Washington state is our home

The Gates Foundation’s Horizons program is supporting four partnerships that are ready to expand programs to help more students design the future they want.

Washington state currently ranks near the bottom when it comes to the percentage of students enrolling in postsecondary programs after graduating from high school. The vast majority (90%) of Washington high schoolers say they want to pursue an education after graduation, but unfortunately only 50% enroll in a postsecondary program. What might be driving this gap?

It doesn’t matter what we call it, one thing is true: fewer students in the U.S. are enrolling in a degree program after high school – even though it continues to be the best path to a good-paying job and career advancement opportunities.

We know this year’s FAFSA rollout has been frustrating for counselors, families, and students – so we’re glad to have a little good news from Washington state to share. The public four-year colleges just announced that they pushed back their college decision date to June 1.

In this month’s newsletter, we’re talking about all things FAFSA and financial aid. You probably already know that a new FAFSA form came out at the end of December. The form has fewer questions – and more students will qualify for federal Pell grants. That’s the good news!