#FAFSAFlocked: Increasing FAFSA Completion
You've Been Flocked!
The Capital Area College Access Network (CapCAN) is excited to kickoff our 5th year of #FAFSAFlocked.

#FAFSAFlocked is a fun, eye catching way to draw students’ attention to the financial aid process, including FAFSA.

Thank you to MSUFCU, Uplift our Youth Foundation and the Rotary Club of Lansing Foundation for sponsoring this campaign again! Learn more about how to inspire college savings and FAFSA completion in the Wallet Watch Podcast.
At CapCAN, we know that when a student fills out and completes the FAFSA, they are more likely to actually enroll in college. There can be many barriers to completing the FAFSA, including awareness of the process by the student and their parents, which is the focus of the FAFSA Flocked campaign.  
Our goal with this campaign is to have 60% of the students in our region complete the FAFSA by June 30.

All our tools can be used virtually to increase FAFSA completion in our community. Just click on and save the images you want to use from this newsletter, or download the documents or websites all underlined in BLUE.


Help us Flock other senior families by using our "You've Been Flocked" tools (think of Halloween Boo'd) and posting #FAFSAFlocked social media posts on Facebook and Twitter.
Happy Flocking!

Michele Strasz, Executive Director
CapCAN College Couch Corner Series: Financial Aid

CapCAN has curated an extensive collection of short videos about the financial aid process. Please be sure to follow us on social media or check out our YouTube playlist.
Flock a Senior!
Did you like getting Boo'd at Halloween?
Well now you can Flock A Senior!
1.   Place the FAFSA Flocked Flamingo in your window.

2.  Make a copy of the FAFSA Flocked flyer and instructions.

3.  Make a FAFSA Flocked goodie bag with favorite candy, snacks, a gently used book or movie, gift cards, and a note.

4. Deliver to a senior you know.

5.  Share your photos using #FAFSAFlocked and tag us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
For more information about FAFSA please visit, www.fafsa.gov
Brought to you by www.capcan.org
Tools for FAFSA Flocked
CapCAN has developed this FAFSA Flocked toolkit which includes:

· #FAFSAFlocked images throughout this post you can download to use on social media.


· Fliers and posters: Please place them on lockers, bulletin boards, bathrooms, counseling center and other places around the building to get students talking.

· FAFSA FAQs and FAFSA Cheat Sheets: Please provide these during financial aid workshops and FAFSA completion events.

· FAFSA Flocked toolkit: Find all of our documents in one place!
 
We encourage you to pick a day or week to Flock your school or organization. You will want the counseling team, a college adviser, CapCAN, or a financial aid representative from a college to be available to answer any FAFSA questions. We recommend having some type of presentation or workshop to coincide with the event.
#FAFSAFlocked Social Media

Take lots of #FAFSAFlocked photos! Please use the hashtag #FAFSAFlocked so we can find the post.

CapCAN also has a Facebook Frame! Find it on our FB page.

Please tag CapCAN in your posts at:
· Facebook: Capital Area College Access Network
· Twitter: @CapitalAreaCAN
· Instagram: @capcan_

Here are some sample posts you can use:

·  Our campus has been flocked with flamingos, have you done your FAFSA? #FAFSAFlocked

· <<Name of student>> completed their FAFSA! #FAFSAFlocked

· Did you know that some scholarships require you to fill out the FAFSA? Make sure to complete by March 1 to get maximum free money! #FAFSAFlocked

· Seniors, did you know that if you file your FAFSA by March 1, you will qualify for more scholarships and grants? #FAFSAFlocked
If you want to talk about it during your announcements, robo calls or newsletters:

Today we were flocked by flamingos to remind our seniors to do their FAFSA! Did you know that the FAFSA is the only way to qualify for several different grants and scholarships offered by colleges? It’s free and takes about 20 minutes to fill out. Make sure to fill it out with a parent by March 1 to get the most amount of free money! See <<counselor/college adviser>> if you have any questions!
Ideas for FAFSA Flocked at School

· Challenge a rival high school to beat your FAFSA Completion rate or to get the most amount in set period of time (contact CapCAN if you need help tracking this!)

· Post fliers on senior lockers to get them talking about FAFSA

· Give students a shout out on social media accounts if they completed their FSA ID and/or their FAFSA already!

· Create some kind of giveaway that students enter once they complete their FSA ID and/or filed their FAFSA
Your College Advisers Are Ready to Help!
Keep Track of Your FAFSA Completion!
Updating your community on how much progress your school has made can be a great way to get everyone excited. Most importantly, it can really help your community share important resources and information regarding FAFSA.

CapCAN has been trying to imagine new ways to make our FAFSA thermometer rise, and we need your help to reach 60%.


Follow us on social media to keep up to date on how many FAFSA applications our community has completed and keep us updated on your progress so we can reach 60%!
If you are interested in having CapCAN Assist with
FAFSA Completion please contact
Ashley Justice, Program Manager at [email protected]
or by phone 517-203-5011.
FAFSA Flocked in the Community
CapCAN is here, there and everywhere talking to students, parents, and community members about the importance of a post-secondary education.
Join Ruthie, our #FAFSAFlocked Flamingo Dog, in sharing your photos this year! We've already had some fun! The flamingo costume made an appearance at the Wilson Talent Center (contact Ashley Justice if you'd like for it to make an appearance at your school). CapCAN Board Member Teresa Kmetz also wore it to a UWSCMI event. And Marisa, a college ambassador and student at the WTC, made AMAZING #FAFSAFlocked cupcakes.

Email [email protected] with photos or tag us on social media.
Capital Area College Access Network | 517-203-5011 | capcan.org
Readiness. Access. Retention. Empowerment.