Turning to some education news, the delayed rollout of the new FAFSA application process has left potential and current college students wondering if they will be able to pay for school.

Now a new statewide campaign is guiding students through the process to help them get the financial aid they need.

We want to make sure that every student in Kentucky who is looking at a post-secondary pathway, whether that's a four year institution, a two year institution or, you know, a short term credential, we want to make sure that they can access the money they need to help pay for that in the way they do that is by completing the FAFSA.

And it really is the first step, like the gatekeeper step to get access to all the financial options.

Even if you're applying for a scholarship at a university, they're going to ask you if you filled out your FAFSA.

So it really is step one to be able to open the doors to hear all the options of how to help me pay for college.

And we're not just talking student loans.

I think that's a misconception that some people think, oh, FAFSA leads to student loans, and I don't want to go into debt, so I'm just not going to do it.

Or some people think, well, my family makes too much money, so we're not going to qualify for any of the need based stay.

And they opt out that for that reason, too.

But there is no harm to doing the FAFSA.

It is a free application.

FAFSA form is now simpler and the formula has changed.

And it means that more students qualify for federal aid.

And that's what we want.

However, you know, with anything, any new process, there are problems along the way.

Normally, the FAFSA would come out and become available on October 1st.

This year, it wasn't available until January 1st.

And this year, more than ever, we're seeing students not complete the FAFSA.

I think a lot of that does have to do with the delays in the rollout and delays in processing and some of those frustrations that they've been experiencing as they've gone in to do the FAFSA.

And maybe there have been glitches or the form hasn't been working properly.

And so we do see our completion rates lagging this year.

So that's why we started the we're calling it FAFSA Summer Office Hours, and that's our initiative this month of June.

Key has coordinated 70 different locations across the state every Wednesday afternoon in June to have professionals like Gear Up coaches and other educators to be available for students and parents to walk in with all of their paperwork and receive hands on personalized assistance wherever they are in the process.

We ask our senior classes every year and gear up What is the biggest factor in deciding which college to go to?

And they always say cost.

So it is a huge piece of the puzzle and piece of the decision making process and that big pricetag that you have in your head can come way down if you just kind of go through that process.

Gear up.

Kentucky and the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority or Kila are also offering virtual sessions on FAFSA for students and parents.

And you can find out more by going to k why goes to college Dot com.