Number of high school seniors completing U.S. financial aid form drops 10 percent; current students renew at healthy rates. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds seem disproportionately affected.
A bill that would require students at public schools to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid advanced to the Indiana House after lawmakers approved the measure in a Senate vote Tuesday.
Currently, the number of people who have filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is down 10% compared to this time last year.
The University of California announced today (Feb. 8) that it is launching the Double the Pell campaign to urge Congress and the new federal administration to charter a more affordable pathway to higher education for America’s students and families. UC is partnering with the University of California Student Association (UCSA) in this national advocacy effort to boost financial support for low-income students across the country, which will include virtual events and information sessions.
The Pell Grant is the main way the federal government helps low-income students afford college, with more than 7 million students taking advantage of the grant each year to pay a portion of their educational expenses. Forty years ago, the Pell Grant covered more than 75 percent of a student’s four-year public college costs. Over time, disinvestment has eroded the value of the grant to around 28 percent.
Far more than a “gap year,” there are growing concerns among community and education leaders that the pandemic may derail the college plans of many students –