The Need

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the primary application through which students gain access to federal, state and institutional financial aid to attend college.  First-time students who complete the FAFSA are 63% more likely to enroll in college than students who do not complete the FAFSA.        
                                  
 

 

Our Program

Get2College, a program of the Woodward Hines Education Foundation (WHEF), has hosted FAFSA completion events across the state since 2006. These events are held in the high schools and offer students and their families hands-on completion of the FAFSA and state aid application and the opportunity for individual counseling on financial aid processes. Due to the increase in demand for these FAFSA day events from high school counselors, Get2College is partnering with and training community college admissions and financial aid staff to provide support in their districts.

In 2017-2018, we launched Get2College Corps, which also supports FAFSA completion efforts across the state by partnering with Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society to identify and train high-achieving community college students to help with FAFSA completion on their community college campuses throughout the state.

Annual FAFSA Training

Community college partners are connected to all of their district high school counselors through joint annual training sessions on FAFSA completion hosted by Get2College. Topics include utilizing and accessing student level data, leveraging staff for FAFSA completion support, and creating and supporting a college culture.  

 

Online Toolkits

To assist in planning and promoting FASFA completion events, Get2College provides online toolkits that include print materials, webinars, and screencasts for both high schools and community college partners.

Get2College Corps

Get2College Corps is an innovative internship scholarship program for Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society Scholars that works to increase the number of low-income, first-generation college students who enter and complete postsecondary education. These scholars are trained in FAFSA completion and commit 10-15 hours a week in high schools or their colleges’ financial aid offices. For the 2018-2019 academic year, 16 Get2College Corps members came from 11 community colleges and provided over 3,072 hours of college planning assistance. Each were awarded $2500 scholarships for completing 10 weeks of service.

Goals & Impact

Our goal is to increase FAFSA completion in Mississippi by the March 31 HELP grant deadline.

The HELP grant pays full college tuition in Mississippi.

SUCCESSES WITH THE HELP OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE PARTNERS

  • 44% increase in FAFSA completion among Mississippi high school seniors by March 31, 2017 compared to the prior year
  •  7% increase in HELP recipients from the high schools in our partnering community college districts fall semester 2017 compared to prior year
  • 74% of 2017 seniors who completed FAFSAs in Mississippi attended high schools where Get2College or our partners hosted FAFSA events

SCALING FAFSA COMPLETION WITH GET2COLLEGE CORPS

  • 1,240 FAFSA assistance appointments
  • 100 days Get2College Corps members worked to complete FAFSAs in high schools, financial aid office, and Get2College centers