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THEC Launches “FAFSA Frenzy” across Tennessee during July
Special to the State Gazette
Nashville, Tennessee--The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) is partnering with dozens of education and community partners across the state for “FAFSA Frenzy,” a campaign during July that encourages and supports students and families in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Completing the application is the first step to thousands of dollars in college grants and scholarships, including Tennessee Promise funds.
Although Tennessee students and families already lead the nation in the percentage of high school seniors who have completed this year’s FAFSA, the latest national report shows that just 58.5% of the state’s Class of 2024 high school graduates have completed the application so far this year, down nearly 11 percentage points year over year since this same time last year.
“With the delayed rollout of the new FAFSA this year, the Class of 2024 has experienced some unanticipated challenges in completing their FAFSA. However, we don't want them to miss out on free financial aid and a lifetime of opportunities that a college degree or job training credential beyond high school can provide,” said Dr. Steven Gentile, Executive Director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
"That's why partners across the state are coming together for a final push, offering direct support and assistance with the FAFSA to students and their families throughout July, ensuring no one is left behind."
Students and families can quickly get step-by-step help with the FAFSA application and ask questions at CollegeforTN.org/FAFSA. Plus, many community colleges and partner organizations across the state are hosting special in-person FAFSA nights and other help sessions that offer direct one-on-one support. A comprehensive calendar of FAFSA support events across the state can be found at CollegeforTN.org/Events/
In addition, students and families will see reminder ads and messages of encouragement on their social media channels throughout July.
“Many students, especially those who might be the first in their family to even consider college, simply don’t realize they are leaving thousands of dollars on the table in financial aid if they fail to complete the FAFSA,” said Gentile. “That’s why we are launching this special campaign, and encouraging everyone to join in. We want to maintain Tennessee’s college going momentum and the opportunities it creates for students and our state. We don’t want to leave anyone behind.”
FAFSA completion is strongly associated with postsecondary enrollment: 92% of high school seniors who completed the FAFSA enrolled by the November following graduation vs. 51% who did not complete a FAFSA according to the National College Attainment Network.
THEC recently announced significant momentum in increasing the state’s college-going rate, highlighted by a 2.4 percentage point increase for the class of 2023 over the class of 2022.
The state’s 56.7% college-going rate for the class of 2023 represents the largest year-over-year increase since the initial implementation of the tuition-free Tennessee Promise scholarship in 2015.
The college-going rate indicates the percentage of Tennessee’s public high school graduates who seamlessly enroll in postsecondary education immediately after high school.