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Get2College’s Advice for Planning and Hosting a Drive-In FAFSA Completion Event

Posted on October 22, 2020January 7, 2021 by Bill DeBaun

By Jamese Carrell, Member Services Associate

A FAFSA drive-in was the talk of the virtual town at this year’s NCAN 2020 conference. And because of all the excitement around this type of event, we wanted to share with the larger network the inspiration and planning it will take to develop a drive-in event within your community.

To learn all about this type of event, we sat down with Get2College staff members Shannon Grimsley, outreach program director, and Danny Thompson, assistant director of GEAR UP outreach. Get2College is a program of the Woodward Hines Education Foundation in Mississippi and an NCAN member.

So what exactly is a FAFSA drive-in? In four short bullet points, here’s the best way to explain it:

The FAFSA drive-in will happen in an outdoor school space with strict COVID-19 guidelines. Appointments will be 45 minutes each.
Families will drive up (stay in their cars) to a tent and be greeted by a staff member, who will be socially distant.
Staff will conduct a FAFSA appointment similar to how they would in a normal (pre-pandemic) setting. Families will either be provided a tablet or laptop for screen-sharing to complete the FAFSA, which will be projected on a screen so that Get2College staff can monitor the responses.
Families and students will leave the appointment with newly created FSA IDs, (if not already pre-created) and a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Mississippi Aid Application (MAAPP).

Here’s what else you need to know about planning and hosting a drive-in FAFSA event:

What sparked the FAFSA drive-in idea?

This idea was born out of Get2College’s awareness of high student need and much of what they already knew about Mississippi students in rural areas and beyond, i.e., lack of access to stable internet and/or caring adults with financial aid application knowledge.

“We know how important it is to these students. They need this or they wouldn’t go to college,” says Thompson.

What was the planning process like?

When the idea for the drive-in workshop was shared and discussed, TJ Walker, director of the North MS Get2College Center, volunteered to pilot the drive-in at one of his area schools. Determining the location was easy; Walker had a pre-established relationship with the piloting high school. The staff knew transportation was a major barrier, so it was important to host the event in a central and accessible location.

Walker also cast a wide net to recruit staff members. Due to COVID-19, staff participation for this event was voluntary. Walker also sourced the group of staff volunteers to ask what supplies were needed, to really brainstorm and cross-check that they would have everything they needed to make the event successful.

What types of resources does it take to implement this type of event?

This FAFSA drive-in will take a place in a high school’s open parking lot area to maintain social distancing and other COVID-related precautions to ensure the safety of staff volunteers, students, and families. Below you’ll see a snapshot list of supplies needed to conduct a drive-in. Please note: This is not a finalized list, but rather a place to get started and items to consider. A major consideration is to determine materials needed for an outdoor event in your area, as weather conditions vary during fall across the nation.

Supply List (this list is not an exhaustive list):

Surge protectors
Paper
Tables
Chairs
Folders
Heat/cooling mechanisms
Face masks
Hand Sanitizer
Disinfectant wipes
Gloves

Bigger-Ticket Items:

Mobile Hotspots
Tents
Generators
Printer(s)
Face shields
Laptops (or tablets)

What types of communications and marketing will you use to get the word out about the event?

The key to this work, particularly in rural areas, is relationships. Get2College staff cites the support of city officials, mayors, and school boards, who are helping to get the word out and secure buy-in for participation from families. The rural communities are tight-knit and they know what works.

For other communications during FAFSA season, Get2College uses Signal Vine, postcards, and social media – they even have FAFSA and social media toolkits (free for anyone to use).

What advice would you give to NCAN members who want to hold a FAFSA drive-in?

The first would be tap into partnerships. From our time speaking with Get2College, it was clear partnerships really helped scale their work and efforts. Find the trusted places and people in the communities of the families you are trying to reach.

Also, recognize that completing a FAFSA requires sharing sensitive financial information, so here’s where that trust aspect comes in again. Be sure to use communications and messages that create a sense of security and care.

We are appreciative to have been able to spend time with Get2College to get a sneak peek of this innovative FAFSA completion event and wish them a successful drive-in later this month.

For more coverage of Get2College’s drive-in FAFSA plans, check out this story from the Washington Post.

College Board Offers $1,000 Scholarships for FAFSA Completion, a Chatbot for Support

Posted on October 9, 2020June 23, 2021 by Bill DeBaun

The “Complete the FAFSA” step of the College Board Opportunity Scholarships (CBOS) program is designed to reward high school seniors for applying for financial aid. By completing this critical step, students give themselves access to aid to pay for college and a chance to win $1,000.

Students can take these steps to get involved:

If you haven’t already, join the CBOS program.
Go to My Action Plan and select the complete scholarship card.
If you have submitted the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a state aid form, or are ineligible to complete both the FAFSA and a state aid form, select the “Confirm your qualification” button in the FAFSA scholarship card.

A larger number of “Complete the FAFSA” scholarships will be awarded in the remaining months of 2020, presumably as a way to encourage students to complete the form sooner rather than later:

200 “Complete the FAFSA” scholarships will be awarded at the end of October, November, and December.
100 scholarships will be awarded at the end of January and February.

Some state programs award financial aid on a first-come, first-served basis, so students can lose out on potential aid dollars if they complete the FAFSA later in the application cycle.

Seniors do not have to complete other steps in the CBOS program to qualify for the $1,000 “Complete the FAFSA” scholarship.

The CBOS program guides high school students through six steps of the college planning process. Completing each step earns students a chance to win scholarships of $500 to $2,000 through monthly drawings; doing all six steps also earns them a chance at a $40,000 scholarship. Notably for the NCAN community, College Board has designated at least half of all the scholarships for students whose families earn less than $60,000 per year.

Free FAFSA Assistance Chatbot

Does your student need additional FAFSA help? Well, meet Wyatt. Wyatt is a personal FAFSA assistance chatbot that became available on Oct. 1. Students can sign up here to begin to access Wyatt for free. Wyatt is always available to help and is powered by AI.

According to College Board, Wyatt will help address barriers to FAFSA completion, reply with timely and relevant information developed by experts, and send biweekly nudges about FAFSA completion and the “Complete the FAFSA” CBOS scholarship.

NCAN members can access a Sept. 10 webinar recording to learn more about this step, CBOS, and Wyatt. Note: You must log in to the webinar archives using your NCAN member account.

If you have additional questions about the “Complete the FAFSA” scholarship, check out these FAQs.

#FAFSABrightSpots: Hawaii P-20 Acted Fast to Support Seniors in FAFSA Completions During COVID-19

Posted on August 23, 2020October 23, 2020 by Bill DeBaun

By Lesli Yogi, Communications and Engagement Specialist, Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education

When the COVID pandemic hit, our organization immediately realized that our graduating high school class of 2020 needed immediate intervention to ensure they would succeed in making the transition from high school to college or career. This meant taking action and moving quickly from in-person to virtual support and strategies.

As it is widely known, data show that seniors who complete the FAFSA, especially economically disadvantaged students, are more likely to enroll in postsecondary education. With students not being in schools and having limited or no access to their college counselors for one-on-one support, we needed to develop solutions that could assist our students even while they were at home.

We provided technical expertise and support for students and families through an email hotline, FAFSA@Hawaii.edu, which was supported by local financial aid specialists. We promoted this support through a statewide media campaign to encourage FAFSA completion, including a television PSA, radio, and a digital campaign. We also created a comprehensive list of financial aid online resources that could serve as an information portal for educators and families.

We collaborated with our local chamber of commerce to offer a webinar to families on how to pay for college during COVID-19. This webinar provided valuable guidance and insight on how college can be affordable even during this crisis. By partnering with our community, we were able to help spread the word and reach a much broader audience.

We will continue to offer FAFSA webinars for new and continuing college students throughout the summer to make sure they know it’s not too late to submit their FAFSA.

Finally, Hawaii P-20, in partnership with the University of Hawaii, GEAR UP Hawaii, and several philanthropic partners (Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Strada Education Network, the Stupski Foundation, and the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation) launched a comprehensive new summer on-ramp initiative called “Next Steps to Your Future,” designed specifically to support Hawaii‘s class of 2020 public high school seniors. The “Next Steps to Your Future” initiative consists of two parts: summer advising and free summer classes at the University of Hawaii Community Colleges.

The summer advising initiative, led by Hawaii P-20, is currently engaging and guiding over 1,700 seniors in transitioning to their post-high school plans for careers and connecting them to postsecondary education, training and/or employment.

Every student is connected with an experienced University of Hawaii adviser who is providing free personalized support and information to guide them in their next steps whether they plan to enroll in college or had to delay their college plans. Support consists of specialized text messages with reminders on completing college applications and the FAFSA and providing access to relevant resources and opportunities to receive one-on-one support from a dedicated adviser over the eight weeks of summer.

Students also had the opportunity to enroll in free online University of Hawaii Community College Summer Exploration classes to explore career options and discover the education and training needed to reach their goals. More than 1,500 recent graduates have enrolled in over 129 classes this summer at one of the University of Hawaii Community Colleges. Participating students are earning between one and six college credits in these classes.

Finally, to help financially support our Next Steps students with their fall college enrollment, they will be eligible to apply for the Stronger Together Hawaii Scholarship, a $2 million dollar scholarship funded by Hawaii Community Foundation and First Hawaiian Bank Foundation.
These combined efforts with our generous partners over the past few months have yielded positive results in Hawaii’s FAFSA completion numbers. According to NCAN’s #FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker, Hawaii is currently ranked first in having the lowest percent change in FAFSA completions year over year. Our current statewide FAFSA completion rate is 58.5%.

While we still have much work to do, supporting our graduates to take charge of their futures has been at the core of our focus. It’s critical that we continue to support our young people in planning for our shared future and how they will each contribute to taking care of their families, their communities and these islands that are our home.

Hawaii P-20 strengthens the education pipeline from early childhood through postsecondary education and training with data-informed decision making, advocacy, policy coordination, and shared action. Our work is focused on high expectations and equitable access, so all students can thrive in school, career and life.

Twitter: @hawaiip20
Website: www.p20hawaii.org

#FAFSABrightSpots: LOSFA Embraces the Opportunity to Provide Virtual FAFSA Completion Assistance

Posted on August 5, 2020September 23, 2020 by Bill DeBaun

By Dr. Sujuan Boutté, Executive Director, Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance

The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) strives to be Louisiana’s first choice for college access. LOSFA’s three-part program allows students to continue their education beyond high school by promoting, preparing for, and providing equity of college access to the students of Louisiana.

We promote college access through college browses, integrated business and industry visits, and postsecondary campus visits, among other initiatives. A browse session is typically held at a college fair or expo. At a browse session, students and/or parents can speak to a LOSFA representative and ask questions related to financial aid, college access information, and Louisiana’s merit-based aid, the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) awards.

We prepare students for college success by providing academic tutoring support services, ACT/SAT standardized test preparation activities, comprehensive mentoring, college/career counseling and advising, and dual enrollment support.

We provide college financial aid and related support services by administering TOPS, Louisiana’s need-based scholarship (GO Grant), LOSFA’s Go Youth ChalleNGe Grant, START Saving Plan, START K12 Saving Plan, and additional financial aid opportunities.

Prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, LOSFA staff implemented a holistic approach to student support and connected the importance of academic persistence to college scholarships, initiating conversations to explain the financial aid process and student loan debt. This approach included:

One-On-One Engagement – LOSFA provided line-by-line and face-to-face assistance to students and their families in order to complete their respective portions of the FAFSA application.

Event Registration – High school professionals coordinated with LOSFA to host multiple events at their schools to ensure a full range of opportunities for students and families to understand the financial aid process.

Communication – LOSFA used text messaging, postcard invitations, PSAs, videos, email, phone calls, and social media campaigns to spread the word about the FAFSA, financial aid opportunities, FAFSA completion events and initiatives, and other resources to provide college readiness support.

LOSFA’s FAFSA Lab – LOSFA utilized an on-site FAFSA lab for families who needed additional assistance with completing their FAFSA outside of school or home.

The pandemic presented unforeseen challenges, and the LOSFA team worked quickly and creatively to meet the needs of students and their families. LOSFA launched several initiatives to provide virtual FAFSA completion assistance:

FAFSA Now campaign – When the office transitioned to working remotely, during Phase 1 of Louisiana’s re-entry strategy, LOSFA implemented its FAFSA Now campaign to support students with FAFSA completion. The campaign began April 9,, and ended on July 1, the priority deadline for TOPS, Louisiana’s merit-based scholarship. The campaign targets high school seniors in the class of 2020 to remind and encourage them to complete the FAFSA or address any errors on their FAFSA.

To spread the word to their prospective students, postsecondary partners have recorded video messages on the importance of FAFSA completion. LOSFA has also used videography and graphic designs, shared via social media and Signal Vine text messaging, to remind high school seniors and current college students to renew their FAFSA. Instructions to register for virtual office hours, text messaging assistance, and email support by LOSFA outreach staff have also been promoted across the state, so students and their families know the agency remains committed to meeting the needs of students, even during these difficult times.

Virtual Office Hours – Students, parents, and families may register for Zoom appointments to obtain one-on-one assistance or join group sessions for FAFSA completion support.

Geaux FAFSA Email Support – LOSFA widely publicizes our email address (GeauxFAFSA@la.gov) to families and students who have questions about the FAFSA. We regularly check and respond to all messages.

During the past several months, we have committed additional staff time and capacity to remain available to students. Outreach staff who provide virtual assistance have customer service experience and sufficient knowledge about the FAFSA to deliver exceptional support, while helping students and families complete the FAFSA. We have also invested in internet access, Wi-Fi devices, the Zoom virtual platform, laptops, and web cams. FAFSA verification is conducted by postsecondary institutions while LOSFA generates and monitors FAFSA error reports and subsequently follows up with students to correct errors in processing. And we use NCAN’s #FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker data to confirm FAFSA completion.

In our increasingly technology-driven society, we have maximized the opportunity to transition to 100% remote service provision. We advise practitioners transitioning from in-person to virtual FAFSA support to leverage technologies to engage through video conferencing sessions, e-mail campaigns, social media, text messaging, and phone. Though we have and will continue to face many challenges, we encourage fellow college attainment professionals to embrace the opportunity, adapting to meet the needs of students and their families.

#FAFSABrightSpots: Indiana Creates a Virtual FAFSA Frenzy

Posted on July 31, 2020September 23, 2020 by Bill DeBaun

By Teresa Lubbers, Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education

It is often said “necessity is the mother of invention.” Truly, the whole world has been learning this firsthand throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education – Indiana’s coordinating body for higher education – has adapted to new circumstances in order to reach students and families, particularly the most vulnerable among us. By shifting our critical outreach efforts online and utilizing social media to connect with students and families, the Commission has continued to administer the state’s financial aid programs, which require a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file.

Under “normal” circumstances, the Commission’s outreach and communications team actively works with schools and families to increase college access and readiness through one-on-one events, as well as by email, text and phone calls, and through postcards and social media campaigns to communicate about the FAFSA and other important college resources.

These outreach events were planned to start in March (leading up to Indiana’s original April 15 FAFSA deadline), just as COVID-19 struck and initiated the closure of schools, colleges, and workplaces.

Moving our entire FAFSA outreach efforts to a virtual setting became the goal. That included transitioning the dates and times from in-person events to Facebook Live events – what we’ve dubbed FAFSA Frenzy events – through the Learn More Indiana Facebook page and all of our social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook).

All tools on the table

Considerations for how to make the most impact through virtual events included which online platform to use, what time of day to attempt the events, and how best to share information and connect with students and families.

The Commission’s Facebook pages have a strong following of school counselors, administrators, educators, community partners, and public policy leaders. Promoting and hosting the events through Facebook ensured the Commission would be able to reach its target audience. Other considerations included time constraints (there were none with Facebook Live) and video permanence (Facebook Live videos remain on the page after the broadcast ends).

With the overarching message “Call us or chat us – we’re here to help,” the Commission presented tips and resources for students and families, along with answers to frequently asked questions.

The Commission featured several guests on the first broadcast during a Saturday afternoon, including a representative from financial aid guidance partner INvestEd Indiana, as well as a Spanish-language segment. Combined, staff members and community partners received nearly 100 phone calls, plus texts and emails. The video of the event is available on the Facebook page and has more than 1,600 views to date and reached over 3,000 people.

After a successful first event in early April, a second live event was held the evening before the state’s FAFSA deadline. Again, with one segment dedicated to support for Spanish speakers, the Commission’s staff also welcomed Purdue University’s executive director of financial aid. This event generated more than 100 calls, as well as texts and emails, and the video has more than 1,200 views.

Successful outcomes and future plans

Aside from social media analytics bearing out success, the Commission registered a 4% uptick in FAFSAs filed immediately after the Frenzy events. Of course, we don’t attribute all of that increase to the virtual events. However, the ability to quickly transition our outreach events to virtual offerings meant we were able to reach additional Hoosiers in the midst of a global pandemic.

The Commission also extended the state’s FAFSA filling deadline on a first-come, first-served basis as funding remained available. The extension allowed more than 6,000 additional students to be eligible and considered for financial aid.

Our outreach staff will be glad to get back to in-person events when it is safe to do so, but the success of these events prove the value of virtual offerings, which will become a regular feature of our outreach efforts.

Additionally, and because of the relative success of the FAFSA Frenzy events, the Commission hosted virtual enrollment opportunities in June for the 21st Century Scholars program, which provides tuition for up to four years for income-eligible students.

We will continue to develop these virtual events throughout the summer, fall and beyond. The Commission is counting the lessons we’ve learned along the way as opportunities to deliver important information to students and families about the FAFSA and college financing options during a time when this outreach is more important than ever.

Teresa Lubbers is the Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education. Created in 1971, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education plans, coordinates, and defines Indiana’s postsecondary education system to align higher learning with the needs of students and the state. The Commission also administers Indiana’s financial aid programs, including the 21st Century Scholars early college promise scholarship, which celebrates 30 years in 2020. Learn more about the Commission’s Reaching Higher in a State of Change strategic plan here.

#FAFSABrightSpots: Alabama Possible Leverages Partnerships to Support FAFSA Completion

Posted on July 23, 2020September 23, 2020 by Bill DeBaun

By Manisha Mishra, Program Director, Alabama Possible

Change, as we all know, is the only thing that is constant. At the beginning of March, we were planning to close out the 2019-20 Cash for College Campaign, focused on Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion. Then with just a few days’ notice, we began working remotely – with no end in sight.

There was no time to hit the pause button; the team had to continue connecting educators, students, and families to FAFSA resources while also figuring out how to work effectively from home. We reached out to our partners, collected ideas and strategic plans, and had thought-provoking conversations that helped us anchor our work in Alabama’s students’ and families’ needs.

Prior to school closures in mid-March, Alabama’s Class of 2020 had 1.96% more FAFSA completions than the Class of 2019. To understand FAFSA completion trends during COVID-19, Alabama Possible conducted a detailed analysis in addition to its regular weekly data reports.

With schools closed, students faced challenges such as decreased access to high school counselors, career coaches, an internet connection, and other college-going resources. Mirroring national trends, FAFSA completion decreased statewide. As of May 29, Alabama was 1.75% behind last year’s completion rate. We published the full analysis on our blog and shared it with state policymakers and education leaders.

To address challenges faced by educators and students while schools remain closed, we used several initiatives to boost FAFSA completion and support a college-going culture:

1. Cash for College Week

In order to equip counselors/educators with tools to help students complete their FAFSA, Alabama Possible hosted Cash for College Week in collaboration with the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE), and Alabama Community College System (ACCS). During this weeklong initiative, we took the following steps to connect students and families with financial aid to pay for education after high school:

Created a landing page on Alabama Possible’s website with financial aid resources.
Promoted a step-by-step guide to FAFSA completion.
Provided virtual training to counselors/educators on how to access financial aid resources, including data tracking tools.
Created and shared a document with updated financial aid and admissions deadlines for two-year and four-year institutions in partnership with ACHE.
Sent emails and direct mailers to students/families promoting FAFSA completion.
Promoted FAFSA completion activities on television, in print media, and on social media.

2. Cash for College Help Desk

To address declines in FAFSA completions, we launched the Cash for College Help Desk to complement the work of school counselors, career coaches, and college admissions and financial aid counselors. Answering questions about attending and paying for college, the Cash for College Help Desk provides an added layer of support to schools, students, and families.

The free Cash for College Help Desk is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and can be reached by texting or calling 334-316-6155, sending a Facebook message to @cashforcollegeal, or emailing cashforcollege@alabamapossible.org. Messages received after hours are returned the next business day.

3. College and Career Decision Week

Alabama Possible, in partnership with the ALSDE, hosted College and Career Decision Week to support our high school graduates and celebrate their decision to seek valuable postsecondary credentials, including professional/technical credentials and academic degrees, or to pursue careers in skilled trades. Educators shared tips on unique ways to celebrate their students’ accomplishments virtually. Pictures and videos were shared on social media using the hashtags: #ALGOES2COLLEGE, #ReachHigher, #CollegeSigningDay, and #BetterMakeRoom.

4. Webinars

Alabama Possible hosted several webinars to assist counselors/educators in helping students and their families navigate the FAFSA process. These webinars can be found on Alabama Possible’s YouTube Channel.

Since 2016, Alabama Possible’s Cash for College Campaign has worked to increase the number of Alabama students who pursue and complete a postsecondary education by increasing completion of the FAFSA. In partnership with the ALSDE, ACHE, and ACCS, Alabama Possible also provides support for the Alabama College Campaign, which combines Alabama College Application Week, Cash for College, and College Signing Day.

Schools in Alabama can monitor their FAFSA completion progress using our Cash for College Dashboard. This data visualization tool displays each school’s completion rate for the current year and prior year, allowing schools to track their year-over-year improvement. The dashboard also allows schools to make comparisons across districts, counties, and school sizes.

Alabama Possible is a statewide nonprofit organization that removes barriers to prosperity in Alabama through education, collaboration, and advocacy. We influence public policy to ensure every high school graduate in our state can pursue a technical or academic credential after high school. Our programs connect Alabama’s educational leaders, students, and families with the resources necessary to cultivate a college-going culture and equitable educational attainment.