Each year, students leave millions of dollars of financial aid unclaimed, which could have been used to help them pay for college tuition as they embarked on a journey to their careers. PSRC urges students to take advantage of financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid now.
As of April 7, only 45% of high school seniors within the Public Schools of Robeson County had completed the FAFSA, according to the College Foundation of North Carolina’s FAFSA Tracker.
The federal deadline for the completion of FAFSA is 11:59 p.m. (Central Time) on June 30, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid website.
“Completing the FAFSA is a critical step in the process of going to college, especially for students who need financial aid, including the Pell Grant or NC Assist Loan to pay for college,” said Jessica Swencki, deputy director of myFutureNC.
myFutureNC is an organization that is committed to helping North Carolina meet the high demand for skilled workers in the 2030 workforce.
“We're on a mission to completely close the educational attainment gap in North Carolina. Making that happen starts with an ambitious goal: ensuring that by 2030, 2 million North Carolinians have a postsecondary degree or credential—more than doubling projected growth over the next 10 years,” according to the organization’s website.
The Public Schools of Robeson County supports that mission with the PSRC Board of Education previously passing a resolution in support.
“We encourage our students to take advantage of the opportunities that scholarships and grant monies can give them. These funds can help alleviate and remove financial burdens from the shoulders of parents, guardians and students as they prepare students to enter college classrooms,” said PSRC Superintendent Dr. Freddie Williamson.
“Our students deserve opportunities to excel and we encourage them to take the next step in that process if they decide to pursue a college degree. That next step starts with completing the FAFSA,” Williamson said.
In order to complete the FAFSA, students should visit https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. For additional help in completing the form, students should contact their school counselor.