CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, the College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV) announced the statewide goal to have at least 63 percent of high school seniors file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April 15, 2018.
Filing the FAFSA is the first step in applying for financial aid for college. Students who file the FAFSA are considered for the Federal Pell Grant, which awards up to $5,920 annually to students to cover the cost of tuition and other education expenses. Additionally, students must submit a FAFSA to apply for many in-state scholarship and grant opportunities, such as the PROMISE Scholarship, which awards up to $4,750 annually, and the West Virginia Higher Education Grant, which awards up to $2,700 annually.
Tucker County High School was among the schools who met or exceeded last year’s 60 percent FAFSA completion goal:
Dr. Paul Hill, Chancellor of the HEPC, noted that student aid dollars oftentimes go unclaimed simply because students do not file the FAFSA.
“The financial aid is out there, but students have to apply to receive it,” said Hill. “All students who plan to pursue some form of education or training beyond high school, regardless of their income or grades, should file the FAFSA to be considered for federal and state student aid.”
Dr. Sarah Tucker, Chancellor for the CTCS, stressed that filing the FAFSA can help many students go to college debt-free.
“If students receive the maximum award amounts for the Federal Pell Grant and the West Virginia Higher Education Grant, they will already have nearly $9,000 to pay for college,” said Tucker. “This is more than double the average yearly cost of tuition at West Virginia’s two-year institutions. Filing the FAFSA is a crucial step in transitioning to postsecondary education.”
March 1 is the deadline for students to submit a FAFSA to be considered for the PROMISE Scholarship, and April 15 is the deadline for students to submit the FAFSA to be considered for the West Virginia Higher Education Grant Program. Students who plan to pursue education or training beyond high school during the 2018-19 academic year can now complete the 2018-19 FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov using their 2016 tax returns. Students who wish to apply for the PROMISE Scholarship can do so now at www.cfwv.com/PROMISE.
Staff from the Financial Aid Division at HEPC are working with college and university partners to help increase financial aid awareness throughout communities in the state. As a result, hundreds of free financial aid and FAFSA workshops are scheduled throughout the academic year. A full list of workshops is available at http://cfwvconnect.com/
CFWV is West Virginia’s college- and career-planning resource. The initiative is led by HEPC in partnership with CTCS, the West Virginia Department of Education and the Office of Secretary of Education and the Arts.
