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Every year, Florida students leave $300 million on the table simply by not completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), but a pair of recent training sessions sought to support the professionals who are most often tasked with guiding students through the complex federal form.
On September 20 and 23, FCAN hosted free Counselor FAFSA Training Sessions that covered FAFSA fundamentals, as well as unique and challenging situations that arise when completing the form, including supporting undocumented students, students transitioning out of foster care, and determining which parent(s) to include while filling out FAFSA.
The Counselor FAFSA Training was a collaboration between FCAN, the Florida Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (FASFAA), Florida School Counselor Association (FSCA), and the state’s Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA). Daniel Barkowitz, Assistant Vice President for the Office of Student Financial Assistance & Student Employment at the University of Miami, and Karemah Manselle, Associate Director for the Office of Student Financial Assistance at the University of Central Florida, served as guest presenters.
More than 530 counselors registered for the September sessions, and more than 350 attended the sessions live and shared their feedback.
“As a new college/career counselor for my school, this information will help me to better support our students and parents,” once counselor said in an exit survey.
“This was extremely informative and helpful,” another counselor added. “I hope to share the presentation with families and students in our community.”
Visit FCAN’s Florida FAFSA Challenge page to view a recording of the Counselor FAFSA Training and to download the slides.
The training was made possible by the following partner organizations:
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