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June Is FAFSA Frenzy

Did you know only half of the state’s high school seniors have completed the FAFSA form to date this year? That’s a decline of three percent, and it’s cause for concern for North Carolina leaders. The FAFSA Frenzy campaign is designed to generate the momentum needed to reverse that trend. The campaign’s goal is to motivate more students to complete their FAFSA and to recognize that a life-changing postsecondary credential is within reach.

Please join us in promoting the value of FAFSA completion to students across the region! An increase in FAFSA completions results in an increase in college attendance and a trained workforce!

The FAFSA Frenzy campaign includes a newly launched website (FAFSAFrenzyNC.com), which explains the ins and outs of filing the FAFSA and directs users to free, hands-on financial aid counselling. The campaign will also feature an intensive social media component. A variety of high school, higher education, and community partners will use social media channels to issue messages of encouragement and helpful reminders to students and their families.

While only about half of North Carolinians ages 25-44 have a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree, students from low income households are even less likely to get the education they need to earn a living wage. The percentage of Black, Hispanic, and Native American residents with a postsecondary degree consistently falls below the state average.

Meanwhile, North Carolina students who did not submit a FAFSA in 2019 left an estimated $89 million in Pell Grants funds unused. EdNC has created a map that shows the status of each county’s FAFSA completion rate here.