The plan below offers: (1) strategies and resources for hosting a FAFSA Night at your school; and (2) additional ideas for encouraging FAFSA completion, many of which can be implemented even after FAFSA Night has taken place.
On FAFSA night, students and/or their parents would participate in a guided session that allows them to complete the FAFSA on-site. If possible, FAFSA Night should be facilitated by both school staff members and community volunteers, including a financial aid expert from a local university.
This plan should be considered as a set of guidelines, rather than a script to be followed precisely. You might consider modifying the sequence of events or using alternative resources. Even if you cannot implement all of the strategies we offer, any efforts you make could go a long way!
For an additional FAFSA Night plan to review, check out this great planning resource offered by the US Department of Education:
Federal Student Aid - How to Host a Financial Aid Event in Your CommunitySet the date
We suggest hosting a FAFSA Night early in the school year, shortly after the first day that FAFSA can be submitted (October 1). Students who submit their FAFSA early will have the best opportunity to correct any processing errors and meet the deadlines for all of the schools and scholarships to which they apply.
Set a target
Target an overall FAFSA completion rate for high school seniors. Your target completion rate should be ambitious yet attainable – certainly, higher than completion rates from previous years.
Review FAFSA completion rates for previous years to inform your goals FAFSA Tracker.
Prepare to Track Student Progress
Whether you use a spreadsheet or more sophisticated dashboard, keeping track of student progress will help you to focus on student demographics and follow up with individual students as needed.
Create FAFSA Night section on school website
The website should contain the following information:
Answers to the frequently asked questions (below); see Financial Aid Toolkit offered by the US Department of Education (US DOE)
Create FAFSA Night section on your school Facebook profile
Mention:
Be sure to target both students and adults in your communication.
Additional resources:
Gear Up TN Planning Resources (pp. 34-37)
US Department of Education - Helpful Social Media Tools to Promote FAFSA Completion
Initial Tweet about FAFSA Night
Mention:
Additional resources:
US Department of Education - Helpful Social Media Tools to Promote FAFSA Completion
Assemble student & parent contact info
Use available information on high school seniors to set up FAFSA Night e-mail listserv and list of recipients for text messaging. You could locate this info in your progress-tracking tool.
Recruit volunteers
Ask your principal for time to discuss FAFSA Night during faculty meetings; recruit colleagues
If possible, be sure to recruit at least one bilingual volunteer who could communicate with students and families in their home language
Send invitation letter to community partners, including local businesses, non-profits, and financial aid offices at local universities
Sample invitation letter: Gear Up TN Planning Resources (See p. 33)
Send FAFSA Night letter home
Send letter via hardcopy and e-mail; consider using school newsletter if available
Mention in the letter:
Check out some sample parent letters offered by You Can Afford College. Some of these examples pertain specifically to FAFSA Night; others focus more generally on FAFSA-related topics.
Send introductory FAFSA Night text message to parents and students
Mention in the text message:
Sample text message: Gear Up TN Planning Resources (p. 37)
Additional ideas for texting: Education Week blogs (2016)
Give brief classroom presentations on financial aid and FAFSA Night
Consider recruiting your colleagues, local volunteers, or and student leaders to assist you.
Presentation resources:
Financial Aid Toolkit Handouts
Federal Student Aid Videos
FAFSA Night reminders and signage
Reminder e-mail and text message to: (1) Parents and (2) Students
Mention:
Reminder e-mail to community volunteers
Post signs on FAFSA Night in school hallways (electronic and/or paper signs)
Sample signs and promotions (Under "Resource Type" Select "Infographic"):
Financial Aid Toolkit - Infographics (Under "Resource Type" Select "Infographic")
Financial Aid Toolkit - YouTube Videos (Under "Resource Type" Select "Video")
Financial Aid Toolkit - Other Resources
Financial Aid Toolkit - Poster Template
Gear Up TN Planning Resources (p. 38)
Advertise FAFSA Night on school marquee
Sample marquee message: Gear Up TN Planning Resources (p. 38)
Have faculty and student leaders promote FAFSA Night in the morning announcements
Final reminders and preparation
Make sure that all necessary equipment (e.g. computers) is available and in working condition
Host FAFSA Night!
Be sure to use a sign-in sheet: Gear Up TN Planning Resources (p. 43)
Take pictures and post online! (Be sure to obtain consent: Gear Up TN Planning Resources (p. 48))
Send thank you e-mails to parents, students, and community volunteers
Student Recognition & Rewards
The following strategies have effectively been used throughout the country to increase excitement about FAFSA
Instagram Campaign – counselors verify student completed the FAFSA; students post hashtag to Instagram
Raffle – conduct a raffle for students who complete the FAFSA; offer a prize for students whose names are randomly drawn
Discount prom tickets for students who complete the FAFSA
Offer a reward to the senior homeroom/advisory with the highest FAFSA completion rate
Student Leadership
After students complete the FAFSA, recruit them to serve as FAFSA mentors for other students; get students involved in peer-to-peer text messaging
Establish a Student Ambassador Team to assist with leading promotions and events; for a Student Ambassador Toolkit, see You Can Afford College
Year-Round Advertising
Use a screen saver image to encourage FAFSA completion year-round.
Ask faculty members or students to wear FAFSA tee-shirts to school on designated days, or whenever they want.
Year-Round Info Sessions
Designate particular days of the week for students to discuss financial literacy with local volunteers or adults at school. For example: “Tuition Tuesdays” or "Lunch and Learn".
Ask community centers and faith-based organizations to get involved by distributing resources.
Make it mandatory
Consider making FAFSA completion a graduation requirement
Make FAFSA completion an official assignment for an academic course
Extended text messaging campaign
Education Week Blogs. (2016). Using Texts to ‘Nudge’ Students on Financial Aid. Retrieved from:
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/high_school_and_beyond/2016/10/using_texts_to_nudge_students_on_financial_aid.html
Federal Student Aid. Retrieved from:
https://studentaid.gov/data-center/student/application-volume/fafsa-completion-high-school
Financial Aid Toolkit - US Department of Education (US DOE). (2017). How to Host a Financial Aid Event in your Community. Retrieved from:
https://financialaidtoolkit.ed.gov/resources/how-to-host-a-financial-aid-event-in-your-community.pdf
See also:
https://financialaidtoolkit.ed.gov/tk/
Gear Up TN. (2018). TN FAFSA Frenzy. Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Retrieved from:
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/gearuptn/fafsa-frenzy/FINAL.TNFAFSAFrenzyToolkit201819.pdf
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assisstance Agency (PHEAA)
https://www.pheaa.org/tools-resources/financial-aid-toolkit.shtml
Road Map Project. Some ideas were used from a presentation no longer available entitled
"FAFSA Completion Best Practices and Planning". Originally retrieved from:
http://www.roadmapproject.org/
US Department of Education (US DOE). (2017). 7 Ways to Promote FAFSA Completion at Your School. Retrieved from:
https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2013-01-18/helpful-social-media-tools-promote-fafsa-completion