FAFSA Archives - Form Your Future

FAFSA Completions Bounce in December, Still Down 12.3%

Posted on January 7, 2021January 7, 2021 by Bill DeBaun

By Bill DeBaun, Director of Data and Evaluation, NCAN

FAFSA completions for the high school class of 2021 have lagged last year by double-digit percentages since October. But a strong December saw completions gain back 4.5% in an encouraging development for an otherwise disastrous cycle.

On Nov. 27, the 2021-22 FAFSA cycle hit its low point of -16.8% FAFSA completions compared to the 2020-21 cycle on the same date. On Dec. 25, the 2021-22 FAFSA cycle was at -12.3%.

These numbers come from NCAN’s analysis of data from Federal Student Aid presented on the Form Your Future FAFSA Tracker, which is updated weekly throughout the FAFSA cycle.

The Tracker examines FAFSA completion at the national, state, city, district, and school levels. For the U.S. and each state, the Tracker computes both an estimated percentage of the current senior class that has completed a FAFSA and a year-over-year percent change.

As of Dec. 25, NCAN estimates that 29.9% of the class of 2021 completed a FAFSA. The top states by percentage completion were Illinois (45.3%), Washington, D.C. (45.2%), New Jersey (41.7%), Tennessee (41.1%), and Kentucky (36.4%).

The percent change metric is much grimmer. As of Dec. 25, no state has more FAFSAs completed than at the same point last year. Georgia (-1.2%) and Hawaii (-1.3%) have the smallest decreases.

There continues to be a worryingly inequitable aspect of FAFSA completion nationally. Title I-eligible public high schools have FAFSA completion declines of -15.5%, compared to -9.6% for non-Title I-eligible public high schools. High-minority public high schools, defined as having 40% or more Black and Hispanic students, have FAFSA completion declines of -17.8%, compared to -7.6% for low-minority high schools. Public high schools in rural places and small towns continue to have much larger FAFSA completion declines than their urban and suburban counterparts.

With the FAFSA Tracker, users can look at national data, examine state profiles that are sortable by city, district, and school, and compare cycle-over-cycle data nationally and by state.

NCAN continues to monitor FAFSA completion closely and will update the FAFSA Tracker through the rest of the cycle. Those with questions, comments, concerns, or requests for specific data pulls can contact Bill DeBaun, NCAN’s director of data and evaluation, at debaunb@ncan.org.

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.

Large-Scale Efforts to Boost FAFSA Completion Are Happening Across the Country

Posted on May 27, 2020May 27, 2020 by Bill DeBaun

By MorraLee Keller, Director of Technical Assistance, National College Attainment Network

It’s a fact: As of the end of April, FAFSA completion numbers are behind compared to the same time last year. Completions by high school seniors and renewals from currently enrolled students are both lagging. Even more devastating is that we’re seeing the largest declines among Pell Grant-eligible students.

The gaps have grown dramatically since March, when college and K-12 education was interrupted by COVID-19. A concerted effort is needed to reverse these trends and keep students on track for enrolling in college this fall.

College access programs and school counselors had to make an abrupt shift to virtual advising in March, with a focus on seniors and completing all the critical steps for a transition to postsecondary education and/or the workforce. Advisers and counselors continue to provide individual assistance to students and families that still need to complete a FAFSA. However, it is going to take large-scale FAFSA assistance efforts to pick up these dropping numbers.

NCAN has identified a number of these efforts, which we encourage students and families to take advantage of. We also urge all states to continue or develop FAFSA completion supports.

National Resources and Efforts

Federal Student Aid: For general information about federal student financial assistance programs, help completing the FAFSA, and to obtain federal student aid publications, call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). The TDD number for hearing-impaired individuals is 1-800-730-8913. Help is also available on the FSA website.

College Board, in partnership with Benefits Data Trust: These organizations developed a chatbot to help with FAFSA completion. It is available to high school seniors, current college students, and adult learners. Students must text to begin the service.

State Resources and Efforts

Arizona: Benji is a chabot available to help students and families with FAFSA completion.

Hawaii: Hawaii P-20 will start a “Next Steps to Your Future” summer advising campaign. Students will receive customized text messages from a dedicated adviser to assist with college/career transition. The state has also set up a FAFSA email hotline: FAFSA@hawaii.edu.

Illinois: Illinois Student Assistance Commission is providing free virtual college planning and financial aid advising and operates a free text helpline.

Indiana: Learn More Indiana is conducting a senior survey. Depending on student responses, information is being distributed to various agencies to provide support for transition after high school. Indiana also extended the state grant application deadline beyond April 15 for as long as funding exists.

Iowa: Iowa College Access Network (ICAN) continues to offer services via phone and virtual appointments via Zoom, Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Iowa is also administering a statewide texting campaign to seniors.

Louisiana: The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) is offering virtual office hours to assist people with questions about the FAFSA and state financial aid programs.

Michigan: Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) launched a free college advising hotline for high school seniors earlier this month and plans to run it at least through mid-June, possibly throughout the summer. It is being staffed by AmeriCorps advisers and supervised by MCAN staff.

Mississippi: Get2College staff members are available for virtual and telephone appointments to help Mississippi students and families. Students may contact the offices or go online to schedule an appointment. A live chat is also available online during business hours.

Nebraska: EducationQuest Foundation staff are available to help students through the college planning and financial aid processes. Students should call the nearest office to set up an online or phone appointment. Help is also available in Spanish.

New Hampshire: The NHHEAF Network’s Center for College Planning (CCP) continues to help all New Hampshire students with filing the 2020-21 FAFSA via virtual counseling appointments. To schedule an appointment with a college outreach specialist, call (888) 747-2382, ext. 119, or email collegeplanning@nhheaf.org.

Rhode Island: The College Crusade of Rhode Island will open its FAFSA completion assistance to any high school senior in the state. All appointments will take place virtually. To schedule an appointment with a College Crusade adviser, email fafsa@thecollegecrusade.org or text the word FAFSA to 95577.

Washington: Otterbot is a free texting service designed to help Washington students navigate financial aid for college and career education. Students can access Otterbot via text message 24 hours a day, seven days a week by texting “Hi Otter” to 360-928-7281.

NCAN will continue to search for resources to support our members and their students.

If your state has a current large-scale FAFSA completion effort underway, we would like to add it to this resource list. Please send a brief description and any appropriate web links to MorraLee Keller, kellerm@ncan.org.

(Photo by Qim Manifester on Unsplash)

Laura: Patience is Critical

Posted on April 17, 2020April 17, 2020 by Bill DeBaun

City: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Title: North Louisiana Regional Coordinator, Career Compass of Louisiana

A former college admissions officer, Laura Weego now serves on the other side of the college access pipeline. She leads a team of college and career coaches at Career Compass of Louisiana who help students create plans for what happens after high school graduation. Laura cites patience as one of the important attributes in helping students and families complete the FAFSA. She spoke with the Kresge Foundation about how Career Compass coaches partner with school districts to help students complete the FAFSA in a state where filing this form is a requirement for high school graduation.

Kresge: Why is it important for your community, and in your case northern Louisiana, to boost FAFSA completion among students?

Laura: A few years ago, FAFSA completion became a graduation requirement for high school students in Louisiana. That requirement put a big burden on the schools, the administrators, and the counselors. In schools that have large senior classes, it’s a daunting task to ensure that every student completes the FAFSA. Career Compass of Louisiana was already meeting with seniors and helping them with their post-high school plans, so it was just a natural fit for us to talk about the importance of FAFSA. Now, helping with completion has become a regular part of our meetings with students.

We meet with all high school seniors at least twice in a one-on-one setting, sometimes up to four and five times throughout the year. We make sure that every student sits down with a Career Compass coach. We help them work on their college applications, complete the FAFSA, and register for the ACT or SAT, if that’s what they need. We partner with local school districts so we have each student’s class schedule. Together with the schools, we build a schedule to meet with every student during one of their free periods or elective classes.

Kresge: What inspires you to do this work every day?

Laura: I think it’s fun to help students lay out their plans and realize they can go to college, whether that’s a community or technical college, a four-year university or a professional school. Doing this work opens conversations about possibilities, and in turn, how to make those plans a reality.

Kresge: Is there a standout story about working with a student or family?

Laura: I worked with a student and his mom, who was a single mom. The student wanted to go to a local community college near home so he wouldn’t have to move away. The student’s mother was unsure if her son would be eligible for any grants or aid and was reluctant about the whole process. In the end, he did qualify for aid, including the Pell Grant. Once we reviewed the amount of his Pell Grant alongside how much it was going to cost per semester for him attend the local community college, we realized he was not going to have to take out any student loans. The family was so grateful, and I could tell that a weight had been lifted off their shoulders.

Kresge: What advice would you give to professionals around the country who are doing this work?

Laura: FAFSA completion days work well, even in the rural parts of our state. I recently attended an event where we had 120 seniors learn more about the FAFSA. The school counselor did a great job informing families about what they needed to bring to the event. In essence, the counselor told her students, “It’s a requirement, it’s mandatory. Y’all better be here.” That night, we submitted 30 FAFSAs. Working with counselors and school administrators as they work to motivate their students, parents and school communities is key.

When helping students and families complete the FAFSA, the most important thing to keep in mind is patience. For many students and parents, this is their first time seeing the application and experiencing the process. It takes a lot of patience every single time.

Kresge: Any advice for a student who is trying to begin the FAFSA completion process?

Laura: Federal Student Aid has some fantastic YouTube videos. Many explain the process and are fantastic resources. So students, watch those videos!

Additionally, area colleges and universities have financial aid officers who are often more than willing to sit down with any student and any parent. These financial aid officers are often willing to help families through the process regardless of whether they’re planning to go to that university or college. They’re all financial aid professionals, and they want FAFSAs to be completed just like we do.

Mila: Doing What Works for Today’s Students and Families

Posted on January 13, 2020January 13, 2020 by Bill DeBaun

City: Augusta, Maine
Title: Manager of College Access and Outreach, Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)

A self-described “FAFSA geek,” Mila Tappan uses a variety of resources to help students and families with FAFSA completion. Short animated YouTube videos and Facebook Live events get critical information to students and families throughout Maine, where roughly 14,000 high school students graduate each year. Small incentives like coffee and gas gift cards make a big difference in getting families out to FAFSA events. Mila spoke with the Kresge Foundation about how life-changing FAFSA completion can be for students.

Kresge: Why is it important to increase FAFSA completion throughout Maine?

Mila: Maine is the oldest (average resident age) state in the nation. We are concerned that we don’t have enough students coming up through the workforce pipeline. Among the students that we do have, we find that our workforce doesn’t necessarily have the skills to fill the jobs that are coming in the next decade. Maine needs about 158,000 more workers with credentials to fill the jobs that we’re going to have in 2025.

FAFSA completion has huge connections to college-going. Ninety percent of students who file a FAFSA pursue higher education in the fall after graduating from high school. And if a student from a low-income household completes a FAFSA, he or she is more likely to go to college than their peers who do not. We want to make students aware of their opportunities and help them understand there is money out there to help pay for college. We believe that filing the FAFSA opens doors for many students who otherwise might think that going to college is not possible.

Kresge: What is an effective strategy in raising awareness about the importance of FAFSA completion?

Mila: With high school students, relationships make a difference. Having that school counselor or other adult in their life who is encouraging them to file the FAFSA is impactful. In addition to doing direct outreach, one of our key roles is to give school counselors tools and resources if they need help with the process. Maine has a great FAFSA portal. If a high school signs up and completes the agreement, they can access a list of their seniors, see who completed the FAFSA and who was selected for verification. This helps counselors determine where to devote their FAFSA completion efforts.

Kresge: What brought you to this work?

Mila: I started as a college financial aid professional, but I was interested in connecting with students earlier in the process. In a financial aid office, you only see the students who make it to that point. Unfortunately, we lose a lot of students before they ever get there. I like helping to make this process a little easier for families, especially those who don’t have as much support. Our efforts focus a lot on first-generation students and students from low-income households.

Kresge: What challenges do you face in working to boost FAFSA completion?

Mila: One challenge is that the FAFSA, by design, is a federal form, which creates fear and anxiety in some parents. Sometimes we have parents who don’t want to go through this process for a variety of reasons. Another related challenge is parent engagement. I don’t think any of us like to ask for help, but we want families to know that’s exactly why we’re here. We’ve found gift cards to be a great incentive in getting people out to events. A $10 gas or doughnut gift card can really boost attendance at events.

Kresge: Can you recall a specific student or family for which FAFSA completion made a big difference?

Mila: I’m thinking of a student who graduated a few years ago and, for a variety of reasons, didn’t think she could pursue higher education. Her parents were very concerned about student loan debt, so she took a year off and worked a full-time job. Soon she realized that working was not enough. She needed more than that. She needed to pursue school. So she completed the FAFSA, applied to our local community college, and was accepted.

We met during the summer before she was to begin her studies, and she was concerned because she had not received a bill. We pulled up the student portal and noticed a negative number at the bottom. That number meant that all of her tuition and fees were covered with grant funds, and that she would receive a small credit to use for books, supplies and travel back and forth to home. Most importantly, she realized she could do this without borrowing any money.

The tears ran down her cheeks and they ran down my cheeks. Until she completed that FAFSA and until she got that financial aid award letter, she did not realize it was possible. Completing the FAFSA can absolutely be life-changing.

Kresge: What advice would you give to other professionals working to increase FAFSA completion?

Mila: Stay open to changing how to do things. This year gift cards are working well, but in the future, it might be something else. Debriefing with school counselors and students is also important. Hearing from them helps us understand what gets them to events and what resources are most helpful in demystifying the FAFSA process.

This year we’re trying a friendly competition. We’re going to award $500 to the two schools that have the most significant increase in year-over-year FAFSA completion rates. Just keep trying things, talk to colleagues, see who’s doing what, and see what is successful. If you’ve got something that works, great, but know that the students are always changing too.

We’re using social media more than we ever have before, but we know that we’re reaching different audiences with different platforms. Facebook Live events, for example, tends to attract parents. But our YouTube videos and Instagram posts are more likely to attract students.

Sambat: Helping Every Single Student, No Matter How Long It Takes

Posted on November 22, 2019December 24, 2019 by Bill DeBaun

City: West Valley City, Utah
Title: College Access Advisor, Hunter High School

Sambat Kim, an alumnus of Hunter High School in West Valley City, returned to his alma mater to help more students pursue their educational goals after completing high school. To increase FAFSA completion among its students, Hunter High School partnered with the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority, which was recently recognized in the National College Access Network’s 2018-2019 FAFSA Completion Challenge. Sambat spoke with the Kresge Foundation and shared more about his experiences working with fellow colleagues to educate students and families about college grant and scholarship opportunities.

Kresge: Why is it important for your community to boost FAFSA completion? What strategies do you use to get the word out about the FAFSA?

Sambat: In our communication with students and parents, we try to make it clear that completing the FAFSA will help pay for school, and in turn, open more educational doors. It’s not simply about the college applications, it’s about how to pay for college as well. We use a few strategies. We hold FAFSA nights, talk to seniors during college and career planning sessions, and I have one-on-one meetings with each senior. I also collaborate with my faculty and staff colleagues so they can help me get the word out and get everyone around the school talking about FAFSA.

In the West Valley City community, sometimes we can have a hard time engaging parents. Many of our parents work two or three jobs so it’s hard for them to come out during the evening. But last year we had great parent engagement. Almost 100 students attended with their parents! It was a crazy busy night, but we had a lot of success with helping students complete their FAFSAs.

Kresge: What brought you to this work, Sambat?

Sambat: I’m a Hunter High alumnus and during my senior year I got a lot of help from my teachers, college advisors, and counselors. Back then, the FAFSA didn’t open until January 1st. It was difficult to focus on high school, navigate college applications, and figure out how to pay for college. But I got a lot of help. In my senior year I applied to five colleges and for 70 scholarships. Completing the FAFSA was critical. And at the end of my senior year I got a full-ride scholarship to my dream school. Several years later, I graduated from college debt-free. And because of my personal experience, I wanted to come back to my community to tell students, not only my success story, but how to overcome challenges, and show that it’s possible to go to college and graduate debt- free. I want students to know that it’s possible, and that there are a lot of resources and people to help.

When you grow up in low-income communities, where people don’t really talk more about higher education, seeing someone from your school community get scholarships and grants can give students hope that they can achieve their goals as well.

Kresge: What is one challenge you face in motivating students? Motivating parents?

Sambat: I’m pretty sure every school, every community nationwide has some challenges. Sometimes I have a parent that doesn’t want to provide their tax information. Or I might have parents who are undocumented, and even though their students are citizens, they are reluctant to provide their information. I not only try talking to parents individually, I talk to scholarship donors and students, and try to find a way to break down barriers, just really helping people understand the FAFSA completion process. I don’t care how much time it takes for me to help one student. I don’t want money to be a burden or the reason a student cannot go to college. If they don’t complete the FAFSA, they might miss out on several scholarship opportunities, including the Utah Promise Scholarship. Just one application – the FAFSA – can mean more college opportunities.

Kresge: Is there a student or family experience that stands out in terms of helping with FAFSA completion?

Sambat: Every student has a different situation, but one of my students stands out. One of my students is homeless. Together with our counseling team, and our school social worker, we helped her every step of the way with applying to colleges and completing the FAFSA. She received a full Pell Grant and now attends college. When a student completes the FAFSA, the student is identified as dependent or independent. This student did not require any financial information from a parent or guardian and could complete the FAFSA on her own.

Kresge: Do you have any advice for fellow counselors or coaches trying to help boost FAFSA completion?

Sambat: I work with a lot of seniors with different situations. My advice? Make every effort to speak to students individually about their educational dreams and help them explore opportunities. And even though their plan may not be to go to college right away, help them complete the FAFSA just in case their plans change. If they complete the FAFSA, they’re less likely to miss important scholarship deadlines.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Utah Promise Scholarship is a need-based, last-dollar scholarship. It covers tuition and fees for up to two years at Utah’s public colleges and universities as well as the state’s public technical colleges for qualifying students. The scholarship is open to both recent high school graduates and adult learners who: 1) have a high school diploma or equivalent, 2) have not previously earned a postsecondary degree, 3) are Utah residents, 4) have demonstrated financial need, and 5) accept all other forms of financial aid offered, according to the Utah System of Higher Education website.

When filing the FAFSA, students must indicate whether they are dependent or independent from their parents. According to the Federal Student Aid website: “A dependent student is assumed to have the support of parents, so the parents’ information has to be assessed along with the student’s, in order to get a full picture of the family’s financial strength.” The 2020-21 FAFSA asks 10 questions to determine a student’s dependency status. Students are considered independent if they meet criteria such as being married, being a veteran of the U.S. armed forces, or being an “unaccompanied youth who is homeless.”