Tennessee leads nation in FAFSA completion
Tennessee students lead the nation in completing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, according to the nonprofit National College Attainment Network.
The ranking was announced in a May 21 news release from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, which hailed the ranking as "a major milestone" as the state works to ramp up access to higher education. The application isn't just for securing federal aid — it's also required for all students who wish to receive any form of financial aid for college, including scholarships, grants and other assistance.
"This recognition reflects the hard work of our schools, counselors, and communities across the state," commission director Steven Gentile said in the release. "Being number one in the nation shows what's possible when we prioritize student access to financial aid and higher education."
The news comes after a federal overhaul of the FAFSA led to glitches and delays for students nationwide last year. The issues left financial aid decisions in limbo for millions.
The commission also named 158 high schools statewide as "FAFSA Champions" for the 2024-25 school year in its annual FAFSA Challenge. The winning schools have a 90% or higher FAFSA completion rate or logged at least 5% in year-over-year growth for completion rates.
See the complete list of Tennessee's FAFSA Champions and learn more at CollegeForTN.org.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee leads nation in FAFSA completion
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Vice President JD Vance coming to Nashville for Republican fundraiser: What to know
Vice President JD Vance will be in Nashville June 5 as the featured guest of a Republican National Committee fundraiser hosted by Lee Beaman. The dinner, while not publicly disclosed on the invite, will take place during the evening hours. Delays are likely on the city's interstate system before and after Vance's arrival and departure. To attend, guests had to donate $250,000 or $100,000. Both price tiers include dinner for two and come with a photo opportunity. Lee Beaman is a Nashville area auto magnate, earning his money through owning and selling local car dealerships. He's also a Republican mega donor to campaigns like Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Rep. Andy Ogles. He was recently active in advocacy groups lobbying for tax deregulation and education choice. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vice President JD Vance attending Nashville Republican fundraiser
CBS News
6 hours ago
- CBS News
Student loan moves to make for the fall 2025 semester
We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. If you're planning to enroll in the upcoming fall college semester, you may want to make these moves sooner rather than school year has ended and summer vacation is here. While it can be a time to relax and enjoy a break from your studies, getting your student loan financing in order now to prepare for the fall 2025 college semester can be a smart move. Whether you're entering college for the first time or enrolling for another year, paying for your tuition costs and fees is crucial to continuing your education without any interruptions or hurdles. And, paying out of pocket may not be an option for many college students and their families, given the steep costs. According to data from the College Board, the average tuition and fees in 2024-25 for full-time undergraduate students range from $11,610 to $43,350, depending on whether the college is public or private and if the student is paying in-state or out-of-state tuition. To ensure you have the necessary financing to cover those costs, we've outlined below the steps to take now for the fall 2025 semester, what can be delayed and the important student loan mistakes to avoid. Start comparing your private student loan options online now. Student loan moves to make for the fall 2025 semester Though the fall semester may be months away, you can take steps to prepare now. Here are student loan moves to make for the upcoming semester: Maximize your financial aid options Before turning to any student loans, see if you qualify for any grants or scholarships. These options are gift aid, meaning you don't have to pay them back. You can find scholarship opportunities on CareerOneStop and You can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to see if you qualify for a federal Pell Grant. The FAFSA can also help you qualify for work-study and federal student loans. Gift aid and federal student loans are typically recommended as the first options to turn to, due to the generous benefits. Unfortunately, though, federal student loans do have loan limits. These vary by your year in school and depend on your status as a dependent or independent student. "Once someone exhausts federal aid or receives a smaller package than expected, turning to private student loans can feel like the next logical step, but it is so important to pause and really understand what you are signing up for. Private loans often come with higher interest rates and fewer protections, like income-driven repayment or forgiveness options," says Becca Craig, certified student loan professional and certified financial planner at Focus Partners Wealth. If you do need to turn to private student loans to cover any gaps, there are steps you can take now to set yourself up for success. Find out how affordable the right student loans could be today. Get a cosigner Federal loans generally don't require a credit check, but most private student loans do. This can present a problem for undergraduate students when it comes to private student loan eligibility. "Because private student loan applications are approved based on the creditworthiness of the borrower, many would-be borrowers are unable to qualify, especially undergraduates who may have a thin credit profile or no credit profile at all," says Glenn Sanger-Hodgson, certified student loan professional and financial planner at Shonan Gold Financial LLC. A cosigner is someone, like a parent, who agrees to take on the legal liability of the loan. So if there are issues with the loan repayment, the lender can turn to the cosigner to recoup what's owed. "A cosigner acts as a financial backstop, as they are equally responsible for the repayment of the loans in the event the student borrower can not make adequate student loan payments, which provides greater assurance that the loan will be repaid," says Sanger-Hodgson. Getting a qualified cosigner is an important step if you need private student loans and are unable to qualify on your own. Start having discussions now and talk about rights and responsibilities so you're on the same page. Improve your credit and debt-to-income ratio Whether you're applying for a private student loan on your own or with a cosigner, lenders will look at various factors when determining your eligibility. To put you in the best position possible, both students and cosigners "should focus on getting their credit score up, and paying off other debt to lower the debt-to-income ratio that lenders will look at to determine whether a student loan will be approved," says Jack Wang, college financial aid and wealth advisor at Innovative Advisory Group and host of the Smart College Buyer podcast. Your payment history and credit utilization make up a significant part of your FICO credit score. On-time payments and using less of your available credit can help. Paying down your balances and boosting your income can also help lower your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. Taking these steps can help your approval odds when applying for a private student loan. Start applying with private student loan lenders now If you need additional financing for the fall 2025 semester, now is a good time to submit a private student loan application. Some private lenders allow student loan borrowers to get prequalified, so you can check your prospective rate and eligibility. You may also stand to save if you submit a private student loan application now. For example, some lenders offer small discounts for applying early (before a certain deadline). And, aside from getting prequalified and raking in potential rate discounts to reduce student loan costs, getting started now can ensure you get the funding you need on time. "If you think you're going to have a funding shortfall and that you will need private student loans in order to continue your education, then it's important to start the application process at least two months before you will need the funds disbursed," says Sanger-Hodgson. "So if your school's tuition is due in August, for example, then you would want to start the application in early June at the latest." Sanger-Hodgson notes that once you're approved, your lender will need to confirm your enrollment and the cost of attendance through something called loan certification. This can take several weeks, so starting now can ensure you get the financing you need for the upcoming college semester. Student loan moves to make later this summer (but not now) Getting your student loan financing in order now is key so you're ready for the fall 2025 semester without any hiccups. While the aforementioned steps should be done now, here are some student loan moves to make later this summer: Confirm your loan disbursement dates. You can reach out to the financial aid office at your college to confirm when your student loans will be disbursed. You can reach out to the financial aid office at your college to confirm when your student loans will be disbursed. Create a budget. Once you know your loan amount and have a better idea of your school expenses, create a budget for the fall 2025 semester. Once you know your loan amount and have a better idea of your school expenses, create a budget for the fall 2025 semester. Make interest-only payments (if possible). If you take out private student loans, you may be able to make interest-only payments while in school. If that's possible with your budget, it could lower the cost of borrowing and save money on interest charges. Student loan mistakes to avoid for the fall 2025 semester Going to college can be an investment in your future, but taking out student loans is still a major responsibility, so there are certain mistakes you want to avoid, including: Not shopping around While private student loans don't offer student loan forgiveness or income-based repayment options, there are multiple lenders to choose from. That means you have more agency to choose a lender that meets your needs. A major student loan mistake to avoid is not shopping around. "Different lenders have different underwriting criteria and offer different terms, such as forbearance periods allowed. Borrowers need to shop around for the best terms, not just the lowest rate," says Wang. Consider comparing three to five private student loan lenders and reviewing the various offerings. Make sure to check the student loan qualifications so you meet the requirements. "Look at interest rates, fees, repayment flexibility and whether you'll need a cosigner. I'd also make sure you understand whether the interest is fixed or variable, and how that could change over time," says Craig. Borrowing more than you need Every dollar you borrow is a dollar you must repay, plus interest. Even if it's an investment in your college education, it's important to be smart about the amount you're borrowing. You may get an offer for a higher loan amount than you need. Sticking to only what you need can lower borrowing costs and put you in a better position for the future. Skipping the FAFSA You must fill out the FAFSA every school year to see if you qualify for grants, scholarships, work-study and federal student loans — but not every student takes the time to do so. "One of the biggest mistakes I see is when families think they earn too much money and assume they won't qualify for financial aid, and choose to not file their FAFSA form. This is a big mistake, especially considering there is no cost to file the form," says Sanger-Hodgson. Regardless of your financial situation, it's a good idea to fill out the FAFSA and see what type of aid you may qualify for. You'll want to check your college, state and federal deadlines so you don't miss your opportunity. The bottom line Summertime may not be the time you want to focus on the upcoming school year, but preparing early for the fall 2025 semester can help you secure the student loans you need to pay for school. The last thing you want to do is find out you have a gap in funding or need to rush — or worse, miss a deadline. When looking at your options, compare student loan interest rates, terms, discounts and any borrower benefits. Even if you lock in a rate now, you can always refinance private student loans later on after you graduate. The most important thing is to get started, do your research and maximize your financial aid options. Once you do that, you can be a well-informed student loan borrower and know what you're getting into.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
My neighbors and I served Nashville for years. Now we can't afford to live here
Editor's note: Letters to the editor reflect the views of individual readers. Scroll to see how you can add your voice, whether you agree or disagree, or click on this link to fill out the form. We welcome diverse viewpoints. I've lived in Nashville since 1997 and in the same Hillsboro Village apartment since 2005. I'm a former public school teacher, a single parent, a cancer survivor, and the founder of an English language school for Japanese expats. Over the years, I've watched my rent rise from $700 to $1275, and a new hike is coming this summer that I'm bracing for. Each hike has been hard, but this latest one may finally push me out. Opinion: If Nashville is a welcoming city, why are so many of its residents struggling? I've paid on time, year after year — likely covering the full mortgage by now — but as a renter, I have no housing security. My landlord is fair and is simply passing along the rising cost of property taxes due to the recent reassessment. But for long-time residents like me, that cost could mean losing our homes. I'm not alone. My neighbors include teachers, city employees, and other long-time Nashvillians, all struggling to stay rooted. Opinion: TN desperately needs more housing. Why would lawmakers sabotage a good solution? We voted for leaders who promised action on affordable housing. We're still waiting for proof that there's a place for us in this new Nashville. What kind of Nashville are we building if the people who serve, teach, and care for our community can no longer afford to live here? Leo Katz, Nashville 37212 Agree or disagree? Or have a view on another topic entirely? Send a letter of 250 words or fewer to letters@ Include your full name, city/town, ZIP and contact information for verification. Thanks for adding to the public conversation. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Who wants a New Nashville that pushes old Nashvillians out? | Opinion
