harvard’s effort to simplify the financial aid process, as other forms students submit in the financial aid application process—including federal aid forms and basic information—have already gone on the Internet, said Sally C. Donahue, director of financial aid.

Although the admissions office reported no serious technological problems with the website, Donahue said some students’ responses exceeded the 1,000-character limit placed on each question. The office responded by expanding the limit to 2,000 characters.

Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons ’67 said the online forms, which have been available since January, may need minor improvements to prevent any future problems.

“We’re trying to make it more accessible,” Fitzsimmons said. “But we don’t want to create any red tape.”

Financial aid recipients will be notified in June.

—Staff writer Robert M. Annis can be reached at annis@fas.harvard.edu.