Across New York, schools are working to help students and families navigate postsecondary opportunities. From one-on-one financial aid meetings that begin as early as junior year, to innovative events that demystify the application process, school teams are using creative strategies to guide students through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and connect them with opportunity programs. New York currently ranks sixth in the nation in overall FAFSA completion.

Each year EdTrust-New York hosts the FAFSA Completion Challenge, which is based on successful efforts in other states and designed to positively recognize high schools for high FAFSA completion rates and for improvements in FAFSA completion rates across New York’s OSC Economic Regions. Each winning school receives a $750 dollar scholarship to award to an outstanding student.

Resourceful Strategies in Action

Each FAFSA Challenge winner deploys resourceful ways of supporting students and families – many of which are listed as best practices in our Financial Aid for College: High School Toolkit, a resource made for schools to support FAFSA completion. Here are a few of the approaches from the 2025 FAFSA Challenge Winners:

• Start Early: Many schools begin outreach in students’ junior year, meeting individually with students and families to review financial aid eligibility, discuss estimated aid, and explore opportunity programs.
• Family Engagement: Hosting multiple family information sessions and FAFSA/TAP completion workshops helps families start applications early and receive accurate financial aid packages. Some schools hold both in-person and virtual sessions to reach more parents.
• Student Preparation: Students are guided to memorize their Social Security numbers, create FSA IDs, and begin their state financial aid applications early in the process.
• Personalized Support: Schools often provide individualized phone calls and texts to families, explaining the FAFSA process and reassuring parents that completing applications is safe and essential to accessing aid.
• Partnerships: Collaborating with external organizations, such as the State University of New York or the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation, or local financial aid counselors provides additional support for students in completing applications.
• Dedicated Coursework: Some schools offer courses or units focused on college and career readiness, walking students step-by-step through college and financial aid applications, particularly for first-generation students.
• Postsecondary Planning Programs: Junior and senior seminars or similar programs include units on financial aid and resources for funding a variety of postsecondary options, including college, vocational training, and certifications.

Through these combined strategies, schools are not only helping students complete the FAFSA but also empowering them to take confident steps toward college and career readiness.

Celebrating Students

This year, the FAFSA Challenge also celebrates the incredible students and their next steps after high school graduation. Some of this year’s scholarship recipients include:

Karesha, The Academy School-Uniondale (Long Island): Karesha will graduate as Valedictorian of the Class of 2025 and attend SUNY Albany to study psychology through the 3+3 Early Entry Program with Albany Law School. She served as Vice President of Student Government, sang in the choir, competed on the debate team, and designed and edited the school newspaper and yearbook.

Maniya, Brooklyn Community Arts and Media High School (NYC): Maniya, a first-generation college student, graduated in the top 20% of her class and will attend Lincoln University to study science.

Darnell, City Honors School-F Masten Park (Buffalo): Darnell, a high-achieving student, will attend Rochester Institute of Technology in the fall to study accounting.

Andy, Facing History School – (NYC): Andy, the top-performing male student in his senior class, will attend SUNY Canton in the fall. He supports school events and classrooms alike, and this scholarship helps close his financial aid gap while recognizing his contributions.

Quanta, Jamesville-Dewitt High School (Fayetteville): Quanta, a first-generation college student, will attend SUNY Oswego to major in computer science. He challenged himself with rigorous coursework throughout high school, including Advanced Placement classes.

Isaac, Keene Central High School (Keene Valley): Isaac will attend North Country Community College. He excelled in the Champlain Valley Technical Education & Career program in digital production and multimedia communications, commuting an hour each way during junior and senior years.

Achilles, KIPP Troy Prep High School (Troy): Achilles will attend SUNY Morrisville to study business. He is driven by entrepreneurship and aspires to own his own company. He is actively seeking internships opportunities to help him build valuable professional skills.

Adriana, Pittsford-Mendon High School (Pittsford): Adriana will attend SUNY Brockport to study criminal justice. She developed self-advocacy and critical thinking skills, and she advocated for student resources and supports, drawing from her experience transferring as a freshman.

Amaya, Somers High School (Somers): Amaya, a first-generation college student, will attend SUNY Albany and explore a potential major in law enforcement. She consistently demonstrated resilience, maturity, and a strong work ethic during high school and now stands ready to take on new challenges as a college student.

Recognizing these winners is one part of our commitment to students. Our mission is to ensure they not only have equitable opportunities, but thrive — by confronting systemic barriers and racial inequities that limit access to higher education. That’s why we’re also addressing broader threats to college access and affordability this year, so students — especially Black, Latinx, Native American, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and students from low-income backgrounds — have opportunities to reach their full potential.