FAFSA Completions Down In AZ: How Phoenix Area Schools Compare

Phoenix AZ

23 April, 2021

4:29 PM

Description

PHOENIX, AZ — Among the many disruptions caused by the pandemic is a decline in the number of students filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is used to apply for college financial aid. FAFSA form completions are often seen as a harbinger of future enrollment. The decline of applications this year, especially among low-income students, has some experts worried. "This year is clawing back relative to last year, but it's still not a good FAFSA completion situation," said Bill DeBaun, director of data and evaluation for the National College Attainment Network. Nationally, the total number of FAFSA completions is down 6.7 percent through the week ending April 9 compared with the same date last year; there were 1.88 million applications last year compared with 1.75 million this year. There has been improvement in recent weeks and the situation is looking more optimsitic compared to the fall; in November 2020 there was a year-over-year percent drop of 16.8 percent in FAFSA completions. In Arizona, there were 26,316 FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021, compared with 29,876 completions at the same point last year, according to an Associated Press analysis of FAFSA data. That is an 11.9 percent drop. (See how Phoenix area high schools did at bottom of article.) At this point, it's hard to say whether the decline in FAFSA applications suggests a decline in college enrollment for the fall 2021 semester, DeBaun said. "If we don't help students complete the milestones now, there is no guarantee that they will hop on a postsecondary path in the fall," he said. Freshman enrollment dropped 13 percent nationally in fall 2020, according to the National Student Clearinghouse. The largest decrease occurred at community colleges. Total undergraduate enrollment was down 4.4 percent in the fall. Other changes are at hand in the college application process this year. Many top-tier schools made test scores optional and saw a massive surge in applications, according to The New York Times. At the same time many smaller schools and state colleges reported a drop in applicants. The decline in FAFSA applications is owing largely to the coronavirus pandemic, DeBaun said. The high school senior class of 2021 experienced disruption for part of its junior year and all of its senior year, including restricted access to high school-based help with completion of FAFSA forms. The FAFSA process isn't intuitive for many students and their families. Primary support often comes from school-based financial aid events.  Completion rates have declined even faster at Title 1 high schools, meaning those where low-income students make up at least 40 percent of enrollment. The completion rate dropped 9.4 percent this year at Title 1 schools as of April 9, compared with 4.6 percent for non-Title 1 schools, according to NCAN's FAFSA status tracker. In Arizona, there was a 19.4 percent drop among completed applications from Title 1 schools compared with a 4.0 percent drop for non-Title 1 school applications as of March 26. The widening gap is largely due to the disruption in support that schools give families in completing the FAFSA. Here is how schools in the Phoenix area are doing with FAFSA completion as of March 26. See more Phoenix area high schools here. Note: Percent changes can be affected by a relatively small difference in completions, especially for smaller schools. School: JEFFERSON PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL District: CHOICE ACADEMIES INC. (90138) Municipality: GLENDALE Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 7 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 19 Percent change: -63.16 Title 1 status: Not Title I schoolwide School: LINDA ABRIL EDUCATIONAL ACADEMY District: PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT (4286) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 7 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 18 Percent change: -61.11 Title 1 status: Title I schoolwide School: SOUTH POINTE HIGH SCHOOL District:AMERICAN CHARTER SCHOOLS FOUNDATION D.B.A. SOUTH P (80989) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 15 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 31 Percent change: -51.61 Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: NORTH POINTE PREPARATORY District:POINTE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (79455) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 25 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 50 Percent change: -50 Title 1 status:Not Title I schoolwide School: NEW SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS District:NEW SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS (4316) Municipality: TEMPE Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 13 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 25 Percent change: -48 Title 1 status:Not Title I schoolwide School: GIRLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY OF ARIZONA District:FLORENCE CRITTENTON SERVICES OF ARIZONA INC. (4300) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 12 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 23 Percent change: -47.83Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: GLENVIEW COLLEGE PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL District:KAIZEN EDUCATION FOUNDATION DBA EL DORADO HIGH SCH (4342) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 37 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 64 Percent change: -42.19 Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: CACTUS HIGH SCHOOL District:PEORIA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (4237) Municipality: GLENDALE Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 61 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 104 Percent change: -41.35Title 1 status:Not Title I schoolwide School: SOUTH RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL District:AMERICAN CHARTER SCHOOLS FOUNDATION D.B.A. SOUTH R (88334) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 30 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 51 Percent change: -41.18Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: MOON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL District:GLENDALE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT (4285) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 138 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 234 Percent change: -41.03Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: EMPOWER COLLEGE PREP District:EMPOWER COLLEGE PREP (91277) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 18 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 30 Percent change: -40Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: SIERRA LINDA HIGH SCHOOL District:TOLLESON UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT (4288) Municipality: TOLLESON Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 84 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 135 Percent change: -37.78Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: NFL YET COLLEGE PREP ACADEMY District:ESPIRITU COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. (4335) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 14 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 22 Percent change: -36.36Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: DEER VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL District:DEER VALLEY UNIFIED DISTRICT (4246) Municipality: GLENDALE Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 94 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 144 Percent change: -34.72Title 1 status:Not Title I schoolwide School: PHOENIX CODING ACADEMY District:PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT (4286) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 36 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 55 Percent change: -34.55Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: BOSTROM ALTERNATIVE CENTER District:PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT (4286) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 6 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 9 Percent change: -33.33Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: CORTEZ HIGH SCHOOL District:GLENDALE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT (4285) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 83 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 121 Percent change: -31.4Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: ARIZONA CONSERVATORY FOR ARTS AND ACADEMICS District:EDKEY INC. - ARIZONA CONSERVATORY FOR ARTS AND AC (79981) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 11 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 16 Percent change: -31.25Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: ARIZONA PREPARATORY ACADEMY District:NORTH STAR CHARTER SCHOOL INC. (79701) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 5 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 7 Percent change: -28.57Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: ALHAMBRA HIGH SCHOOL District:PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT (4286) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 140 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 196 Percent change: -28.57Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: GREAT HEARTS ACADEMIES - ANTHEM PREP District:ANTHEM PREPARATORY ACADEMY (90532) Municipality: ANTHEM Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 29 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 40 Percent change: -27.5Title 1 status:Not Title I schoolwide School: IRONWOOD HIGH SCHOOL District:PEORIA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (4237) Municipality: GLENDALE Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 173 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 235 Percent change: -26.38Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: NORTH HIGH SCHOOL District:PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT (4286) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 189 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 255 Percent change: -25.88Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: WESTVIEW HIGH SCHOOL District:TOLLESON UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT (4288) Municipality: AVONDALE Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 127 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 171 Percent change: -25.73Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide School: NORTH CANYON HIGH SCHOOL District:PARADISE VALLEY UNIFIED DISTRICT (4241) Municipality: PHOENIX Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2021: 89 Total FAFSA completions as of March 26, 2020: 118 Percent change: -24.58Title 1 status:Title I schoolwide Click here to see the numbers for more Phoenix area high schools. Any student who is even remotely considering attending college in the fall should fill out the FAFSA, DeBaun said. Some colleges have been more flexible with their aid deadlines. "If you have any aspiration for attending in the fall, it's still important to fill out the FAFSA," he said, "and it's not too late to do so." Editor's note: This list was automatically generated using FAFSA data analyzed by the Associated Press. Information isn't available for all schools. Schools with fewer than five completions are omitted from the data. Please report any errors or other feedback to [email protected].