Arizona College Connect is an interactive, customized communications portal providing high school leaders with access to students’ Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data and other college attainment information. Completing a FAFSA form is one of the strongest predictors of whether a student will pursue postsecondary education after high school.
This innovative new tool is made possible through funding from Helios Education Foundation and a data partnership with the Arizona Department of Education.
To gain access to the data:
- High school principals need to sign a data-sharing agreement. If your school already has an agreement you can skip this step. (Click here to view a list of schools/districts with an agreement in place)
- Once the data-sharing agreement is signed, authorized users can sign up to access the data.
For questions, refer to our FAQs below or contact us at Info@ArizonaCollegeConnect.org
ABOR leading Arizona FAFSA completion
The Arizona Board of Regents is leading the FAFSA Completion Initiative in Arizona. Through this federal initiative, the U.S. Department of Education permits the board to disclose limited information about FAFSA application status for individual students to authorized high schools and district personnel. In turn, this empowers high schools to help students complete their FAFSA.
Arizona College Connect FAQs
What is Arizona College Connect?
Arizona College Connect provides an interactive, customized communications portal to provide authorized high school and district personnel secure access to their student-level FAFSA data and other college attainment information.
Why is FAFSA completion important?
Students who fill out the FAFSA are 84% more likely to enroll in a college or trade school immediately after high school. Arizona currently ranks 48th in FAFSA completion in the nation. Students who continue to college and earn a degree enjoy higher quality of life, better wages and lower unemployment than peers with a high school diploma.
What data does Arizona College Connect Provide?
The portal provides high schools and districts with FAFSA completion status among seniors, thereby enabling outreach to students to help them complete the form.
How do I gain access to Arizona College Connect?
Each high school and/or district signs a data-sharing agreement that is valid for five years. Once an agreement is on file, authorized high school or district personnel complete a user agreement to access the portal.
Do schools and districts need to sign a new data-sharing agreement to access Arizona College Connect?
If a high school or district has a valid data-sharing agreement on file, they will not need to complete a new agreement. All valid data-sharing agreements established in the AZGrants system will be transferred to the new Arizona College Connect database.
How does this new database work?
Authorized users receive a weekly customized email providing a summary of their school’s FAFSA completion progress and a link to the database that will enable users to view their student-level FAFSA data, customized data visualizations, resources and more.
What can I do with this data?
This data is useful in many ways including:
- Increasing FAFSA completion rates.
- Connecting students with financial aid resources.
- Modifying postsecondary advising practices.
- Informing FAFSA completion campaigns.
Why do I see Arizona State University listed in the browser address when visiting Arizona College Connect?
Arizona College Connect was built using existing resources for cost efficiency. The board often leverages university systems to avoid costly duplicate expenses.
How often is the data updated and who should I contact for more information?
FAFSA completion data is updated every week. Email questions or requests for information to: Info@ArizonaCollegeConnect.org