Tracking FAFSA completions now possible

FAFSA is the application form that students and parents must complete in order for college students to receive financial aid. It is now possible for our school to track student FAFSA application submittals so we can ensure that all college bound students are receiving the financial aid they are eligible for. My goal for our school is for all graduates to go on to some type of post-high school training or education.

Here is the News Release from the Nebraska Department of Education-

The U.S. Department of Education has released a new tool that will help high school counselors and school leaders by giving them a resource to monitor FAFSA completions and better help students access higher education. School officials can now track FAFSA submission and completion statistics at individual high schools on the FAFSA Completion website, which will help them ensure that their students are filling out the FAFSA and therefore are able to determine their eligibility for federal student aid – a key factor in families’ college decisions.

“We know that completing a FAFSA is a critical component of accessing higher education, and this data will be a key tool for high school guidance counselors and local officials,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “We hope that by providing this resource in the heart of FAFSA filing season we can empower school leaders as they assist students and families in preparing for college.”

Making the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) easier to use has been a key part of the Administration’s effort to increase access to college and help the nation reach President Obama’s goal to lead the world in college graduates by 2020. In addition to determining eligibility for federal student aid, which includes Pell grants, federal student loans and work study opportunities, many states, institutions and private organizations rely on the FAFSA to determine eligibility for non-federal sources of aid, so filing a FAFSA has become the gateway to accessing funds for college. Key studies have indicated that FAFSA completion correlates strongly with college enrollment, particularly among low-income populations.