The number of Louisiana high school graduates applying for college financial aid is down this year, raising concerns that fewer students are on track to go to college or trade schools.
Louisiana still has one of the highest percentages of high school seniors completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which qualifies students for college loans, grants and some scholarships. Yet the state has seen a nearly 15% decline in completions compared to last year.
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, announces a federal investigation into the delays on a new FAFSA form. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, is to Cassidy's right and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is to his left.
The slump follows the U.S. Department of Education’s botched roll-out of a new FAFSA, which caused major frustration for students who had to wait much longer than usual to learn how much aid they’re eligible for. Some college officials worry fall enrollment may decline if students sit out a semester until the problems are eliminated.
Across Louisiana, about 56% of seniors who graduated in the spring completed a FAFSA application by June 21, said Ebony Holmes, a spokesperson with the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, or LOSFA. At roughly the same time last year, the completion rate was about 67%, she said.
“That translates to about 5,000 fewer students that have not completed it than did in 2023,” Holmes said.
About 75% of Louisiana public school districts saw a decrease in the share of students who completed the FAFSA by June 21 compared with last year, according to federal data. The figure excludes districts with missing or limited data.
The decline in completion reflects a national trend, according to the National College Attainment Network’s FAFSA tracker, which uses data from the U.S. Department of Education. About 45% of seniors nationwide have completed a FAFSA application, down eight percentage points from last year.
Despite the decrease in completions, Louisiana still ranked second for the percentage of seniors who completed an application this year, behind only Tennessee.
Yet some school systems had far fewer students fill out the FAFSA than the statewide rate. For example, less than 45% of seniors in Evangeline Parish completed the FAFSA by June 21, down from about 75% at that time last year — one of the sharpest declines in the state.
Evangeline and Sabine parishes also saw large decreases in their completion rates. Both had 75% to 79% completion rates last year. This year, Evangeline Parish has a current completion percentage of 40% to 44% and Sabine Parish is at 45% to 49%.
The New Orleans Military and Maritime Academy and Point Coupee Parish have the lowest completion percentages with 20% to 24% and 30% to 34% respectively.
In order to graduate, Louisiana requires public school students to fill out a FAFSA, state scholarship application or receive a waiver. But the state board of education repealed that policy this year and 2025 graduates won’t have to apply.
Researchers found that requiring students to apply for FAFSA closed the completion gap between high-income and low-income districts. Some research also indicates that receiving financial aid may motivate students to enroll who might not have otherwise.
Some education advocates are concerned the policy change will lead to fewer students applying for aid and therefore not pursuing a post-secondary degree or certificate.
But for the upcoming fall semester, there’s still time for students to apply for financial aid, Holmes said.
LOSFA will use a $75,000 federal grant to go on a “FASFA tour” of libraries and colleges this summer to help students complete their applications and fix any errors. Holmes said the agency is still adding dates to the tour.
The agency also runs an in-person FAFSA lab in Baton Rouge, and hosts virtual hours. The hours will be extended into the evening starting next week.
“Whether it’s in-person or virtual,” Holmes said, students “have a resource available to help give them that assistance.”