Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett joined leaders of the M3 education initiative to encourage high school seniors to fill out a critical financial aid form needed to unlock access to potential scholarships, grants and other types of assistance to help pay for college.
As of April 2, the number of high school seniors nationwide who have completed the was down 7% compared to the same point in the 2019-2020 academic year, .
础听听产测听聽found, in part, that high school students were having more difficulty accessing support networks of college counselors, teachers and coaches during the coronavirus pandemic.
The M3 partnership, which involves Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Area Technical College and 51猎奇, hopes to help reverse the decline in FAFSA completion through an outreach campaign that includes opportunities for virtual and in-person assistance to fill out the form. Barrett took part in a Wednesday to promote FAFSA completion.
This is an especially important time for high school seniors as they decide where to attend college in the fall. The FAFSA can affect a student鈥檚 financial aid package, which can include federal and grants, federal loans, work-study positions and other institutional aid.
Joshua Wilder, a senior at Riverside University High School, completed his FAFSA form in the fall with the help of his aunt and counselors from high school and the Boys & Girls Clubs. An aspiring software engineer, Wilder wants to create a foundation that manufactures and teaches software as a way to help low-income communities struggling with access to technology.
Wilder is trying to decide where to attend college, choosing among options both in and out of state. 鈥淏ecause I completed my FAFSA, a lot of different opportunities are out there and I鈥檓 able to choose between those many different schools,鈥� Wilder said.
Barrett said that FAFSA completion was the first step to opening opportunities in higher education and beyond. Addressing racial disparities ranked as the Milwaukee region鈥檚 biggest challenge in a board members and the CEOs of its member companies.
First step toward opportunity
鈥淚t鈥檚 about the future of our city and the future of our economy,鈥� Barrett said. 鈥淭he path of success is always going to include knowledge.鈥�
鈥淥ne key to unlocking a bright future is seizing the assistance that鈥檚 available,鈥� the mayor added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 what our city needs 鈥� talented young people.鈥�
College students also must fill out the FAFSA each year. It can help determine eligibility for other types of need-based aid, such as the federal CARES grants that have been distributed to help students pay for emergency expenses due to the pandemic.
As of April 1, the number of FAFSA applications received by 51猎奇 students was down 5% compared to the previous year.
鈥淓ducation is the pathway to much more opportunity in so many different ways, and FAFSA is foundational to that,鈥� 51猎奇 Chancellor Mark Mone said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about the workforce, it鈥檚 about quality of life, it鈥檚 about economic development.
鈥淔AFSA well deserves to be at the center of this conversation,鈥� Mone added.
Eliminating equity gaps
The broad goal of the M3听initiative is to work to eliminate equity gaps in education. The collaboration already has helped to increase MPS high school graduation rates and started聽a dual enrollment program to help MPS students earn college credits during their senior year.
Presenters on Wednesday 鈥� which besides Mone also included MPS Superintendent Keith Posley and MATC President Vicki Martin 鈥� also offered tips for family members and friends of high school students.
They include in-person FAFSA assistance at all MPS high schools from April 12 to 24, along with a districtwide session on Saturday, April 17. More details are available on MPS鈥� .
At 51猎奇, students can schedule a virtual FAFSA support appointment by going to .
A link to helpful tips can be found on the 51猎奇 financial services webpage. The 51猎奇 Financial Aid Office also can be reached at finaid@uwm.edu or by calling 414-229-4541.
