{"id":1027,"date":"2021-10-13T09:32:53","date_gmt":"2021-10-13T14:32:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/m-cubed\/?p=1027"},"modified":"2023-06-14T11:23:29","modified_gmt":"2023-06-14T16:23:29","slug":"mayor-m%c2%b3-partners-encourage-students-to-fill-out-critical-fafsa-form","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/m-cubed\/news\/mayor-m%c2%b3-partners-encourage-students-to-fill-out-critical-fafsa-form\/","title":{"rendered":"Mayor, M\u00b3 partners, encourage students to fill out critical FAFSA form"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The father of four children, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett draws from personal experience when talking about one of the most important steps that high school seniors can take to attend college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Free Application for Federal Student Aid<\/a> (FAFSA) can seem daunting at first, the reward is the opportunity to access grants, scholarships, loans and other forms of aid to help pay for a higher education degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s why Barrett joined leaders from the M3<\/sup> public education initiative to urge students to turn in their FAFSA forms for the 2022-23 school year amid alarming declines in completion rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. M3<\/sup> is a partnership among UWM, Milwaukee Area Technical College and Milwaukee Public Schools focused on transforming the future of Milwaukee through education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across Wisconsin, 12% fewer high school seniors completed the FAFSA in 2021 compared to 2019, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum<\/a>. The aid can be especially important to help students from lower-income households pay for college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a parent, I am well aware that for many individuals, just the word \u2018FAFSA\u2019 can alone send you into a tizzy,\u201d Barrett said during a news conference Monday at MPS\u2019 South Division High School. \u201cI think that\u2019s part of the challenge \u2013 getting over the fear barrier of simply filling out the form.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M3 <\/sup>leaders unveiled a series of steps that students and their families can take if they need help filling out the FAFSA. At MPS, students are being directed to mpsmke.com\/FAFSA<\/a> for listings of school and district-wide FAFSA events. Students and parents can also fill out this online form<\/a> to request assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2022-23 application launched Oct. 1. Filing out the form early means no mad dash during the summer before the fall semester begins, and access to advisors and counselors in school who can assist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe also know the students and families who most need financial support to attend college may need extra support and encouragement to complete the FAFSA. All of us working together can do just that,\u201d MPS Superintendent Keith Posley said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt requires the support of students, parents and guardians, as well as the school and college staff.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FAFSA isn\u2019t just for high school seniors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

College students must fill out the form each year<\/a> they are in school in order to continue to be eligible for aid, since a family\u2019s financial situation may change from year to year. For instance, the MATC Promise program that offers free tuition for eligible students requires a completed FAFSA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is so much attention \u2014 and rightly so \u2014 on ensuring high school seniors complete the FAFSA,\u201d said Naydeen Gonzalez-De Jesus, MATC executive vice president. \u201cBut put simply, if you fill out the FAFSA as a high school senior but don\u2019t do it as a first-year college student, you are putting your aid in jeopardy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are resources from MATC and UWM:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MATC<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n