The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) and the Oklahoma College Assistance Program (OCAP) are offering the Oklahoma FAFSA Data Portal (OK-FDP), a free online tool to help counselors better assist their high school seniors to successfully complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The OK-FDP allows counselors, principals and mentors to provide more targeted assistance to their students, which is instrumental in increasing FAFSA completion rates – especially for first-generation students pursuing postsecondary education.
Signing Up for the OK-FDP
- Superintendent/School Board President/Chief Executive must complete and electronically sign the FAFSA Completion Agreement form (PDF, 206k). This process will require designating:
- A primary contact person and signatory who will submit a list of high school seniors’ names.
- Additional authorized users (PDF, 123k) to view high school seniors’ FAFSA completion status.
- Return the signed, completed agreement by email to Kelli Kelnar, assistant director for outreach services, Oklahoma College Assistance Program, kkelnar@ocap.org.
- Kelnar will email a request to the designated primary contact to upload a file containing a list of their high school seniors. The primary contact will notify Kelnar when the upload is complete. For assistance, refer to the Student List Instructions.
- Privacy Certifications will be emailed to each primary contact and authorized user. Completed and electronically signed certifications will be returned to kkelnar@ocap.org.
- Kelnar will also email the primary contact and other designated authorized users to share instructions for setting up user accounts on the portal. Users should notify Irala Magee when this is done so the accounts can be activated.
Using the OK-FDP
- Student lists are submitted through a secure upload page . Learn how to format and submit your file (PDF, 58k) using the provided template (XLSX, 16k).
- Authorized users will have access to student-level information regarding the FAFSA completion status of their high school seniors. Users will see students’ high school, name, date of birth, FAFSA status, FAFSA submission date and verification status. FAFSA data will be provided in the format shown below (view larger version) .
- Users should check the portal periodically, ideally each Friday, to see which students have completed the FAFSA. FAFSA transactions are matched on the system each Thursday. (Detailed instructions about how to check student information, how to download a list, and how to interpret the output will be provided.)
The OK-FDP is an informative tool that requires no need for additional software or technology. It helps educators assist high school seniors through the FAFSA completion process to increase the number of students who enter higher education and complete a degree or credential.
Questions?
Irala Magee
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Scholarships and Grants
OSRHE
imagee@osrhe.edu
Kelli Kelnar
Assistant Director for Outreach Services
OCAP
kkelnar@ocap.org