Hiwassee Dam High School Receives Grant for Growing FAFSA Completion Rate

By Mindy Hamlin  

Guest Writer

  • Counselor and adviser Phoebe Thompson led Hiwassee Dam High School’s efforts to grow the number of the school’s seniors who completed the FAFSA, paving the way for many first-generation students to attend college.
    Counselor and adviser Phoebe Thompson led Hiwassee Dam High School’s efforts to grow the number of the school’s seniors who completed the FAFSA, paving the way for many first-generation students to attend college.

    Hiwassee Dam High School has been awarded a $500 grant as a winner of the 2021 North Carolina First in FAFSA Challenge. Hiwassee earned first place in the rural high school category for growing FAFSA completions by 28% year-to-year. The FAFSA Challenge is part of myFutureNC’s efforts to close the state’s educational attainment gap. The nonprofit is leading the state’s educational attainment goal of ensuring 2 million North Carolina adults hold a college degree or high-quality certification by 2030.

    Federal financial aid gained through completion of the FAFSA creates a path to college for many of Hiwassee’s students.

    “FAFSA completion is so important because it can open up doors for students that they never knew were there,” said Phoebe Thompson, career and college adviser for Andrews and Hiwassee Dam High Schools. “Many students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds discard the idea of furthering their educations because of the cost, but when they find out that they qualify for a full Pell Grant and could attend community college in NC for free, it can be a life-changing moment. Even if students are on the fence about pursuing higher education, I always encourage them to take 45 minutes to fill out the FAFSA so that it’s there just in case they decide to go for it.”

    To encourage students and families to complete the application, the school offered convenient appointment times families could book to receive one-on-one support while completing the FAFSA. ”We found that this individualized approach, possible thanks in part to our small school size, works well because it allows students and families to ask questions and bring up concerns that will help them better understand the process and increase the likelihood of completion,” said Thompson.

    “FAFSA completion is a leading predictor of whether or not a student will attend college and graduate,” said Cecilia Holden, myFutureNC’s president and CEO. “The 2020-2021 school year was difficult for students and teachers, but schools across the state stepped up to the challenge by not only encouraging students and families to complete the application but also assisting them with what can sometimes be a difficult process.”

    The $500 grant will support Hiwassee’s future FAFSA completion efforts and assist the school with the development of its college-going culture.

    Nearly 500 North Carolina schools participated in the 2021 FAFSA Challenge. Participating high schools competed among similar schools by senior class size and location, in two categories: overall FAFSA completions and FAFSA completion growth.