Number of State High School Seniors Who've Completed FAFSA Applications Down This Year

Friday, May 3rd, 2024 -- 10:01 AM

(Margaret Faust, Wisconsin Public Radio) The number of Wisconsin high school seniors who have completed the federal form needed to receive college financial aid is down by more than a quarter so far this year.

According to Margaret Faust with Wisconsin Public Radio, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, determines how much financial aid a student can receive. The form affects scholarships, grants, student loans and work-study opportunities.

The form got a revamp this year, but it was released three months behind schedule with technical problems, some of which have yet to be resolved. Colleges and universities didn’t receive student financial aid information until the middle of March, delaying the distribution of financial aid offers.

The latest data from the National College Attainment Network shows more than 8,000 fewer Wisconsin seniors have completed the form compared to last academic year. That’s a decrease of 27 percent between the high school classes of 2024 and 2023.

Completion rates are lower for low-income students and students of color. While there is still time for students to complete the forms, the sharp decline has educators worried about the impact on students and on already falling college enrollment.

MorraLee Keller, senior director of strategic programming at the National College Attainment Network, said about 20 percent of the applications nationally were processed incorrectly. Another 16 percent of forms need to be corrected.

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