CPE launches social media campaign to help boost FAFSA applications

Bobbie Hayse, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·3 min read

Mar. 7—The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education is continuing its campaign to raise awareness of FAFSA opportunities for students interested in pursuing higher education.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, referred to as the FAFSA form, is required for students to receive need-based aid. Most educational groups across the country are reporting a decline in high school students who have submitted the form, with the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority reporting a 13% drop in FAFSA filings since last year.

Kentucky groups, like the CPE, have been working on a campaign to promote federal student aid and encourage the pursuit of degrees and credentials after high school.

This month CPE is launching a FAF$A for the Future TikTok Challenge, in which high school principals and superintendents in Kentucky are encouraged to get creative and post videos on the social media application TikTok.

CPE President Aaron Thompson said the TikTok challenge uses the power of social media to engage educational leaders across the commonwealth to reach students "on their own terms."

"This is a fun and innovative way to spread the word about an important issue," Thompson said. "In Kentucky, the FAFSA provides millions of dollars in free student aid every year, and we want to empower our students to maximize this opportunity. We also hope to spark some friendly rivalry between our schools."

The three high school principals and one superintendent whose videos earn the most "hearts" throughout this month will receive an award banner. Video submissions could include FAFSA tips and tricks, myth-busters, personal stories, interesting statistics or other content to engage and encourage high school seniors to fill out the form. Each video should include the hashtag #KYFAFSA.

The Form Your Future website that tracks submissions across the country indicates that applications by Kentucky high school seniors are down 17.5% from this time last year.

Amanda Jerome, Daviess County Public Schools college and career readiness coordinator, said that she does not have the number of current completed FAFSA forms, but she does know that by Christmas 2020 the number of applications completed were "significantly lower" than in previous years.

"I would estimate we were down 30% in FAFSA completers compared to our normal numbers," Jerome said.

She said the district has hosted virtual FAFSA events, which were well-attended, but numbers are still down compared to where they would be during a traditional school year.

"I do attribute the decline to the pandemic," Jerome said.

Christie Fogle, Owensboro High School senior counselor, said it has been increasingly difficult to connect with students about filing the FAFSA this year.

So far, she said, 119 out of the 286, or about 41%, of OHS students have completed the form. This time last year there were 187 students out of 307 seniors, or about 61%, who had completed the form by now.

"Without having everyone in person and the fall senior application day that I host in October each year, it has been more difficult to connect with students about filing the FAFSA," Fogle said. "Hopefully with the return to class five days a week, we can bring our FAFSA completion numbers back up."

Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315

Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315