Americans owe a whopping $1.75 trillion in student loan debt.
With this in mind, it’s undeniable that something has gone off the rails in our attempts to make higher education more affordable.
But wait, it’s even more complicated. The high school class of 2021 left an estimated $3.75 billion in Pell Grants on the table by not completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), according to a new National College Attainment Network (NCAN) analysis. And it’s moving in the wrong direction! FAFSA completion rates continue to decline, with recent reports citing a 9 percent decline in 2022 completions compared to the previous year.
