By: Jenalyz Serrata, Follow South Jersey Intern
SOUTH JERSEY – Applying for federal financial aid for college has become a high school graduation requirement in New Jersey beginning with the current 11th grade students.
In January, Governor Phil Murphy signed into law the mandate that students and their guardians complete and submit either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application, as guided by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA), in order to receive their high school diploma, according to a press release from the governor’s office.
Governor Murphy expressed his concerns about the number of students who don’t look into tertiary education leading to the requirement to make it mandatory for all high school students to apply for financial aid.
A new study for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation shows that about 55% of high school students don’t plan on attending college or are unsure if they will. The study also shows that 38% of those graduates plan on not attending or returning to school because it is too expensive and fear of student debt.
Attending college is the most known topic for students in high school. The expectations society puts on their students can create a lot of pressure, discouraging most students from applying. The talk of student debt and loans has also led to the fear of what is to come when going to college, which has caused a rise in the number of students who don’t plan to attend.
“By requiring students to complete financial aid applications, our goal is not only to help reduce overall student loan debt but also to open up pathways for college or trades school that will allow students to earn a higher income in the future to support themselves better,” Senator Shirley Turner explains in the press release.
Often, students refuse to apply for college due to financial struggles, yet they miss out on the opportunity FASFA and HESSAA give them to not pay for college. The goal is to reduce student debt and allow students to plan their future. Financial aid becoming a requirement will enable students to go after a tertiary education with the knowledge of how affordable school can be when handed state and federal resources to help with those costs.
School districts, charter schools, parents, and students will be assisted by the Executive Director of HESSA and the Commissioner of Education with applying for financial aid. They will also receive different forms of guidance through presentations, webinars, and documents. This guidance will allow an easy and stress-free process that many individuals dread doing every year.
Individuals can also submit a waiver requesting not to participate in this graduation requirement. However, it will notify those applying for financial aid yearly when to reapply for financial assistance.
“Low and moderate-income students can’t receive Pell Grants and other need-based aid without submitting financial aid applications,” Senator and Former Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake says. “Getting those forms properly filled out could prove to be the difference for a student who wants and deserves to continue their education but is unable to pay all of the college expenses.”
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