For those of you interested in applying for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FASFA, and are on Windows 7 but having trouble finding a compatible browser, no worries, you aren't the only one!

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

I tried Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Opera to no avail.  Opera actually went into the site, but it wouldn't let me enter the correct number of digits when numbers were asked for.  I then clicked on their links in their help section, but all that did was take me to the most recent version of each browser.  Internet Explorer had some older versions available, but those versions wouldn't even open in Windows 7 (even though the Browser Help page on FAFSA said they would work).

I sent an email, and in the response they pretty much just sent me the Browser Help page after I explained to them nothing in that page work.  At the end of the email, it said to call FAFSA if I had any other questions.

Hooray for federal employees!

I called.  After I explained my situation, the lady told me "You can't get on the website if you already tried on your computer.  Do you have another computer or a public library you can go to?"

As dumb as it sounded that I couldn't use the same computer to get on the site if I already tried and it denied me, I went to fetch my other computer.  She asked if I was still there, and I told her I was getting on my other computer.  Her response, "Well, give us a call back when you get on another computer and then you can press ALT + H and we'll be able to tell you if that version of the browser is compatible or not."

I told her thanks and bye.

For all of you who love the federal government, this kind of "customer service" is what I and many I know have encountered with them.  If I wasn't expecting this kind of treatment (which is why the call was my last option), I would have probably blown up on the phone.  There's all kinds of wrong with hiring this woman to be a part of their "Customer Service" team.  She should have at least known how to clear cookies or find links to ancient versions of browsers that are compatible with their ancient website instead of "ALT + H" (which doesn't even work with Chrome) or going to the public libaray (because I'd rather be putting out my Social Security Number in public than in my own home).

Those on Windows 7, here's a couple ways I got FAFSA to work on my website:

1.  Go to Start - All Programs - Internet Explorer (not the 64-bit, there should be 2 Internet Explorer options.  If there is one without a label, that should be the 32-bit version.  It said the browser was incompatible in a littlbe blue box, but I filled out and submitted everything just fine.

2.  Visit www.filehippo.com.  They generally have all old versions available for download.  here is the link for Firefox 3.6.20 - http://filehippo.com/download_firefox/10406/  I was able to get on the site without a hitch.

I hope this was able to save anyone from the headache that is FAFSA and the Federal Government!!