Senior Spartans are unsure if applying to the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, will benefit them due to the stigma that those who file are in deep need for financial resources. Although the amount of financial aid provided to each individual student depends on several factors, most colleges require the FAFSA to be filed anyways.
Skyline administrators advised all seniors to apply for the FAFSA during an assembly at the beginning of the school year.

Mallory Jamison, a college and career specialist at Skyline High School, urges students of all backgrounds to complete the application and to take advantage of their current resources to avoid paying off debt or loans later on.

“All students should apply for FAFSA, regardless of their family’s financial situation” said Jamison.

In the college and career specialist’s explanation of the FAFSA, Jamison described how it will impact students once they begin adult life.

“It’s going to open up lower interest rate loans for students and parents. Some of which you won’t need to make any payments on until after you graduate” Jamison said.

Skyline Spartans come from all kinds of backgrounds and have different financial situations. For those that do decide to file the FAFSA, the application opens October 1st. The FAFSA application is a first come, first serve type of process, so students should apply as early as they can.

Jamison recommended applying in the coming weeks.

“Any time within October to December would be early, but get it done as soon as possible. I have definitely seen the site crash on the first day due to so many applications being submitted”, Jamison said.

But the FAFSA is not the only application for financial aid available.

A new form of financial aid called Loan Forgiveness was announced in late August of this year by the U.S. President Joe Biden. According to U.S. News, Loan Forgiveness is a program designed for single borrowers earning less than $125,000 per year, or households earning less than $250,000. That qualifies an individual for $10,000 in loan forgiveness. Borrowers who meet the requirements for the income caps and received Pell Grants in college will receive an additional $10,000 – totaling $20,000 in forgiveness.

For Washington residents that do not qualify for the FAFSA, Washington state has a program called WAFSA, students can fill that out if not eligible for the FAFSA.

The WAFSA is the Washington Application for Federal Student Aid. The WASFA provides Washington State Need Grants to low-income, non-citizen students who graduated from a Washington high school with a diploma, have earned a GED, or another equivalent. High school graduates must have finished their full senior year at a Washington high school or lived in Washington for at least three consecutive years before the date their high school diploma, GED, or equivalent was earned.

Though filing the FAFSA and other forms of financial aid on top of college applications can be stressful, Skyline seniors are keeping a positive mindset.

“I’m finishing up all my applications and have already submitted some. It can be really stressful at times but the possibilities of how things could turn out excite me” senior Pahal Thaker said.

The College and Career Center at Skyline invite all students to visit regarding any questions or concerns students have about FAFSA. There are a few financial aid nights coming up where students can get help filling out the FAFSA. There are also resources on Skyline High School’s website.