Opinion: School Counselors Can'T Undo the Fafsa Mess on Their Own. We Need a National ...

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The rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has been "disastrous" for students and college officials alike, but it's an even bigger problem for the nation's high school seniors, writes the president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling in the Hechinger Report.

"As of today, we are over 30% behind last year in FAFSA filings," writes John Hechinger.

"This is on top of our already declining high school-age population....

If we do not mobilize as a college access community, we are at risk of losing thousands of students from the pipeline to higher education."

Hechinger calls for a "national movement" to get students to fill out the form now, before next year's deadline, to avoid "unintended consequences" such as delayed aid offers.

"Many public school counselors have told me that their students are frustrated and waiting until next year to apply," he writes.

"If you engage with a high school senior on the bus, on the metro, or elsewhere in your local community, ask them," he adds.

"Have you filled out your FAFSA yet?" Click for Hechinger's full column.

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