Over the last couple months, reports have shown a steady decline in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates for students growing up in low-income communities. With applications down, thousands of students—who are in most need of financial support to access higher levels of education—could miss out on federal student aid.
At SEED, we know that even small amounts of money can make the difference between students staying in school or leaving early. That’s why we have put the following practices in place to make certain our students don’t miss out on critical funding:
An internal deadline that is far earlier than the standard FAFSA deadline;
Programming for students and families that focuses on financial literacy, understanding the college funding process, and why the FAFSA is key;
A staffing structure which includes college success advisors who provide financial aid coaching support to students to and through college; and
A college success model that supports community and school-based organizations in growing their capacity to execute stronger financial counseling and college matching practices.
These practices have proven especially helpful as our students, teachers and leaders navigate virtual platforms and adapt to the changing financial aid and application deadlines due to COVID-19. Finally, we are working hard to ensure that even as our students and families are impacted by the global pandemic and recession, we are there to help them address financial burdens standing between them and a college degree.
Check out the FAFSA Tracker to explore data on nationwide FAFSA renewals.