LAS VEGAS — After reading Nevada students left almost $19 million on the table in unclaimed Pell Grants in 2016 alone, Data Insight Partners decided to do something about it.
In March Data Insight Partners launched FAFSATracker.com a free website to help raise awareness about college aide. By the end of June, Nevada FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) applications were up by more than 2,200 from the previous year, likely resulting in an additional $4 million-plus in Pell Grants for Nevada students.
A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid by the recipient and can be worth up to $5,920 per year. The average Pell Grant awarded to Nevada students last year was worth $3,438 and can be used on expenses such as tuition, transportation, and living expenses.
“We’re extremely proud of the work we’ve done to build awareness and support generating an extra $4 million dollars of free money for Nevada students,” said Data Insight Partners co-founder Justin White, “but there are still millions of dollars being left on the table. That’s why we want to get the word out even earlier in the application cycle this year.”
The FAFSA application window for the 2018-2019 school year opened October 1, 2017, and runs through June 30, 2019; which means current high school seniors in the class of 2018 can apply for federal financial aid for college now by going to FAFSA.gov.
FAFSATracker.com provides free resources for schools and community regarding the FAFSA process as well as weekly updates on the rates of 12th grade FAFSA completions for all high schools in Nevada.
“Research shows that when low income students get assistance with the FAFSA process they are 30 percent more likely to enroll in college,” said Data Insight Partners co-founder Nathan Trenholm. “The work happening in our high schools is changing lives and we’re excited to showcase that with FAFSAtracker.com.”
If you know a current high school senior or college student, encourage them to commit 90 minutes of their time over Thanksgiving weekend to complete the FAFSA. It could be the most lucrative hour and a half they spend all year!
