12th Year Campaign
12th Year Campaign - Supporting Washington's Financial Aid Advising Day
Financial aid matters. Nationally, seniors who complete a financial aid application are 84 percent more likely to enroll in postsecondary education. The rate is even higher for students from lower‐income families. From an apprenticeship program to a two-or-four-year college degree, education beyond high school prepares students for jobs that move them beyond minimum wage. Even a one-year credential program at a community or technical college can increase future earnings. Districts across Washington have an exciting opportunity to provide students with new support by sharing critical information for planning life after high school. Financial aid advising day, created with the passage of ESSB 6141 in the 2020 Legislative session, is an opportunity to focus on educational equity related to students pursuing postsecondary education.
What is a financial aid advising day?
A financial aid advising day is an opportunity to provide every senior and their family with key resources and knowledge for completing the financial aid application process. Per ESSB 6141, districts with a high school must provide both a financial aid advising day and notification of financial aid opportunities at the beginning of each school year to parents and guardians of any student entering the twelfth grade. The financial aid advising day should include dedicated time during the school day. The notification must include information regarding:
- The eligibility requirements of the Washington College Grant.
- Information on resources, such as the CSS profile and new financial aid calculator.
- Any community-based resources available to assist parents and guardians in understanding the requirements of and how to complete the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) and the Washington application for state financial aid (WASFA).
- The full requirements of the financial aid advising day, which can be found in ESSB 6141.
- All students are encouraged to participate in financial aid advising day because of the connection between applying for aid and students ultimately pursuing college and career education. However, a district process for opting out of the financial aid advising day should be created. Here is a template to use when creating your opt out process. Students who wish to opt out of the financial aid advising day should complete a form similar to this template and records should be retained at your campus. Forms do not need to be turned in to WSAC or OSPI.
The 12th Year Campaign is here to help!
Together, we can provide every high school senior with the opportunity to apply for education after high school and complete their financial aid application. The 12th Year Campaign boosts college and financial aid application rates in Washington by helping those working with high school seniors and their families complete applications for college admissions and financial aid.
The 12th Year Campaign provides sites with free financial aid training, free print and digital materials for students and families, and helps host virtual statewide financial aid completion events.
- Choose the model of participation that best fits your needs.
- Order your free materials, explore resources below and access training opportunities.
- Get to know your data.
- Plan your financial aid advising day, pre-work and follow up.
Support Modules
Every module features a resource, video, and Kahoot quiz for your use. Use these modules to help prepare students for your financial aid advising day.
What is financial aid?
What is financial aid?
Resource: What is financial aid infographic
Activity: What is financial aid quiz
Video: What is financial aid?
Where does financial aid come from?
Where does financial aid come from?
Resource: 12th Year Campaign workbook and Types of federal financial aid infographic
Video: Where does financial aid come from?
Activity: Financial aid quiz
Financial aid myths
Financial aid myths
Resource: Five Financial Aid Myths infographic (also in Spanish)
Video: Financial Aid Myths
Activity: Financial Aid Myths quiz
Which application should I use?
Which application should I use?
Resource: Federal aid eligibility infographic
Video: Which Application Should I Use?
Activity: Should you use the FAFSA or WASFA?
How to create an FSA ID
How to create an FSA ID
Resource: FSA ID worksheet
Video: How to create an FSA ID
Activity: FSA ID quiz
Financial aid dependency status
Whose information will I need for my financial aid application?
Resources: Financial aid dependency information and Who is my parent when I apply for financial aid?
Video: Whose information will I need?
Activity: Dependency quiz
How to sign your application
How to sign your application
Resource: 12th Year workbook
Video: How to sign your application
Activity: Application signing quiz
Navigating verification
Navigating verification
Video: Navigating verification
Activity: Navigating verification quiz
Cost of attendance
Cost of attendance
Resource: College Knowledge website
Video: Cost of attendance
Activity: Cost of attendance quiz
Understanding award letters
Understanding award letters
Resource: Award letter key components worksheet, living off-campus, and living on-campus
Video: Understanding your award
Activity: Use the award letter worksheets under Resources to assess your award letter.
Requesting financial aid appeals
Requesting financial aid appeals
Resource: WSAC financial aid appeals website
Video: Requesting a financial aid appeal
Activity: Requesting a financial aid appeal quiz
12th Year Campaign and Partner Materials
Otterbot
Otterbot
Otterbot is a free texting service designed to help Washington students navigate financial aid for college and career education. Students can access Otterbot via text message 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Text "Hi Otter" to 360-928-7281. Learn more.
Financial aid event materials
Use these materials to support financial aid events and discussions - either in-person or virtually.
- PDF Poster (English) (Spanish) Download or order posters to help advertise financial aid completion efforts.
- Postcards: You Can’t Get Financial Aid if You Don’t Apply. Use these postcards to remind students what documents are needed and where to find help when applying for financial aid. You can order or download these postcards in five languages.
- FSA ID Worksheet Use this worksheet to help students collect and remember all the information needed to create a Federal Student Aid ID, which is used to sign a FAFSA.
- Student Survey Please use this survey after any financial aid events or workshops you hold!
- Financial Aid Night Presentation Slides. This presentation, with accompanying notes and video recording listed below, can be used to “plug and play” a financial aid overview presentation to students and families
- Financial Aid Night Presentation Notes
- Financial Aid Night Presentation Video
More materials
More materials
- 12th Year Campaign Student Workbook This comprehensive workbook will assist your juniors and seniors with identifying their postsecondary plan goals with useful activities as well as provides critical information around admission and financial aid programs
- Financial Aid/Washington College Grant Toolkit Find graphics, flyers and other resources to help promote the newly expanded Washington College Grant.
- Award Letter Worksheet - Living on campus Use this worksheet to help your students who plan to live on campus understand their financial aid awards.
- Award Letter Worksheet - Living off campus Use this worksheet to help your students who plan to live off campus understand their financial aid awards.
- Award Letter Key Components Use this document to help students understand the critical items in a financial aid award package.
- Puget Sound College and Career Network Financial Aid Toolkit The PSCCN Financial Aid Toolkit features promotional materials, school and district strategies, and additional student/family materials.
- Puget Sound College and Career Network Regional College Transition Checklists
- WSECU Reality Fair Hosted by 12th Year Campaign partner, WSECU, the digital reality fair provides students and teachers with an opportunity to engage in a virtual learning exercise about financial responsibilities, savings goals, and productive spending habits.
- WSAC Student Loan Modules and Resources Access lessons, resources and materials related to student loans
Federal student aid infographics
Federal student aid infographics
Visit the Federal Student Aid Resources site for downloadable resources in English and Spanish on a variety of topics from “Who’s my parent?” to “Understanding dependency”.
College and Career Pathways one-pagers
College and Career Pathways one-pagers
College and Career Pathways An outline of potential postsecondary pathways.
College Means What do we mean when we say college? Help students understand the diversity of the term.
How to Become an Apprentice Help students interested in apprenticeships understand how to pursue this pathway.
Technical and Special Colleges An overview of technical and specialty colleges.
Military Pathways An overview of the different pathways related to joining the military.
LGBTQ+ and College Access Supporting LGBTQ+ students through the admissions and financial aid process.
Youth in Foster Care Supporting youth in foster care through the admissions and financial aid process.
Financial Aid and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Supporting unaccompanied homeless youth with the financial aid process.
Information on Student Loans A brief overview of student loans.
Translated resources
Translated resources
Financial Aid Myths infographic in Spanish
Puget Sound College and Career Network radio spots on College Knowledge in Spanish
GEAR UP family guides in seven additional languages
Check out the College Knowledge Project section of this site for those materials
The College Knowledge Project
Over the past several years, a team of organizations worked together to create the College Knowledge Project, consisting of 23 student-tested and approved digital handouts compiled into a workbook designed to support college and career education planning. Full workbooks can be ordered through the 12th Year Campaign and digital copies can be found via the Washington College Access Network website. Lesson plans are also available for each chapter of the workbook to be used to guide students through the College Knowledge content.
The College Knowledge Project
The College Knowledge Project is a collaborative effort of:
- Community Center for Education Results (CCER)
- Puget Sound College and Career Network (PSCCN)
- College Success Foundation/Washington College Access Network (CSF)
- Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC)
College Knowledge hard copies
College Knowledge hard copies
Order your hard-copy College Knowledge workbooks via the 12th Year Campaign. Workbooks are currently available in English and Spanish.
College Knowledge handouts
College Knowledge handouts
Visit the Washington College Access Network website for specific College Knowledge chapters or one-pager handouts.
College Knowledge lesson plans
College Knowledge lesson plans
Created by CCER in collaboration with classroom teachers, these lesson plans were created to support implementation of the College Knowledge workbook content. Choose what’s most useful for you from these ready-to-use Google Slides.
12th Year Campaign Training
Access these trainings to deepen your understanding of financial aid. Regional training may be offered by other organizations such as local community-based organizations. Please contact us if you are looking to connect with a local community-based organization or would like to schedule or join a WSAC-led training.
Recorded trainings
Recorded Trainings
Visit the WSAC YouTube Channel for recorded training on financial aid and other related topics.
- Creating an FSA ID
- FSA ID user challenges
- Common financial aid errors
- Train the Trainer workshops (2020)
- Fall 2020 Washington Council for High School-College Relations (WCHSCR)
- 2021-22 FAFSA/WASFA Line by Line
- Financial Aid Advising Day Wednesday Webinar
Live virtual trainings
Live virtual trainings
More coming soon!
Annual spring workshops
Annual spring workshops
Each spring, WSAC hosts FREE regional financial aid workshops to support school counselors and other school and community-based organization staff with financial aid training and program updates to support students applying for and accessing financial aid. Visit www.wsac.wa.gov/spring for additional information.
WSAC Wednesday
Practitioners, do you have questions about financial aid? WSAC's College Access and Support division is here to help! Join us the first Wednesday of every month from 10:00-11:00am for an open Q&A. Register in advance at https://bit.ly/WSACWednesday.
Wednesday Webinars
Wednesday Webinars
During the 2020-2021 school year, the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) will co-host a series of webinars for school counselors. Over the course of the year, we will provide relevant and timely information related to college readiness and financial aid, including specific policy changes and useful tools and resources to help you support students.
All webinars will take place from 1:00 to 2:30 PM. Registration information can be found here. Registration information will also be sent on OSPI's News & More for School Counselors. Subscribe at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WAOSPI/subscriber/new. View the Wednesday Webinar Archives from the last several years for even more information.
2020-21 WEBINARS
September 23
Supporting Seniors’ Financial Aid Awareness: Options and Applications (recording)
December 2
Supporting Senior’s Financial Aid Decisions – Student Loans and Borrowing (recording)
January 27
Supporting Student Transitions: IEP and High School and Beyond Plan Alignment (recording)
March 31
Supporting Seniors' Transitions: From Finishing High School to Leaving the Nest (recording)
Statewide virtual student and parent events
Statewide student financial aid filing events
Statewide student financial aid filing events
The 12th Year Campaign will be hosting statewide virtual financial aid informational and filing events and supporting several regional events this year. Interested in co-sponsoring and having your school or district join one of these events? Let us know by emailing Christina Winstead, Assistant Director for Outreach at christinaw@wsac.wa.gov.
Please visit our events page to see upcoming events and register.
Parent town halls
Dates coming soon!
Data
College Bound Scholarship sign-up data
College Bound Scholarship sign-up data
Learn about your district’s College Bound Scholarship pipeline by visiting our sign-up dashboards.
FAFSA Completion Dashboard
FAFSA Completion Dashboard
Understand your district’s FAFSA completion trends and others throughout the state.
Student-level FAFSA completion portal
Student-level FAFSA completion portal
Access student-level FAFSA completion data by utilizing the WSAC’s FAFSA completion portal. Districts must have a signed data sharing agreement on file. Email fafsa@wsac.wa.gov to confirm your district has theirs in, get an account and gain access.
Watch our video on how to use the FAFSA completion portal.