FAFSA Completion: Considerations for an Extension-Led Statewide Nudge Campaign

Authors

Portia L. Johnson, Auburn University / Alabama Cooperative ExtensionFollow
Kacee Ross, Auburn UniversityFollow
Emily Hines, Auburn University / Alabama Cooperative ExtensionFollow

Volume

61

Issue

1

DOI

10.34068/joe.61.01.10

Abstract

Eight U.S. states have enacted legislation that mandates high school seniors to act on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before graduation. At least 10 other states are considering implementing similar FAFSA requirements. While proponents of the law believe it will affect postsecondary education and the workforce positively, dissenters argue that the policy is an unfunded mandate that taxes students and parents without offering adequate resources. This article synthesizes existing literature related to policy-related nudge campaigns to provide an Extension-led, cost-effective strategy to achieve the FAFSA mandate’s goal and improve citizens’ FAFSA completion behavior.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Johnson, P. L., Ross, K., & Hines, E. (2023). FAFSA Completion: Considerations for an Extension-Led Statewide Nudge Campaign. The Journal of Extension, 61(1), Article 10. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.61.01.10