The state gave out more than a half-billion dollars in aid last year.
CHARLOTTE -- More students are applying for financial aid to go to college, as North Carolina saw a major increase this year in the number of people filing the Free Application for Federal Students Assistance.
The FAFSA is a student’s ticket to getting monetary help from the state and federal government. So far this year, 45,000 more people in North Carolina filed compared to last year.
"We think it's good news because the word is getting out to the citizens of North Carolina there is money available if you just apply for it,” said Ben Kittner of the College Foundation of North Carolina.
Financial aid directors like Celina McPhail at UNC Charlotte say they believe more people are now taking the time to file the form because they can easily do it online.
More and more students are finding the need for college aid in North Carolina, and the state is responding with more than $600 million per year.
News 14 Carolina’s Rob Boisvert talks to Ben Kittner, of the College Foundation of North Carolina, about the growing number of students seeking financial aid.
"This is the first year where over 90 percent of the applications were completed online,” she said. “It just allows more students the ease to apply."
Diane Grimm is sending her second child to college this year. Denyelle Grim’s education is mostly paid for through scholarships and loans. The two say filing the FAFSA was the first thing they did to get ready for school.
The mother and daughter urge individuals to do the FAFSA as early as possible if they intend to. “As soon as your taxes are done, once that’s taken care of the colleges are really ready to take care of you,” said Diane Grimm.
The state of North Carolina is also ready to take care of those that file. The Tar Heel State has what is known as one of the best financial aid programs in the country, offering its citizens more than $600 million in state aid per year.