A disturbing trend in college student aid applications may place the future of millions of graduating high school seniors in peril this year. Young people experiencing foster care or homelessness already face significant financial barriers to college completion. However, they may face an even more substantial hurdle in enrolling in college if child welfare leaders, K-12 and college administrators, state policymakers and advocates don’t step up and help.
Last month, the National College Attainment Network released alarming findings regarding
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates for the graduating class of 2024. FAFSA serves as a crucial gateway for students seeking financial assistance for college. Recent data, however, shows a staggering 30% decline in applications compared to last year, leaving many eligible students at risk of missing out on vital aid.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has urged governors to push back FAFSA priority deadlines. While adjusting state financial aid deadlines is a critical first step to ensure that more students complete it on time, academic leaders, policymakers and advocates must now work to ensure individuals from the neediest backgrounds aren’t left behind in accessing vital financial aid that could determine their enrollment in the fall.
Despite progress in the national high school completion rate in recent years, college-eligible students from underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds are more likely to delay attendance or choose not to enroll. Not surprisingly, the National College Attainment Network’s FAFSA Tracker currently shows the most dramatic completion drops among economically disadvantaged and students of color, especially in schools marked by high poverty rates — a 38.6% decline.
If these students delay enrollment, they may face an uphill battle in achieving their college goals in the near future. Research suggests that students who delay enrollment are 40 percentage points less likely than on-time enrollees to be enrolled in college four years after high school. And some individuals who delay enrollment never experience what it’s like to be a college student.
Young people from foster care and those experiencing homelessness face unique challenges in navigating the transition from high school to college. Despite aspirations to attend college, many students struggle with limited familial support and face educational disruptions, making it harder to build trusting relationships with school staff. This issue is exacerbated by the nationwide shortage of school counselors, hindering low-income students from accessing crucial support.
When applying for FAFSA, these students are considered financially independent, eliminating the need to provide parental information on FAFSA forms. However, they must submit elusive verification documentation, such as an official determination letter proving their status as homeless or in foster care. Current policy reform efforts aim to remove this roadblock for future college students.
Following the recent passage of the FAFSA Simplification Act, the Department of Education recently revamped the application to simplify the process, reducing the number of questions and amending several policies to ease common hurdles prospective and current students face.
The department also revealed plans to help ease the burden of verification among independent students, such as homeless and foster youth, who are among those severely disadvantaged in making the transition from high school to college. By broadening the list of authorized entities that can make determination decisions, entities like emergency or transitional shelters, directors of TRIO or GEAR UP programs, McKinney-Vento liaisons, and Court-Appointed Special Advocates can now provide determination letters.
Another FAFSA simplification addresses a significant challenge for returning students. Previously, students were often required to resubmit determination letters annually. The FAFSA Simplification Act eliminates this requirement, ensuring initial documentation remains valid without the need for resubmission. The act will also deter colleges from requesting additional documentation or proof unless conflicting information arises.
But the new system has been beset with glitches and other issues. And recently, the Education Department announced that at least 30% of FAFSA forms submitted so far this year could contain errors that might jeopardize a student’s path to locking in necessary financial aid.
Nonprofit organizations like First Star and SchoolHouse Connection are stepping up to provide critical guidance and resources to marginalized youth pursuing college.
In a recent interview, Maria De Castro, director of First Star Academy at the University of Miami, said that young people from underrepresented backgrounds have often struggled with navigating the FAFSA application as well as other dynamics of the college enrollment process.
“Obtaining documents is probably the most complicated thing for kids, especially when applying for FAFSA to attend college,” De Castro said. She shared a story about a former student who had experienced homelessness right before college and was forced to verbally disclose these details at a financial aid office without privacy. “I think the (determination) documentation issue is always so complicated, touchy, and impersonal.”
Even when some youth in foster care have adequate guidance to complete the FAFSA, they may still struggle with their identity and self-esteem. Jerry Stott, director of First Star Academy at the University of Utah, shared how this is especially true for some students who are expected to become self-sufficient adults at a considerably younger age than their peers
“One of the problems that can happen sometimes is that it gets really scary to think that, ‘I’m going to age out of the system one day, and I’m going to be all on my own,’” Stott said. “So I think that’s something that I’ve seen with our students…they are scared about what happens when they are all alone, especially for youth that might not have been adopted or reunited (with biological family) or might not have a long-term caregiver.”
Beyond academics, First Star uses a case management approach that emphasizes attention to students’ holistic needs — which include life skills, socio-emotional needs, and adequate social support for pursuing viable college and career pathways.
There are available resources to help professionals working directly with youth.
SchoolHouse Connection hosted a webinar in January highlighting critical changes to the FAFSA. This mission-driven organization has also created an online resource page to help more K-12 educators, homelessness service providers and higher education professionals support homeless, unaccompanied, and young people aging out of foster care in filling out the FAFSA.
By equipping educators, service providers, policymakers and students with the necessary tools, we can ensure that all students realize their college dreams and avoid financial burdens.
As we strive for educational equity, addressing the systemic barriers that hinder marginalized students from accessing college aid is crucial. By ensuring timely completion of the FAFSA process and providing targeted support, we can ensure that every student has an equal opportunity to pursue higher education. Now is the time for community-based organizations like First Star and stakeholders at all levels to advocate for policies promoting accessibility and inclusivity in college funding. Only then can we break down barriers and open the doors of opportunity for all.
