College Success Foundation Offering Free FAFSA Help to 2024 High School Graduates
Bellevue, WA—July 9, 2024—College Success Foundation (CSF) is offering free support this summer to 2024 high school graduates in Washington who need help completing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and/or Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) forms.
Completing the FAFSA is the first step toward qualifying for federal student aid, including grants, scholarships and loans. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Education launched a new FAFSA form that was intended to be simpler, faster and easier for students to fill out. The rollout was accompanied by technical glitches, however, and FAFSA completion rates nationwide are down 11.6% compared to the previous academic year. Just 46% of the class of 2024 had completed a FAFSA as of June 28.
The FAFSA completion rate is even lower in Washington, with 43% of the class of 2024 having completed the form as of July 1. To help close this gap, CSF is offering free, virtual help to 2024 high school graduates in the state.
“Our financial aid experts are ready to help recent Washington graduates complete their FAFSAs on the spot,” said Danette Knudson, Vice President of Program Strategy. “Financial aid is complicated at the best of times, and we don’t want technical issues to prevent students from starting college in the fall. FAFSA is a huge priority for us right now.”
Securing financial aid allows students to feel confident in enrolling in college, and delaying college enrollment puts their future careers and financial stability at risk. CSF serves students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and they have been disproportionately impacted by the FAFSA challenges.
One-on-one appointments are available in English and Spanish (or other languages upon request). CSF can help students complete the FAFSA and WASFA forms, make corrections to their applications and understand their financial aid award letters. Students can book appointments using this online booking form. Printable flyers about the appointments are available in English and Spanish.
About College Success Foundation:
College Success Foundation is a national nonprofit that coaches and supports students from low socioeconomic backgrounds to prepare for and graduate from college as transformational leaders in order to forge a just and equitable society. CSF serves students in public middle schools and high schools and colleges throughout Washington state and the District of Columbia. Learn more at collegesuccessfoundation.org.