As college application season quickly approaches, the concerning focus of affordability lingers in the back of students minds. Worries about potential FAFSA complications have left students concerned. The amount of debt each student accumulates varies depending on the institution attended. According to Best Colleges the average student graduates with approximately $37,000 dollars in debt. Resulting in the price of college deterring students from applying to their preferred program.
Within Rangeview High School, Seniors are becoming concerned on what next steps to take after their applications are sent to their prospective schools. College Counselor Shauna Meyer emphasizes the importance of navigating deadlines pertaining to financial aid. When applying to a university there are two different stages of the college application process: early action and regular decision. Applying within the early action deadline Meyer noted, will increase financial aid opportunities significantly. When applications are submitted via early action the likelihood of receiving higher merit based aid increases. At the beginning of the college acceptance process institutions have greater funding to provide students with compelling offers.
For many students the Government aid program FAFSA is utilized to fund their college education and foster new academic opportunities. However, in the 2023-2024 school year students encountered significant challenges due to FAFSA delays across the country. At Rangeview High School, many students were forced to reevaluate their college goals and career paths with such limited time to make a decision without finalized financial packages. These delays disrupted students’ timelines causing confusion around specific deadlines pertaining to financial aid.
Without finalized financial aid packages students could not make educated decisions and commit to their dream universities. Meyer voices concern of similar circumstances “Last year kids had to wait to make college decisions because too many students were being processed, I’m scared it is going to happen again.”
FAFSA has been delayed to December 1st. Seniors this year have raised concerns due to the delay worried that history will repeat itself. “It concerns me whether or not colleges will be able to look at all of our financial situations in a fair, timely manner.” continuing to point out that “The cost of college is a determining factor for many students including myself, and having ample time to thoroughly look at all our options is ideal,” stated senior Sarah Park.
While Merit and FAFSA scholarships remain the primary source of financial aid there are an assortment of other options provided for students. Many local companies and scholarship websites provide students with micro scholarships helping promote local affordability. High-profile scholarships such as The Daniels Fund or Gates scholarship offer a large amount of money but are highly selective scholarships. Meyer suggests finding a balance between competitive scholarships and micro scholarships as many “take more work, but are all year round.”
As FAFSA delays continue to be unpredictable it is essential to explore all financial aid resources to fund higher education. Affordable education is not only shaped by FAFSA, merit scholarships or even micro scholarships. But rather a combination of all of these factors together. With persistence and hard work students will continue to explore all of the academic avenues available for them, regardless of the financial obstacles they are bound to face.
