FAFSA applications up this year in Ohio - Axios ColumbusLog InLog InAxios Columbus is an Axios company.

Student aid applications up this year

Data: ; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosMore Ohio high school students completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) this year, suggesting a college enrollment uptick could be coming after .Rates are up in over half of Central Ohio districts, with many trending above a state-average 61%, for the Class of 2022. Why it matters: More completed FAFSAs not only means more high schoolers are considering college, but also that prospective students will be fully informed of their aid options.This is a priority for the state, which last year to college access groups, educational service centers and colleges to encourage more FAFSA completion. How it works: Students provide for the government to determine if they're eligible for federal grants or student loans. What's more: FAFSA completion is a prerequisite for many scholarships, including those awarded directly from colleges.Students who don't finish it could be leaving money on the table, Kirsten Crotte, Otterbein University's senior director of financial aid, tells Axios. Zoom in: Columbus seniors registered a massive completion leap of 35%, up to 94% total.One factor: The Class of 2022 is the first to participate in , a partnership providing free tuition to Columbus State Community College that requires FAFSA completion. Over — double the number of CCS grads who attended Columbus State last year. Of note: The rates posted by the Ohio Department of Higher Education may not be exact, a spokesperson tells Axios. They're calculated using the grade 12 student headcount that districts report each October, but enrollment often fluctuates throughout the year. Meanwhile, college access program has been reconnecting with Columbus students through family workshops, classroom presentations and promo tables at sporting events and graduations.A new partnership with the mobile unit took the group to 14 sites across the city. What they're saying: Advisers meeting with students in person, post pandemic shutdowns, "makes a world of difference" and prevents them falling through the cracks, Ashley Logan, I Know I Can director of college advising, tells Axios. The latest: The Class of 2023 FAFSA opened Oct. 1 and early figures suggest a nationwide increase, . Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

More Columbus stories

No stories could be found Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Columbus.Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.