This year's financial aid process was filled with mistakes. Here are the completion rates by school district

The U.S. Department of Education revamped the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) late last year, promising to make it easier for college students to get the money they need to pay for school.

The new application — which unlocks the door to grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study opportunities — worked well for some students, but thousands of others experienced delays, glitches, and other challenges, leading to a nationwide drop in FAFSA completion rates this year.

According to the California Student Aid Commission, as of Monday, applications in this state are down by about 6% (that's 103,440 applications) compared to last year. This includes 27,443 fewer applications from new filers and high school seniors.

FAFSA completion is one of the best predictors of whether a high school senior will go on to college. According to the National College Attainment Network: “Seniors who complete the FAFSA are 84% more likely to immediately enroll in postsecondary education. For students in the lowest socioeconomic quintile, FAFSA completion is associated with a 127% increase in immediate college enrollment.”

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How school districts did

FAFSA completion data from the U.S. Department of Education indicates that, despite the statewide drop, some school districts in California have been able to maintain levels close to this time last year, including Los Angeles Unified, Glendale Unified, and West Covina Unified. Still, three dozen school districts saw rates of 80%+ completion in 2023; this year, that number dipped to 11.

To get a better sense of the extent to which your school district was able to navigate the FAFSA revamp, check out the table below. Please note: According to the U.S. Department of Education, this data reflects the number of FAFSA forms received from first-time applicants who are no more than 19 years old. Additionally, the data only includes public schools.

How 'universal' FAFSA requirements impact completion rates

Across the country, over a dozen states now have “universal FAFSA” policies, which require public high school seniors to fill out the application. To ensure that this requirement does not become an obstacle to getting a diploma, students can opt out by having their parents sign a waiver. College access advocates credit these policies with minimizing the impact on participating states’ FAFSA completion rates, despite this year’s troubled rollout.

Shelveen Ratnam, a spokesperson for the California Student Aid Commission, said the state’s completion rate drop “may not be as severe” thanks to California’s recently implemented version of that completion law.

Financial aid for community college students

The FAFSA deadline for California community college students and foster youth is Sept. 3, 2024, which means there's still time to get help. Here’s how:

• Phone: The California Student Aid Commission is providing help by telephone and a chatbot.
• Online workshops: CSAC is hosting "Cash for College" webinars through August 2024. Register here.

Missed the financial aid deadline for four-year universities? You can appeal for Cal Grant consideration by submitting this form.