College financial aid and scholarship applications are a rite of passage as high school seniors prepare for their futures.

Students and their families must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) to receive any type of college loans. Weighing in at 153 questions, the FASFA form is considered by some critics to be more complicated than a tax return.

This prompted the U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday to announce plans designed to make it easier to apply for college financial aid. Some of the changes are already in place while others will be phased in over the next few months.

Since May, the Education Department has provided instant estimates of Pell Grant and student loan eligibility, rather than forcing applicants to wait for weeks. The need-based Pell Grants are worth $5,350 per student for the 2009-2010 school year and are among the most common financial aid provided to students.

Congress is being asked to pass legislation that will remove more than half of the financial questions on the form. This summer, the U.S. Department of Education said it will create a Web application so families can use tax data already submitted to the IRS in completing their college financial aid forms.

"We need to make the college process easier and more convenient, and to send a clear message to young people as well as adults that college is within their reach," U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a prepared statement Wednesday. "Simplifying the financial aid process is an important step toward reaching that goal."

College is a common destination for the 2009 graduating classes at Blacksburg and Gaffney high schools. District figures show this year's graduates plan to enroll in 90 colleges nationwide for the fall semester.

The proposed changes in the FASFA financial form couldn't come at a better time, said Page McCraw, director of high school education programs.

"Most of our students apply for financial aid to help pay for college. The majority of our students will stay in-state to attend college because of the state scholarships available," McCraw said. "The financial forms are so long and complicated that our high schools hold 2- hour workshops to help parents and students understand the forms. We hope a shorter form will help make it easier for students and parents when they apply to colleges next year."