College money is there...if anyone wants it

Julia Harrison - LRHS News

(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL) - Doesn't anyone need money for college?

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that only 27.1% of Florida high school seniors filled out a Free Application for Federal StudentAid (FAFSA). This means that nearly 73% of seniors did not complete a FAFSA.

The FAFSA provides seniors the opportunity to gain access to work-study jobs, scholarships and Pell Grants.

FAFSAs can be filled out online on the FAFSA website (www.fafsa.ed.gov) or on the Federal Student Aid website (studentaid.ed.gov). Federal Student Aid is a branch of the U.S. Department of Education and it is the largest distributor of student financial aid in the United States. The organization is also responsible for administering financial aid programs confirmed through Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

LRHS seniors Cynthia Joseph and Emily Edwards said that most of their friends filled a FAFSA application out. They also stated they had heard about the FAFSA through teachers, announcements, colleges, and their family almost every day.

Joseph said, "The advantage of FAFSA is they give you money for school, which can get really expensive."

If Florida high school seniors have heard about FAFSA and its advantages numerous times, why haven't 73% filled out  applications? Could it be not enough advertisement and encouragement from schools and families, the laziness of the senior class, or the application itself?

Joseph said," I feel like some seniors don't apply because they have the money and others just really don't care."

Edwards disagreed and said, "It's because we're lazy."

The application itself could be the culprit preventing students from receiving financial aid. The application asks for a student's family income and tax returns, a social security number, bank statements, and an Alien Registration Number if a student is not a U.S. citizen.

Although this information is necessary for any scholarship, many students do not know what to fill in and where to find that information. So would making the application process simpler make more students apply?

Joseph said, "For some people the application was difficult to fill out but I thought it was pretty easy. If you know the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) retrieval tool it's easier.

"It was difficult for some people because they ask information that you would not usually know," she said.

The IRS retrieval tool lets students and parents get their tax return information which is necessary for completing a FAFSA. This tool transfers  tax information directly to the FAFSA application making completing the form easier.

FAFSA began collecting data in 2012 and reports indicate numbers haven't changed over the years. Compared to 2012, the number of students applying in Florida has remained constant with only 27.1% of seniors completing a FAFSA last year.

The advantages of finishing a FAFSA far outweighs the inconveniences. A college education can be expensive and important these days and getting some help paying for school is vital.

Joseph said, "They're giving you money and all you have to do is fill out an application."