In an effort to promote completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) among high school seniors, the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (MDHEWD) will officially launch the Show-Me FAFSA Challenge this fall.
Public high schools throughout the state will compete with each other for scholarship prizes, which will be awarded to one student at each of the winning schools. Schools will be sorted into three groups based on school size. Each group will compete for prizes in four categories, including highest completion rate and most improved completion rate. The Missouri Scholarship & Loan Foundation and the Missouri College Access Network are sponsoring the scholarship prizes.
The Show-Me FAFSA Challenge will officially start on Oct. 1, when the 2021-2022 FAFSA opens, and end on April 1, the final Access Missouri Grant deadline.
“Completing a FAFSA is key to accessing funding for higher education for many high school seniors,” said Zora Mulligan, commissioner of higher education. “Our department is working to increase FAFSA filing in Missouri and we’re excited to see how this statewide competition supports these efforts.”
On Friday, MDHEWD hosted an introductory webinar to share information about the competition and how schools can monitor their progress by using the Show-Me FAFSA Challenge online tracker later this fall when FAFSA completion data is available.
For more information about the competition and to view a recording of the introductory webinar, visit the Show-Me FAFSA Challenge webpage at dhewd.mo.gov/ppc/fafsachallenge.php.
About the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development: The department works to empower Missourians with the skills and education needed for success. More information about MDHEWD can be found at https://dhewd.mo.gov or on Facebook and Twitter @MoDHEWD.