Financial aid, a critical resource for college access, remains largely untapped by thousands of students in Washington each year. A complex process filled with unfamiliar terminology, confusion around eligibility, and inconsistent outreach efforts mean that substantial funding goes unused.
For many Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) students in Washington, conversations about college don’t start with deadlines or checklists but with a simple, often overlooked question: Where do students feel most seen?
Despite representing a significant part of the student population, NHPI students traditionally encounter lower FAFSA completion rates, with only 33% applying in the 2023-24 school year, compared to the state average of 50% within the same year.
Fife High School Snapshot
| Whole School | Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | |
|---|---|---|
|
Student Enrollment |
882 |
76 |
|
Graduation Rate |
92.3% |
81% |
|
Regular Attendance Rate |
69.5% |
48.1% |
|
ELA Test Scores |
64.7% |
30.8% |
|
FAFSA Completion |
57.4% (State: 50%) |
33% (State: 33%) |
|
Post-Secondary Enrollment |
52% |
31% |
These statistics are not indicative of a lack of ambition or readiness among NHPI students. Instead, they reveal gaps in a system that has failed to integrate the financial aid conversations into spaces where NHPI students are already engaged and connected.
Understanding Financial Aid Through a Cultural Lens
What does financial aid mean within the context of each student’s life? How can we ensure that our conversations about financial aid reflect students’ identities and aspirations? These questions drive our Campaign Free Aid strategies.
At one of our recent convenings, we learned what it looks like in practice to shift from a transactional, one-size-fits-all approach to a culturally responsive strategy that honors the individual experiences and needs of students. By focusing on what truly resonates with students – community, connection, and cultural identity – partners from Clover Park Technical College, Pierce College, and Fife High School demonstrated how tailored messaging can significantly increase financial aid engagement and completion. This method ensures that financial aid outreach is not only relevant but also deeply affirming, creating a supportive path to higher education that aligns with each student’s unique cultural and community context.
Meeting Students Where They Are
Traditional financial aid outreach often follows a standard approach: workshops, informational packets, and deadline reminders. However, at Fife High School, the Pacific Islander Club has become a central hub for rethinking this approach. Here, discussions about financial aid extend beyond individual responsibility to encompass family expectations, community values, and the benefits of financial aid on the collective household. These conversations help reframe financial aid as a tool for community empowerment and opportunity.
Representation Matters
For students trying to picture themselves in college, seeing someone who looks like them can mean the difference between hesitation and confidence. Fife High School’s partnership with Pierce College’s ASPIRE program made that vision a reality for NHPI students visiting the campus earlier this year.
Rather than the standard campus tour, Pacific Islander faculty and students engaged the visitors with a taste of home. These students not only saw their culture prominently acknowledged and celebrated on campus but also connected with peers who have navigated similar challenges and succeeded. For some, it was the first time they had encountered someone who looked like them in a higher education setting. That visibility mattered. It was easier to imagine a future in college when there was proof that others had walked that path before them.
Family, Community, and the Decision to Apply
For many BIPOC students, the decision to attend college is rarely made alone. Immediate and extended family members play a central role in shaping postsecondary choices, viewing financial aid through the lens of how it will affect the entire household. This collaborative approach informs our financial aid outreach to include families in the conversation, offering translated materials, myth-busting sessions, and open discussions about balancing work, school, and family responsibilities. We make it clear that higher education isn’t just an individual pursuit, but a shared investment supporting diverse pathways – four-year universities, technical programs, and apprenticeships.
Our goal is to empower families and students with the information they need to make confident informed decisions together.
A Model for More Intentional Outreach
Change is a gradual but essential process. The case studies presented during our convening demonstrate the impact of aligning educational systems with the cultural realities of our students. These initiatives are crucial steps toward more inclusive and effective outreach.
As we continue to adapt and learn, these case studies highlight three essential principles: Messaging matters. Representation matters. Where and how we have these conversations matter.
When students feel seen, they listen; when they listen, they act. This activation also paves the way for others. Postsecondary access extends beyond policy and paperwork. It means creating environments where every student, regardless of background, sees education as an accessible opportunity that welcomes their unique contributions and perspectives.
