College counselors' advice for families filling out FAFSA forms
Around this time every year, close to 20 million college-bound high school seniors are encouraged to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, which helps families compete for federal and state financial aid money.
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The coronavirus pandemic could alter plans for students who hope to be on college campuses come 2021. But counselors say what families do now will make a real difference down the road.
“I definitely have filled out my FASFA,” Joppatowne High School senior Phoebe Bailey said. “I think this year out of all the years so far is more important to fill out your FAFSA, given the economic uncertainties of families across the country, basically.”
That's why college counselors are urging families, especially those affected by the pandemic to not only fill out the FAFSA forms, but also contact colleges directly.
“You want to reach out to those financial aid offices at those schools, let them know the circumstances so that they can create a financial aid package that really will mirror the circumstances that are going on with you,” Baltimore County Schools college guidance counselor Stephanie Campbell said.
That's what schools like Morgan State University are also encouraging.
“Institutions do have what's called special circumstances appeals, and so you can appeal to the institution that you are interested in to say, ‘Look, since those taxes happened, I got furloughed, I lost my job,’ and they can take a second look at you,” Kara Turner, vice president for enrollment management and student success, said.
The pandemic and the need for financial aid is also affecting current college students.
Meghan Hudson is the editor-in-chief of The Towerlight newspaper at Towson University.
“It's really tough because students are working in the service industry and in retail and when they're depending on their families who are now affected by the pandemic then you really have no one else to turn to besides a loan,” Hudson said.
There's long been a concern that billions of dollars in federal grant money are left on the table. College counselors certainly hope that's not the case this year.