Mayor joins M³ leaders to stress importance of completing FAFSA
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett joined leaders of the M3 education initiative to encourage high school seniors to fill out a critical financial aid form needed to unlock access to potential scholarships, grants and other types of assistance to help pay for college.
As of April 2, the number of high school seniors nationwide who have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid was down 7% compared to the same point in the 2019-2020 academic year, according to the National College Attainment Network.
A recent survey by education firm EAB found, in part, that high school students were having more difficulty accessing support networks of college counselors, teachers and coaches during the coronavirus pandemic.
The M3 partnership, which involves Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Area Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, hopes to help reverse the decline in FAFSA completion through an outreach campaign that includes opportunities for virtual and in-person assistance to fill out the form. Barrett took part Wednesday in the latest edition of M3 | Education Transformed, a virtual event series, to promote FAFSA completion.
This is an especially important time for high school seniors as they decide where to attend college in the fall. The FAFSA can affect a student’s financial aid package, which can include federal and grants, federal loans, work-study positions and other institutional aid.
Joshua Wilder, a senior at Riverside University High School, completed his FAFSA form in the fall with the help of his aunt and counselors from high school and the Boys & Girls Clubs. An aspiring software engineer, Wilder wants to create a foundation that manufactures and teaches software as a way to help low-income communities struggling with access to technology.
Wilder is trying to decide where to attend college, choosing among options both in and out of state. “Because I completed my FAFSA, a lot of different opportunities are out there and I’m able to choose between those many different schools,” Wilder said.
Barrett said that FAFSA completion was the first step to opening opportunities in higher education and beyond. Addressing racial disparities ranked as the Milwaukee region’s biggest challenge in a survey of Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce board members and the CEOs of its member companies.
First step toward opportunity
“It’s about the future of our city and the future of our economy,” Barrett said. “The path of success is always going to include knowledge.”
“One key to unlocking a bright future is seizing the assistance that’s available,” the mayor added. “It’s what our city needs – talented young people.”
College students also must fill out the FAFSA each year. It can help determine eligibility for other types of need-based aid, such as the federal CARES grants that have been distributed to help students pay for emergency expenses due to the pandemic.
The broad goal of the M3 initiative is to increase the retention, graduation and career success of students. The collaboration already has helped to increase MPS high school graduation rates and started a dual enrollment program to help MPS students earn college credits during their senior year.
Presenters on Wednesday, which included MPS Superintendent Keith Posley, MATC President Vicki Martin and UWM Chancellor Mark Mone, also offered tips for family members and friends of high school students.
They include in-person FAFSA assistance at all MPS high schools from April 12 to 24, along with a districtwide session on Saturday, April 17. More details are available on MPS’ FAFSA site.
Anyone can help. Presenters asked those who knew a high school senior to check if they have completed their FAFSA form, and to share the following resources if needed:
- MPS students needing FAFSA assistance should be directed to mpsmke.com/FAFSA or speak with their School Counselor or college and Career Center Advisor. Students and parents also can fill out this online form to be contacted for individual support: https://forms.gle/gDQmLVaorqKYSWjVA.
- MATC holds virtual FAFSA Help Sessions every Tuesday at https://www.matc.edu/visit/matc-live.html. Additional MATC Financial Aid information can also found at this website: https://www.matc.edu/costs-scholarships-aid/financial-aid.html.
- At UWM, students can schedule a virtual FAFSA support appointment by going to https://go.oncehub.com/uwmfinaid. A link to helpful tips can be found on the UWM financial services webpage. The UWM Financial Aid Office also can be reached at finaid@uwm.edu or by calling 414-229-4541.
For general FAFSA information please visit: