FAFSA Question #23

Hi, I’m doing my FAFSA right now online, and while I’m completing the form, there is no question 23. However, when I go to preview to print it out, question #23 just appears (under the Student Eligibility section). The question shows up on my preview as “Drug Conviction Affecting Eligibility? (Question 23)” and shows that I have selected “Eligible for aid”. But like I mentioned previously, I never did see or answer that question while I was completing the form. What does this mean? And I was never given the opportunity to select “no”. I did go back to check everything to make sure I didn’t miss anything, but there is still no question 23. In addition, I then looked at the paper application for the FAFSA (since they also offer paper application forms) and it does have that question. What is going on? If anyone knows the answer, please help.

So there was no question about whether you were convicted of a drug offense?

I’m doing the same and can’t seem to find any reference to question 23 and if the question is “answerable”. When I look at the FAFSA summary report, there is no link to question 23 so I’m assuming this questions just defaults to “Eligible for Aid” and there is no real way to answer this.

Can anyone confirm?

The question only applies if you have previously received federal aid

Strange. I have reviewed the FSA training info & don’t see anything about skip logic applying to this question. If a student has never received federal aid before, he/she would obviously answer No to #23 (since it says "while receiving federal aid) … but to my knowledge, the question must be answered. If there is an issue that allows people to skip the question, I will receive an update when it’s discovered and fixed … so if that is the case, I will post. If I find out it really can be skipped, I will confirm. There is new skip-logic this year.

Just to clarify, has anyone figured out a way to actually get to this question and answer it in any way? I cannot find any way to actually answer this question.

It does not come up in any of the forms and the Application Summary has no link to the actual question.

Am I missing something?

My guess is that FAFSA adjusted the form and no longer requires the question, but the help files have not been appropriately updated.

Okay, I just found a training powerpoint that shows the question set-up. You are first asked if you ever received federal aid. If you said no to attending college in the past & no to having received federal aid in the past, it looks like there is skip-logic that keeps you from having to answer #23.

Thank you everyone for the help.

Kelsmom - If it is as you say, why is question #23’s answer automatically defaulted to “eligible for aid”? Would it not be “not applicable”, or just “no”? That doesn’t really make any sense. And if I did receive aid in the past, and I didn’t even see that question showing up anywhere in the form, how can I even answer that question?

FXLune - looks like you got the same problem as I, suggest you take a look at their PDF fafsa paper version, it does have the question #23.

Just did some test with FAFSA and changed a few choices, then that question showed up, and I got my answer. Thank you @kelsmom for the tip.