Students who are thinking of attending college in the fall need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be eligible for federal, state, and local financial aid. While Massachusetts continues to be a leader nationwide in FAFSA completion, the pandemic has caused a large decrease in FAFSA completion. As of early March, completion rates were down 10 percent statewide compared to the same point in 2019 and gaps continue to exist particularly among certain student groups. Schools are encouraged to remind seniors about this important step and direct them to helpful events and resources on our FAFSA website.