College Preparation: FAFSA

College graduates also tend to have job satisfaction, jobs that offer a greater sense of accomplishment, independence, opportunities for creativity in the workplace, and social interactions with colleagues. (Wolniak & Engberg, 2019).  College readiness is a process, not a program. The reasons students do not matriculate to college are many and varied (Bhat & Stevens, 2021). To mitigate the college-going gap, high school students need both support and assistance in preparing for and attending college (Bhat & Stevens, 2021). College admission processes are complex. Many students have no idea where to begin. Students' need for appropriate steps and guidance to make sense of college entrance (Bettinger & Evans, 2019). Applying for financial aid and scholarships, navigating college admission requirements, participating in ACT and SAT workshops, writing the college admission essay, and securing needed recommendations are all college processes that often hamper students in securing admission. Minority students, first-generation college applicants, and students whose families have low socioeconomic status (SES) rely more heavily on their schools for guidance (Bettinger & Evans, 2019). Also, school personnel understand that parental support and involvement is integral to any college readiness initiative, but low SES parents, who are most concerned about financial support, might see these costs as prohibitive to their child's entry to college (Bhat & Stevens, 2021). Research shows that providing information and college assistance can improve college enrollment for students, especially minority and low-socioeconomic students (Bettinger & Evans, 2019). Providing students with an intentional opportunity to understand the necessity and the steps to apply for financial aid will help create a college-going culture within the school and establish clear expectations that all students have the ability and opportunity to attend college.