Amid the excitement and anticipation that typically accompany the approach of graduation day there hangs a disheartening reality at our high schools this year: many students won’t have the clarity of knowing where their future lies before they walk across the graduation stage.
The delay in processing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms has cast an unexpected shadow over their aspirations, particularly for those who are the first in their families to pursue higher education.
The resulting uncertainty is striking hardest at the hearts of our first-generation and socioeconomically disadvantaged students – especially those with undocumented parents – for whom the prospect of college is not just a personal triumph, but often a generational milestone.
The new “better” FAFSA introduced this year was in fact worse for most students because of system glitches and was particularly troublesome for any student with a parent who does not have a social security number.
Our students in this situation will likely not know their federal financial aid packages until after many private college decision deadlines. The predicament disproportionately burdens students who are already navigating a labyrinthine college application process, often without essential support systems available to their more affluent peers.
We applaud the University of California, California State University, and other public institutions nationwide for extending their deadlines to accommodate these delays. We also applaud those private universities that have followed suit. But there remain many private universities that have not.
Students from low-income backgrounds are only about half as likely to enroll and complete college by age 26, according to the National College Attainment Network. This disparity is further amplified for students with undocumented parents, who may face invisible challenges due to limited finances, fear of deportation for themselves or their families, and a general sense of uncertainty about their place in the educational landscape.
The additional stress of uncertain financial aid deadlines only compounds such challenges, adding another layer of difficulty and potentially dissuading them from pursuing their educational ambitions.
FAFSA Fiasco
This op-ed is part of a package of opinion pieces The Hechinger Report is running that focus on solutions to the new FAFSA’s troubled rollout.
This issue arises at a critical juncture in higher education. Universities across the nation are seeking to diversify their student bodies and attract more first-generation students. Creating a more equitable playing field for all students is paramount in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling ending affirmative action.
The current FAFSA delay throws a wrench into these efforts.
The schools we head in the San Francisco Bay Area, Alpha Public Schools and Cristo Rey San José, collectively serve 198 high school seniors, the majority of whom will be first-generation college students – including a significant portion with undocumented parents.
Their journey is already fraught with obstacles. They already navigate complex application processes, deal with financial constraints, and often lack the familial support that many of their peers take for granted. FAFSA delays have thrust additional hurdles upon our students.
We need additional collective action on the part of more colleges, demonstrating a commitment to equitable educational access while shielding students from the repercussions of administrative inefficiencies beyond their control.
We also urge fellow organizations and institutions to unite in advocating for a long-term solution on a national scale.
Let us stand together in defense of the dreams and aspirations of our nation’s youth regardless of their background or the federal government’s administrative shortcomings.
Together, we can ensure that the door to higher education remains open for all students.
Shara Hegde is the CEO of Alpha Public Schools, a network of charter schools in San Jose, CA.
Silvia Scandar Mahan is the president and CEO of Cristo Rey San José Jesuit High School and Corporate Work Study Program.
This story about FAFSA and disadvantaged students was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for Hechinger’s newsletter.
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