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 50% more likely to enroll in college than students who do not complete the FAFSA.

59% students in Mississippi complete their FAFSA by high school graduation

62% students nationally complete their FAFSA by high school graduation

 
Our 10 Community College Partners exceeded state and national FAFSA Completion rates in their districts by
March 31, 2017 (Mississippi HELP Grant Application Deadline)

Northwest 75%

Coahoma 62%

Holmes 73%

Hinds 76%

Pearl River 69%

Itawamba 77%

East Central 77%

Meridian 79%

MS Gulf Coast 72%

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 supports FAFSA completion efforts across the state. WHEF provided  the program free of charge to partners.

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 2017-2018 academic year, 18 Get2College Corps members came from 10 community colleges and provided over 530 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

  • 175+ FAFSA events in high schools attended by Get2College Corps members
  • 125 days Get2College Corps members worked in financial aid offices and Get2College centers