Why are more states considering Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) mandates for high school students?
High school FASFA mandates are gaining traction across the country in an effort to increase application rates.
Last year only 54% of high school seniors completed the form, falling from the 61% completion rate of years past. One of the reasons why the percentage of students filling out the FAFSA each year may be low is that the form is seen as “awkward” due to the personal questions included in the application.
During the 2017-18 academic year, Louisiana became the first state to mandate that high school students complete the FAFSA. As a result, Louisiana had the highest percentage of FAFSA completions in 2018 (70%) which in turn increases higher education enrollment.
So far this year, four states, Indiana, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Connecticut, have implemented requirements for FAFSA completion. Michigan, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Massachusetts are also considering making changes to their FAFSA a requirements for high school students outlined below:
- Michigan has a proposed bill regarding the mandate but allows for exemptions for students who are either ineligible for financial aid or simply uninterested in attending college.
- Pennsylvania has a proposed bill mandating the FAFSA through making the FAFSA required for graduation, unless granted permission from a parent or guardian to opt out.
- Massachusetts has a proposed bill which will mandate the FAFSA, but alongside that will have a fund that helps families fill out the FAFSA.
- Tennessee has not mandated FASFA for high school students, instead opting to incentivize it by offering free community college for those who completed the application – and, as a result, has a the highest FASFA completion rate in the country.
These mandates can increase students’ awareness of financial aid opportunities. The intention is to help students who believed they could not afford college find a way to support their further education. In fact, nearly 3.8 billion in Pell Grants were left on the table in 2021, due to FAFSAs not being completed by students.
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