Because Rhode Island students left behind more than $6.77 million in federal aid last year, Senator Jack Reed is urging all students to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Reed, along with General Treasurer Seth Magaziner, Robert Delaney, chairperson of the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA), and Charles Kelley, executive director of RISLA, gathered at the College Planning Center at Warwick Mall Friday afternoon to urge students to file. The College Planning Center helps prospective, new and continuing students prepare financially for college. With the FAFSA’s priority deadline approaching quickly – March 1 – the center, which is open seven days a week, is fully booked until March 8.

Reed commended the center for being an “extraordinary asset” to Rhode Island families, with experts on financing which provides “tremendous support” to local students.

RISLA runs the College Planning Center. Kelley said that 16,000 students and their families accessed the services at the center last year, but “thousands of Rhode Islanders are missing out on financial aid.”

RISLA is looking to relocate to larger offices on Jefferson Boulevard that would include space for more counselors to better serve Rhode Island students.

Nerd Wallet, a personal finance website, released a study of FAFSA applications across the country and found that nearly $2.7 billion worth of grants weren’t accessed by college students for the 2014-2015 school year.

Thirty-six percent of all Rhode Island high school graduates, nearly 4,000 students, did not complete the FAFSA. Of those 4,000 more than 1,897 would have qualified for at least a Pell Grant. On average those local students who did file the application each received $3,750 in federal Pell Grants last year.

Reed explained that on average Rhode Island was above the national average for students filling out the FAFSA. He said that students, many of which would be eligible for aid, are leaving millions of dollars “on the table.” With the rising cost of higher education, he said it is crucial students access all the federal aid they can.

“The cost of college has gone up dramatically over the past few decades and in affect the process of financing for college has become more complex,” Magaziner said. “There are a lot of puzzle pieces that have to come together, tuition, scholarships grants, financial aid. It’s a daunting task to take on.”

He assured though that students don’t have to do it alone and by accessing professionals, like those at the College Planning Center, students can maximize their savings.

Delaney said especially for those low-income families, the FAFSA is “an equalizer” in the state. The FAFSA allows all students the opportunity to attend a higher education institution.

Reed has worked not only to make college more affordable by increasing the amounts allotted for Pell Grants, but also to simplifying the FAFSA so more students can access federal aid.

“The real goal here is to make college more affordable, so students can build a career, can build a life, so we can move forward as a nation,” Reed said. “I think that’s something we can all strive for.”

For more information or to fill out the FAFSA visit www.fafsa.gov.

For more information on The College Planning Center or to make an appointment visit www.risla.com/college-planning-center.

For more information on the Nerd Wallet study visit www.nerdwallet.com.

Study: http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/loans/student-loans/college-students-fafsa-money/

Guide: https://www.nerdwallet.com/nerdscholar/fafsa/guide