SLIPPERY ROCK, PA, October 3, 2022– The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) joined Slippery Rock University and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) to promote the PA FAFSA Go! Initiative and remind students to fill out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the coming year.
“Over the past few years, FAFSA completion has been down, and millions of dollars have been left on the table by Pennsylvania learners,” said Dr. Tanya I. Garcia, PDE’s Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for Postsecondary and Higher Education. “We want to make sure that all students who are eligible to complete a FAFSA get the assistance they need to access affordable higher education.”
The FAFSA is an application required to apply for federal student aid such as federal grants, work-study and loans to help pay for college.
PA FAFSA Go! is a cross-collaborative campaign to bring together professionals who are supporting high school seniors and postsecondary students in completing their first FAFSA or their renewal FAFSA for 2023-24.
The high school class of 2021 left behind an estimated $3.75 billion in Pell grants by not completing the FAFSA – dollars that students do not have to repay. To apply and qualify for a Pennsylvania state grant, learners must have their FAFSA on file as well.
PDE has teamed up with the Governor’s Office, along with the PA Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), the PA Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (PASFAA), the PA Association of College Admission Counseling (PACAC), and the PA School Counselors Association (PSCA) to create the PA FAFSA Go! Campaign – urging students to complete their 2023-24 FAFSA, which became available on October 1, without delay.
PA FAFSA Go! partners are committed to providing support for FAFSA completion events, directing students to resources at their high school or postsecondary institution, providing a toolkit of resources for schools, students, and their families and ensuring that Pennsylvania learners are not missing any of the free dollars for which they qualify. Professionals at institutions of higher education and school districts can commit to FOCUS on FAFSA at PDE’s website, which will provide resources and ensure everyone is at the table to help.
“At Slippery Rock University, we’ve taken great strides to encourage our students to complete their financial aid forms so they can maximize the value of their education and be good
stewards of resources available to them,” said Alyssa Dobson, SRU director of financial aid and scholarships. “We’re honored to be recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education as an example for them launching this initiative across the state and ensuring more students are completing their FAFSA forms in a timely fashion.”
Continuing his support for increasing access to postsecondary education, Governor Wolf secured a $220 million increase in funding for higher education institutions in his 2022-23 budget. This year’s budget solidified his commitment to education at all levels with a historic $1.8 billion investment increase. Since 2015, the Wolf Administration has increased education funding by more than $3.7 billion.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education, please visit the website or follow PDE on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or Pinterest.
Why is trickle-down economics still with us?
