Nearly $35 million in federal grant aid for college went unclaimed in Mississippi last year alone. Get your share, and get to college.

If you are a parent of a high school student and believe that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is only about determining federal Pell Grant eligibility, you are not alone. Most families believe that they either do not qualify for a federal grant, or they think that the FAFSA is only for low-income families. As a result, many leave Pell and other funding resources untapped.

Last year alone, Mississippi’s high school seniors were estimated to have left nearly $35 million in unclaimed federal grant aid; and if you are the parent of a college-bound student in Mississippi, you need to know that determining federal aid eligibility is only the tip of the FAFSA iceberg. The FAFSA is not only a tool for deciding Pell Grant eligibility, but it is also used by colleges and universities to help determine eligibility for state, local and institutional financial aid — essentially all financial aid decisions spring from the FAFSA.

The FAFSA provides important information on college costs and completion outcomes. It allows parents and students to enter up to 10 college choices. At the completion of the application, families are provided with detailed information summarizing both the costs of attendance and graduation rates for each institution. The FAFSA allows parents to explore, compare and contrast individual public and private colleges in Mississippi and beyond and provides parents with critical information needed to make the right decision for their families.

I am an expert in higher education and the parent of a high school senior in Mississippi. Like millions of parents, I am looking at college choices and trying to balance the wants and needs of my child with the costs and benefits of attendance — and it isn’t easy. But what I know is that Mississippi has many options when it comes to paying for college. Among Mississippi’s 23 public four- and two-year colleges, nearly $10 million in state aid and over $60 million in institutional aid was given to first-time, full-time students last year alone. Many of these awards are for students who excel — either inside or outside the classroom.

Sadly, research tells us that many Mississippi families leave money on the table because they don’t bother to fill out the FAFSA. Luckily, Mississippi has a non-profit dedicated exclusively to helping students get to college. Get2College is a Mississippi-based, non-profit organization working to assist families with FAFSA completion. Get2College hosts FAFSA completion days at local high schools and community centers throughout the state, where they sit down with families and help them complete and understand the FAFSA.

Don’t let the name fool you — the FAFSA is not just about determining federal aid eligibility, as the name implies. The FAFSA is also a tool for schools and, more importantly, for parents — as they navigate the complex landscape of college admissions. For more about Get2College, visit www.get2college.org.

Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner is a student in the Leadership Greater Jackson Class of 2017 and the president and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, based in Jackson. She serves on several national boards and her research has been published in numerous higher education publications.