Filling Out FAFSA is Now a Federal Mandate for Seniors
In order to graduate, students in their last year of high school are required to submit federal financial aid form.
By Bibi Sediqi
In order to graduate, students in their last year of high school are required to submit federal financial aid form.
By Bibi Sediqi
California has now implemented The Free Application for Federal Student Aid as a mandate for graduating high school students. FAFSA is a form for seniors to fill out that makes them eligible for any money or grants offered by the state and federal government.
Starting this year, all high school seniors are required to fill out the FAFSA form in order to graduate. This mandate was put in place to help ensure that students are aware of the financial aid options available to them and are able to make informed decisions about their post-secondary education. Students can meet with their counselors to get extra guidance with their form.
“Students can go on to the online website, where they will sign up. In order to fill out their forms parents will need to provide the student FAFSA ID, federal tax income reports from 2021, and the student social security number.” said academic counselor, Judy Pataky-Hannon.
FAFSA is an important tool for students who are planning to attend college. By filling out the form, students can determine their eligibility for a variety of financial aid options, including grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and federal student loans. Without filling out the FAFSA, students may miss out on valuable opportunities for financial assistance. Since some financial aid options are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, students are urged to fill out the FAFSA form as soon as they can.
Senior Yanet Dereje believes FAFSA can be a beneficial tool for seniors.
“I feel like the mandate is not that beneficial because the financial aid estimated isn't even guaranteed, it just gives you an idea of what you could earn. But I do think FAFSA is a good thing to look at though to see how much financial aid you are capable of gaining,” said Dereje.
Even if students don't plan to attend college, or already have a financial plan made out for themselves, a federal mandate has been made to fill out FAFSA. Filling out FAFSA can help seniors better understand their financial situation and plan for the future.
“I would say it's very helpful because you can see what you're eligible for on the website, but I feel like the FAFSA doesn't really contribute much to low-income students. It is also really complicated to fill out since it only has a limit of ten colleges you can put in at a time. So you can't even send the form out to all your colleges at once," said Nayanika Bhattacharya, 12.
The new FAFSA mandate is an important change for high school seniors all over the country. By filling out the form, students can access valuable financial aid options that can help them in their future education goals. The deadline to fill out FAFSA in order to be eligible for state financial aid was March 2, 2023, and the federal deadline is set through June 30, 2024. If students have any questions about or need guidance with FAFSA, academic counselors are available and so is the FAFSA website at fafsa.ed.gov.
Starting this year, all high school seniors are required to fill out the FAFSA form in order to graduate. This mandate was put in place to help ensure that students are aware of the financial aid options available to them and are able to make informed decisions about their post-secondary education. Students can meet with their counselors to get extra guidance with their form.
“Students can go on to the online website, where they will sign up. In order to fill out their forms parents will need to provide the student FAFSA ID, federal tax income reports from 2021, and the student social security number.” said academic counselor, Judy Pataky-Hannon.
FAFSA is an important tool for students who are planning to attend college. By filling out the form, students can determine their eligibility for a variety of financial aid options, including grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and federal student loans. Without filling out the FAFSA, students may miss out on valuable opportunities for financial assistance. Since some financial aid options are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, students are urged to fill out the FAFSA form as soon as they can.
Senior Yanet Dereje believes FAFSA can be a beneficial tool for seniors.
“I feel like the mandate is not that beneficial because the financial aid estimated isn't even guaranteed, it just gives you an idea of what you could earn. But I do think FAFSA is a good thing to look at though to see how much financial aid you are capable of gaining,” said Dereje.
Even if students don't plan to attend college, or already have a financial plan made out for themselves, a federal mandate has been made to fill out FAFSA. Filling out FAFSA can help seniors better understand their financial situation and plan for the future.
“I would say it's very helpful because you can see what you're eligible for on the website, but I feel like the FAFSA doesn't really contribute much to low-income students. It is also really complicated to fill out since it only has a limit of ten colleges you can put in at a time. So you can't even send the form out to all your colleges at once," said Nayanika Bhattacharya, 12.
The new FAFSA mandate is an important change for high school seniors all over the country. By filling out the form, students can access valuable financial aid options that can help them in their future education goals. The deadline to fill out FAFSA in order to be eligible for state financial aid was March 2, 2023, and the federal deadline is set through June 30, 2024. If students have any questions about or need guidance with FAFSA, academic counselors are available and so is the FAFSA website at fafsa.ed.gov.