Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (ECTC) is rolling out games, food and prizes for anyone who needs help completing financial aid forms for the Fall 2024 semester.
ECTC’s FAFSA Tailgate Party will be July 23 from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Regional Postsecondary Center (RPC) on the Elizabethtown campus.
“We all understand that with the changes to the 24-25 FAFSA, it can be a bit overwhelming. Any change can be intimidating, but at ECTC, we have professionals who are here to help you through the process,” said ECTC Student Financial Aid Coordinator Reseanda Shartzer. “Come join us at the FAFSA Tailgate Party. We’ll eat, have a little fun, and of course, help you with your FAFSA.”
The FAFSA Simplification Act represents a major redesign of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid starting with the 2024-25 award year. The act was passed to make it easier for students and families to complete and submit the FAFSA and to expand access to federal student aid. However, significant changes delayed the opening date for the 2024-25 award year, which has subsequently delayed the processing of financial aid.
Many students and parents have encountered issues with filing the 2024-25 FAFSA at studentaid.gov. Federal Student Aid is working to resolve errors in the online form, and families experiencing problems should be persistent.
Whether a student has never started the form, is halfway through, or needs to correct or verify the form, ECTC financial aid experts are ready to help. Attendees should bring their 2022 tax forms including W-2s. They should also bring their FSA ID if they have one.
Once the FAFSA is fully processed, Federal Student Aid will notify a student that their information has been forwarded to all schools listed on their FAFSA. Then, ECTC will notify the student once their FAFSA information is received and will inform the student of any additional information needed. An estimated offer letter will be sent, outlining the financial aid the student can potentially receive.
Nationally, 46 percent of the high school class of 2024 had completed the FAFSA as of June 28, down from 53.2 percent of the class of 2023, according to the National College Attainment Network’s FAFSA Tracker. Kentucky is slightly ahead of the national completion rate at 46.6 percent, down from 55 percent a year ago.
The FAFSA is the first step to affordable or even free college as it allows students access to federal and state grants, federal student loans, scholarships and work study programs.
“Everyone planning to attend college should complete the FAFSA,” Shartzer said. “Some students skip the FAFSA because they don’t think they’ll qualify for grants such as the federal Pell grant, but the FAFSA is required for many scholarships, too.”
Those scholarships include the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship, which could make college tuition-free for students pursuing high-demand career fields in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, business and information technology, construction and trades, and transportation and logistics.
For more information or to connect with ECTC’s financial aid office, email ElizabethtownFinancialAid@kctcs.edu or call 270-706-8802.
The event coincides with ECTC’s Open House Days, meaning academic program information, admissions assistance and campus tours also will be offered from noon until 6:00 p.m. on July 23.
By ECTC and Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken at ken@k105.com
