Madison County has recently been named as one of the two counties in Western North Carolina whose seniors have exceeded the state of North Carolina’s FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) completion rate for the 2023-2024 school year.
As part of the myFutureNC FAFSA pilot program, Madison County joined 36 school districts across the state participating in activities to increase FAFSA completion rates across North Carolina. High school seniors complete the FAFSA, and states and colleges use information from the FAFSA form to determine eligibility for grants, scholarships, and loans. The immediate goal of the program was to increase FAFSA completions and share federal, state, and local financial aid resources. Districts also received additional funding to use for hosting events and incentivizing completing the FAFSA.
Taylor Kromer, Appalachian College Advising Corps adviser at Madison High School works directly with high school seniors assisting them with the college application process, including applying for financial aid.
"Completing the FAFSA was one of the biggest hurdles I faced as I transitioned from high school to postsecondary life. As a first-generation student, my family was not familiar with the process and not informed about the financial aid that was available to help us. My school site has many first generation students who have families that are going through the college application process for the first time, and being able to help them navigate that and identify opportunities for funding makes all the early mornings worth the effort. I am so proud of our collective accomplishment that is reflected in our FAFSA completion rate and hope to increase it this year so that I can ensure that every student that wants to has access to all of their options," says Kromer.
The Appalachian College Advising Corps model creates space for advisers to foster a college-going culture within the schools they serve. They collaborate with administrators, staff, and teachers to support students as they plan out their next steps after graduation. Advisers serve in a “near-peer” capacity connecting to their students as recent college graduates and many from backgrounds underrepresented in college or from western North Carolina.
In addition to the College Advising Corps, Madison County is also served by the GEAR UP Program (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs). GEAR UP is a federally funded college access program designed to increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education immediately after high school. The presence of multiple college access programs in a school district drives success and is indicative of the collective impact these programs can have on student outcomes.
"Madison High School operates as one supportive team, and you feel it the second you walk into the building. I believe a lot of their FAFSA success comes from the fact that they truly work together with student success being the common goal. Taylor's passion for the students and this work made her a perfect fit for our program and for this school,” says Molly O’Donnell, Assistant Program Director for College Advising Corps at Appalachian State University.
College Advising Corps Helps Drive FAFSA Completion Rates in Statewide Pilot Program
College Advising Corps Helps Drive FAFSA Completion Rates in Statewide Pilot Program