Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid opens the door to financial aid and is a key indicator of college access and success

Tennessee high school students supported by the nationally-acclaimed Ayers Scholars Program are once again leading the state and nation in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)—an essential first step toward college access and postsecondary success.

Among those students eligible for the Tennessee Promise scholarship, 97.6 percent of Ayers Scholar students completed the FAFSA by the April 15 deadline, compared to 74.4 percent of all Tennessee Promise-eligible high school seniors across the state, according to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

The Ayers Foundation Trust is also proud to report that eight of its partner high schools achieved 100% FAFSA completion by the Tennessee Promise deadline.

In addition, Tennessee currently leads the nation in FAFSA completion, thanks in large part to the efforts of Ayers Scholars counselors and staff across the state.

As of April 25, 95 percent of all Class of 2025 Ayers Scholars had completed the FAFSA. That rate surpasses Tennessee’s 58.5 percent FAFSA completion rate among all high school seniors across the state and more than doubles the national FAFSA completion rate of 45.8 percent, according to the National College Attainment Network (NCAN).

“FAFSA completion is one of the strongest predictors of postsecondary enrollment,” said Shawn Kimble, Chief Scholars Officer of the Ayers Foundation Trust. “Our dedicated staff is passionate about ensuring every student has a clear pathway to their goals—whether it’s the military, an apprenticeship, a TCAT program, community college, or a four-year university. Many of our students are the first in their families to pursue education after high school, and we are honored to guide them through the financial aid process and help them take confident steps toward their futures.”

Founded in 1999 in a single high school, the Ayers Scholars Program now partners with 33 high schools across 21 of Tennessee’s most economically at-risk and distressed rural counties. Full-time Ayers college access counselors and student success coordinators are embedded in partner high schools, working side-by-side with students to navigate the college admissions and financial aid process.

“We’re proud to play a role in helping Tennessee once again lead the way in FAFSA completion,” said Dr. Burton Williams, CEO of the Ayers Foundation Trust. “Financial aid is essential to a student’s postsecondary success, and completing the FAFSA unlocks opportunities many never knew existed. The majority of the communities we serve are economically at-risk or distressed, and this achievement ensures many more students have the opportunity to grow and thrive after graduation.”