Schools turn FAFSA completion rates into friendly competition
The finish line is March 2 for high school seniors to complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act Application (CADAA).
That’s the state’s deadline for the annual Race to Submit, a statewide campaign that aims to increase the number of financial aid applications for California high school seniors. Although FAFSA enrollment will remain open, March 2 marks the final day of eligibility for a Cal Grant.
Filling out these financial aid applications is the first step toward college success and helps students qualify for federal and state aid to help pay for college.
These efforts were modeled after the successful 2017-18 FAFSA and CADAA Completion Initiative in Riverside.
Locally, Imperial County Office of Education, along with counseling departments at local high schools and partnership programs that promote higher education for local students, coordinate an annual Race to Submit campaign of its own.
The goal is that every high school senior along with their families would complete the Financial Aid application at www. FAFSA.gov.
The campaign begins in the fall and concludes June 30 each year.
“Financial Aid is a key component of a student’s preparation for postsecondary options,” said Denise Cabanilla, director of higher education and adult learning at ICOE. “The FAFSA opens the door to federal and state financial aid for college including grants, loans and work-study programs. High School Counselors and College Access Partners work closely to provide high school seniors and their families the support they need to complete and submit their financial aid applications via parent nights, workshops and one-to-one meetings”
In addition to schoolbased promotions with high school seniors, this year, the campaign also includes large 2-foot-by8-foot vinyl banners that will be placed countywide in both Spanish and English.
“Since the Financial
Aid application requires parents and guardians to submit their tax and financial information, we wanted to communicate the importance of Financial Aid directly with parents as well,” said Martha Singh, assistant director of California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP), one of the partner programs that promotes higher education for students.
The stakes for being the high school with the high percentage of completed FAFSA applications is bragging rights and a championship banner.
Last year Calexico
High School claimed the banner with nearly 80 percent of its senior class completing the FAFSA. This was also one of the highest percentages in the entire state.
“Completing your FAFSA by the priority deadline of March 2, can help students’ dreams become a reality with additional state funds when eligible,” Calexico High School counselor, Monica Hernandez said. “Financial aid may be used for tuition at universities, community colleges, and vocational/trade schools.”
The 2019 recipient of the Race to Submit championship banner was Holtville High School. “Since many of the Valley students are first-generation, students and parents are surprised and pleased at the amount of aid the student receives,” said Ellen Okada, counselor at Holtville High.
For questions and help on completing the applications for this year, students and their families can contact their school counselor, one of higher education programs in the county, or go online to Imperial Valley College’s website (www. imperial.edu), which offers virtual office hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.5 p.m.) specifically for high school seniors and their families filling out the forms. A quick scroll down the IVC website will find the “Zoom with Financial Aid” which will take a student or parent directly to a live virtual appointment with financial aid professionals at IVC.
Lisa Seals, IVC’s director of financial aid, said her team is ready and waiting for families to contact them with questions about the FAFSA application – even if their high school senior doesn’t have plans to attend IVC. “While a majority of Imperial Valley high school graduates do attend IVC after high school – we are available to help all students regardless of where they attend school in the fall.”