The 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was updated and streamlined this year, however, the FAFSA was released about three months later than usual and issues with the new form have caused challenges for many students trying to complete it. According to the National College Attainment Network, the number of FAFSA completions for high school seniors was down 40 percent through March 29, and only about 27 percent of the class of 2024 has completed the FAFSA so far.
During the U.S. Department of Education’s FAFSA Week of Action April 15-19, we hosted a webinar about additional strategies to provide more FAFSA help to students at a critical time for FAFSA completion. We featured insight from FAFSA experts in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Indiana, incorporating the perspectives of school counselors, FAFSA outreach partners, and state financial aid leaders.
We also shared Wyatt, a free, text-based AI for students to get FAFSA answers and reminders right on their phones. Since 2019, Wyatt has helped more than 30,000 students access nearly $40 million in financial aid. Wyatt has demonstrated a 34 percent increase in FAFSA completion among users who are low-income students.
Panelists included:
- Karen Rubican, School Counselor Advisor, Pennsylvania Department of Education
- Diona Brown, Director of School Services, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA)
- Ebony Holmes, Director of Public Information and Advising, Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance
- Shayne Creppel, Director of Collegiate and Community Outreach, Division of College Access, Success, and Communications, Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance
- Kate Marling, Postsecondary Transitions Manager, Indiana Commission for Higher Ed
- Daniel O'Donnell, Associate Director of Higher Education, Benefits Data Trust
These speakers shared a wide range of tactics to help students complete their FAFSA. Watch the webinar to learn more.
If you have questions about our FAFSA advisor, Wyatt, please reach out to us at highered@bdtrust.org