Report: Tennessee tops nation in students requesting Federal aid
Tennessee's push to improve access to higher education is a national example of "what progress looks like," according to a new analysis of data tracking applications for federal aid.
More than 61 percent of the state's high school seniors filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by April 17, according to the analysis released Friday by Bellwether Education Partners, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping education organizations. The completion rate is the highest in the nation.
Tennessee also had the highest year-over-year hike in FAFSA completion, jumping from a 49 percent rate at the same time in 2014. The Volunteer State's increase "accounted for more than 40 percent of the gain in FAFSA completions across the entire country," according to the report, written by Bellwether associate partner Chad Aldeman.
Nationwide, about 40.8 percent of high school seniors have filed a FAFSA, compared to 40.2 percent in 2014. Aldeman said 22 states saw their year-over-year completion rates decline.
The FAFSA isn't the only step toward college enrollment, but it can be a critical one for students who rely on scholarships or grants to make tuition affordable.
"Typically, any student who wants or needs financial support from the federal government, states, or colleges and universities to pay for higher education must complete the FAFSA," Aldeman wrote.
Tennessee has been a national leader in FAFSA completion for years thanks to the Hope Scholarship, which requires students to apply for aid. But Aldeman wrote that the jump to the top of the national rankings in 2015 was driven by the first year of Tennessee Promise, a scholarship program that offers eligible high school seniors tuition-free community college — if they complete the FAFSA.
"It's always good when your state is highlighted among the nation as taking a lead," said Mike Krause, executive director of Tennessee Promise. "I think it indicates that we have the right mix of initiatives right now."
But Krause acknowledged there is more work ahead. Some students will still have to verify their FAFSA information before they can be eligible for federal aid.
And work will continue this summer, as community college staffers work to prepare Promise students for the tougher workloads in higher education.
"We're not even at the end of the first lap but it definitely shows we're headed in the right direction," Krause said.
Reach Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and on Twitter @tamburintweets.
Top FAFSA completion rate through April 17
1. Tennessee, 61.5 percent
2. District of Columbia, 54.6 percent
3. Rhode Island, 52.6 percent
4. Massachusetts, 51.5 percent
5. Indiana, 51.1 percent
Source: Bellwether Education Partners