Financial aid vote key to a more educated, better trained workforce
Tim McCartney
When the State Board of Education voted last week for a new policy that ensures students complete or opt-out of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Alabama took an important step toward building a more educated workforce.
FAFSA is the form colleges use to determine a student’s eligibility for federal financial aid, including Pell grants, work-study programs, and loans. Colleges and universities are also increasingly requiring FAFSA completion to receives scholarships from the institution, as well. That includes not only an education at traditional four-year colleges and universities, but also other postsecondary education opportunities such as two-year colleges, certificate programs and associate degrees. In fact, roughly 36 percent of Federal Pell grants are awarded to help students enroll in certificate and associate degree programs.