LOUISIANA SENIORS ACCELERATE FAFSA SUBMISSION WITH FEWER THAN 50 DAYS UNTIL PRIORITY DEADLINE

BATON ROUGE, La. -- High school graduation ceremonies are now taking place across Louisiana, and more outgoing public school seniors than ever before have taken steps toward funding their futures.

As of May 4, the latest data available, about 33,000 public high school seniors, or 75 percent, had submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which applies to all forms of federal financial aid available to students to assist in the cost of education and technical training beyond high school. The priority deadline to submit the form is July 1.

Nearly half of all public schools statewide have had at least 75 percent of their outgoing seniors submit the FAFSA, an increase from this time last year when just 10 percent of public schools reached that level. To view submission data by school system and school, click here.

Louisiana now stands at No.2 in the nation for the number of students completing the FAFSA, according to a recent report by the National College Access Network (NCAN), and leads the nation for completion growth since last year.

"Louisiana is a national leader in financial aid planning, and more students than ever before have their job training or college tuition paid for as a result," said State Superintendent John White. "With fewer than 50 days until the priority deadline, we urge school and school system leaders to ensure every student who wants financial support for future training or education receives it."

The increase in FAFSA submissions can be attributed, in part, to changes to the financial aid process. Starting this year, with the Class of 2018, Louisiana requires financial aid planning as a condition for high school graduation. The requirement, which is unique to Louisiana, is part of the state's Financial Aid Access Policy, approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2015. According to the policy, all graduates must now complete a FAFSA, a TOPS scholarship form, or indicate they do not plan to apply for financial aid. If they do not complete one of these steps, they either will require a hardship waiver or will not be considered a graduate.  

To ensure the effective implementation of the policy, the Department in recent years has created a Louisiana Counselor Assistance Center; convened a Financial Aid Working Group; provided data on FAFSA submission rates among all seniors; and assisted school systems in coordinating events to counsel families directly on financial planning for postsecondary education.

The Department has also partnered with higher education entities and advocacy groups, such as the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA), Career Compass, the Louisiana Education Loan Authority and College Beyond, to expand its reach.

"It is encouraging to see the tremendous growth in FAFSA completion and the collaborative effort among partners," said LOSFA Executive Director Dr. Sujuan Boutté. "According to NCAN, high school students who complete a FAFSA are 63 percent more likely to enroll in higher education than students who do not complete the form, and FAFSA completers are 72 percent more likely to persist in college than their non-completing peers. This encouraging news on FAFSA completion is part of the larger mission for us which is college access and success."

To access the FAFSA, click here.