Answers wil vary.

You can find this answer by clicking on this link here and searching for your school. Use the "Applications Complete" figure for the 2018-19 cycle.

Questions:

• Why is the FAFSA important when it comes to paying for college?
• What percent of seniors in your high school completed the FAFSA? Hint: Take the number of completed FAFSAs and divide by number of 2018 graduates.
• What do you think are some of the reasons that 100% of seniors didn’t complete the FAFSA?
• Do you plan on completing the FAFSA? If so, when? Note that October 1st is the first date that you can complete the FAFSA for the 2019-20 school year.

Here's the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (Michelle Singletary WaPo column):

Starting Oct. 1, the 2019/20 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form becomes available. Whether your child will be applying for early admission to college or is a returning student, you need to make sure the form is completed as soon as possible. Procrastinating can cost you money.

With limited funds, it’s a first-come, first-served financial-aid world, folks. Those who file early get a better shot at receiving funds – both need- and merit-based.

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Want to dive in deeper on the FAFSA? Check out the NGPF Lesson: Applying for FAFSA.

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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