By Alessandra Cipriani-Detres, Senior Associate, Strategic Initiatives
Reading time: Five minutes
Every year, billions of dollars in federal aid get left on the table because students don’t complete the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA). In states that require students to complete the FAFSA to be eligible for state aid, the FAFSA can also be a powerful tool that unlocks additional funds that help make the cost of college more manageable. Increasing FAFSA completion
rates is critical to ensuring that students access the financial resources available to them to pursue higher education. In the National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN’s) recent webinar, How States Are Increasing FAFSA Completion: Kentucky & West
Virginia, we heard from two state leaders who are taking steps to creatively and effectively boost FAFSA completion. Let’s recap what Brian Weingart, Senior Director of Financial Aid for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission,
and Keith Ritchie, Assistant Director of Outreach Services for the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) had to say!
West Virginia: Building a Culture of Support and Recognition
The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission oversees all state financial aid programs, including the state’s GEAR UP program, and has made outreach a central part of its work. Through strategic partnerships with high schools across the state,
West Virginia offers more than 200 FAFSA nights and workshops annually. Schools can request customized financial aid events via an online application, and the agency uses Eventbrite for RSVPs from students and families to gauge attendance.
West Virginia also leverages data to support targeted intervention. Student-level data helps counselors identify which students haven’t completed the FAFSA yet, but also helps spark friendly competition among schools to improve completion rates. Schools
that excel receive banners and invitations to a luncheon at the state capitol, and students who complete the FAFSA, sign up for the texting program, and apply for state aid receive a special graduation cord.
Additionally, the state’s texting program provides “nudges” to students about key deadlines like standardized tests, and allows students to text back with questions and get connected to resources.
A major part of increasing FAFSA completion is creating a college-going culture from early on in students’ K-12 educational journeys. West Virginia embodies exactly this through statewide initiatives like College Application and Exploration Week, which
introduces concepts about postsecondary education at every grade level. Goals range from learning local college mascots in elementary school to understanding cost of attendance and financial aid types in high school.
These efforts are driven by collaboration among teams across the agency, ensuring that once a student applies for state aid, they’re automatically looped into ongoing support.
Kentucky: Training, Incentives, and Targeted Outreach
The KKEAA has developed a suite of programs designed to make FAFSA completion more accessible and less intimidating for students, families, and the advisors supporting them. One of KHEAA’s hallmark efforts is the FAFSA Completion Challenge, a friendly
competition that encourages schools to increase FAFSA completion, with the top performers (by total FAFSA completion or by year over year change) receiving funding to use for future college visits and events.
Acknowledging that guiding a student through the FAFSA can be daunting, the state has invested heavily in training partners across the state to assist students and families with the FAFSA. Over 300 community partners have already been trained this year,
creating a strong network of informed advisors. Through these trainings, KHEAA emphasizes to counselors that they don’t expect them to be experts, but to know where to go when they get stuck given every student and family completing the form jumps
through different hurdles.
The state also offers direct support through a FAFSA help line operated by KHEAA, giving families an easy way to get assistance when challenges with the form or general questions arise. Kentucky College Coaches, recent college graduates who serve as college
advisors in 32 high schools with typically lower FAFSA completion rates, provide a human advising component that is nicely complemented by the many virtual supports available.
On the communications side, Kentucky has leaned into social media, using engaging reels and a line-by-line FAFSA walk-through video that garners 30,000–40,000 views each year. Alongside these digital efforts are targeted publications, including a comprehensive “phonebook” of scholarships available to Kentucky residents.
Insights and Lessons Learned
The experiences of Kentucky and West Virginia remind us that there’s no single formula for boosting FAFSA completion, it takes experimentation, collaboration, and a willingness to adapt. As one presenter put it, “Sometimes ideas flop. We test and roll
them out when they work. If they work, we push them out statewide. We’re not reinventing the wheel. We figure out what’s already working.”
Both states also underscored the value of grounding outreach in data, real stories, and student choice. When students question whether college is worth the cost, West Virginia reminds students that 60% of associate degree graduates and 40% of bachelor’s
degree graduates finish without debt, and community college remains free. Kentucky emphasizes the importance of autonomy in letting students choose a postsecondary pathway that will lead to positive outcomes given their interests and skills.
At the heart of Kentucky and West Virginia’s efforts are strong partnerships, clear communication, and consistent training. Their successes show that boosting FAFSA completion isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy, it’s about trying multiple approaches,
meeting communities where they are, and adapting to evolving needs.
Does your state or community have a unique and impactful way of improving FAFSA completion rates that you think others should know? Reach out to Alessandra Cipriani-Detres (alessandra@ncan.org). We’d love to uplift your
great work!
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