A completed FAFSA (Free Application Federal Student Aid) is essential for college students hoping to receive scholarships, grants or loans. Indeed, the Stark Community Foundation’s nearly 100 local scholarship opportunities require a FAFSA Student Aid Report to complete an application.

As of December 2020, Ohio FAFSA applications for the 2021-22 school year were down 10.9%¹ and Stark County high school student applications were down 8.4%. This decrease is unfortunate as NCAN data reflect that 92% of students from low income families would qualify to receive grants.

One might say that the drop in applications for aid was counterintuitive to addressing the challenge."FAFSA non-completion rates present an enormous opportunity because FAFSA completion is so strongly correlated with good postsecondary student outcomes."

Students who file a FAFSA can go a step further by using College Scorecard to determine the return on investment for their education – in any field – as well as the most advantageous way to achieve those credentials.

Anticipated changes include: 1) Significantly reducing the number of questions on the form –from 108 to a maximum of 36; and 2) Using

simple federal aid calculations to determine which FAFSA filers will receive a guaranteed maximum or minimum Pell Grant improving early awareness for families planning for the cost of college. Additionally, these changes will result in expansion of Pell Grant eligibility, increase the number of students qualifying for the maximum Pell Grant and restore eligibility to students with drug convictions and incarceration.