According to a report released in December by the Louisiana Department of Education, only 44 percent of Louisiana public high school seniors graduating in 2013 filled out the FAFSA -- the form that determines eligibility for federal and state financial aid, which includes TOPS scholarships. These students are missing out on tens of millions of dollars in financial aid as a result.
This spring, Lela will conduct FAFSA completion workshops, upon request, at high schools throughout the state and will continue to offer one-on-one counseling by appointment to students at its College Planning Center on Acadian Thruway in Baton Rouge. The team will also host a free, statewide FAFSA completion online webinar at noon on Wednesday, March 18, that is geared to parents and a hands-on FAFSA completion workshop in Baton Rouge on Saturday, March 21.
"We want to reach every Louisiana high school senior possible," said LPFA Assistant Vice President Joni Leggio. "There are so many of our students who are eligible for college aid who never even take the first step by completing the FAFSA. Perhaps they feel that they aren't eligible for aid or that the process is too complicated. We want to help them get past these obstacles."
To register for the statewide webinar or Baton Rouge workshop, to request a workshop in your area, to make an appointment, or for more information, contact Lela staff at info@lela.org or (800) 228-4755 (toll free) or visit the Lela website at www.AskLela.org.
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Find more information about FAFSA completion events at www.AskLela.org, by calling (800) 228-4755 or by contacting Lela staff at info@lela.org.
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Lela's FASFA outreach coincides with the statewide Financial Aid Awareness Month (FAAM) campaign, which Governor Bobby Jindal designated for the month of February. It also supports national Financial Literacy Awareness Month activities in April. All efforts focus college-bound high school seniors and their parents on the importance of accessing and paying for college by completing the FAFSA in time to meet upcoming financial aid deadlines.
Students and parents can learn more about the FAFSA and complete the free form by logging onto http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The page contains links to YouTube videos and other resources that help walk students and parents through the process of applying for aid.
There is also valuable information about paying and preparing for college on the Lela website at www.AskLela.org and through Lela's Facebook and Twitter feeds at
https://www.facebook.com/AskLela and
https://twitter.com/AskLela. Since starting its outreach efforts, the Lela team has helped thousands of students complete the FAFSA and secure financial aid for college.
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