Fewer -- about 7% fewer -- North Carolina high school seniors are completing the FAFSA this year, a trend mirroring a nationwide drop during the novel coronavirus pandemic. During the 2019-20 cycle year, 51,704 North Carolina seniors completed the FAFSA by March 19. This year, by March 19, only 47,492 seniors had.
The figures reflected below don't include high schools that reported fewer than five students completing the FAFSA. However, estimates of completions based on none or four students completing application render a percentage decline from last year within about 0.01 percentage points.