New York's Missed Chance: Why Aren't Students Getting Their Share of College Cash?

New York has a big problem. It's not collecting the right info to make sure students get their fair share of college money. The state has a law that says schools must report how many students fill out the FAFSA form. This form is key to unlocking over $1 billion in federal aid. But the state won't say if schools are following the rules. Only 68% of high school seniors completed the FAFSA in 2025. That's just a tiny 3% increase from last year. This means a lot of students are missing out on money for college. If every student filled out the form, they could get an extra $200 million in Pell Grants alone. That's money they don't have to pay back.New York already gave out $600 million in Pell Grants and $900 million in other aid last year. But there's still more money available. The state is leaving students behind by not pushing harder to get the FAFSA done. One state senator is upset. He says the state isn't doing enough to help students. He wants to know why it's taking so long to get the data. The state says they're working on it and will share the info later. But the senator thinks this is a big mistake. The governor says the FAFSA law is important. She wants to make college more affordable. But if the state can't even track if schools are following the rules, how can they help students? It's a big question with no clear answer.