According to 2022 Census data, only 17% of Detroit residents have a college degree. That number is low compared to college rates in other cities and across the state, said Cyekeia Lee, the director of DCAN. That’s why the organization is following Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Sixty by 30 goal, which aims to have 60% of working-age adults obtaining a skill certificate or college degree by 2030.

The Public Schools of Petoskey recently earned a national honor, being recognized as one of 27 School of Excellence awardees by the ACT’s American College Application Campaign. Petoskey High School was nominated by the Michigan College Access Network for the award.

In Detroit, these problems have tested the resilience of vulnerable young people already facing barriers to higher education. It is a roadblock that looms large in a city where just 17% of residents hold a college degree.

State outreach programs have been working to get students and families the assistance they need to submit their FAFSA. The newest program is from the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) and the Office of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). It’s called the Retired Educator FAFSA Specialists Program, or REFS.

Setbacks in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are pushing back enrollment deadlines for some universities. The delays come as FAFSA implemented big changes to their process this year.

The U.S. Department of Education's late rollout is just one issue that has plagued the search for financial aid this spring for graduating high school seniors and their families. It's also created uncertainty and delays for some students in knowing how much financial aid for which they will qualify to make paying for college more affordable.

In Michigan, the FAFSA fiasco carries an extra wrinkle of anxiety: The form is also the gateway for students to qualify for a state scholarship program that could also reduce the cost of college.

Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Ryan Fewins-Bliss, Executive Director, Michigan College Access Network, to discuss MCAN's focus on FAFSA Week of Action and associated efforts.

Michigan ranks 27th in states for the rate of high school seniors who have submitted the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA, according to the National College Attainment Network.

Chris Holman welcomes Jamie Jacobs, MCAN deputy director, to discuss MCAN's efforts in 2024 and how it's reacting to policy and planning from agencies in Lansing as it impacts college affordability and access in Michigan.