FAME helps you serve your students and their families as they prepare, apply, and pay for education after high school. Find tools to help, such as videos and presentations, professional development trainings, FAFSA completion tools, and financial education resources.
Videos and Presentations to Share with Families
FAME is here to help your students and their parents learn about financial aid. To make the process less overwhelming, we’ve created a series of short, animated videos that walk students through the entire financial aid process. Please share our videos with your families.
Please encourage your students and families to attend a Financial Aid Information Session, ideally during the student’s junior year. FAME’s in-person Financial Aid Information Sessions are held in the fall and the spring throughout the state. FAME also offers virtual Financial Aid Information Sessions. To schedule an event for your high school, contact your assigned College Access Counselor (Jessica Whittier, Maria MacDougal, or Nikki Vachon) or email Mila Tappan.
Financial Aid Information Presentation
Share this Financial Aid Information Session video with your students and families so they can watch it at their convenience.
Professional Development
FAME’s Wednesday Webinars provide web-based training and information to school counselors, college access advisors, financial aid counselors, and anyone who works with families, helping them prepare to pay for higher education and navigate the financial aid process.
Our monthly virtual trainings, also known as Wednesday Webinars, are held on the second Wednesday of each month during the academic year from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
All webinars are also recorded. Archived webinars not listed below are available on YouTube.
Professional Development Videos
| Title | Date | Recording | Presentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| So, There’s Money Left to Pay | March 2023 | Recorded | |
| Supporting New Mainers – How FAME Can Help | February 2023 | Recorded | |
| Comparing Financial Aid Offers | January 2023 | Recorded | |
| Understanding the Status of Debt Relief and the PSLF Waivers | December 2022 | Recorded | |
| Scholarship Champions: Inspiring Students to Scholarship Success | November 2022 | Recorded | |
| Filing the 2023-2024 FAFSA | October 2022 | Recorded | |
| Filing the FAFSA with Students in Unique Living Situations | September 2022 | Recorded | |
| From Backup Plan to Boss Man – or Woman | June 2022 | Recorded | |
| Saving for Higher Education – Debunking Myths and Sharing Resources | May 2022 | Recorded | |
| Responsible Borrowing 101: Tools & Strategies to Support Your Students Before They Borrow | April 2022 | Recorded | |
| You Can Get There From Here- Pathways To Education After High School | March 2022 | Recorded | |
| Making College Affordable: Tips to Pay the Remaining Balance After Financial Aid | February 2022 | Recorded | |
| Understanding and Comparing Financial Aid Offers | January 2022 | Recorded | |
| Upcoming Changes to Student Loans – What You Can Do Now | December 2021 | Recorded | |
| Turning Community Service into Money for College | November 2021 | Recorded | |
| Filing the 2022-2023 FAFSA | October 2021 | Recorded | |
| Tools to Help Students Build a List of Schools and Make Informed Financial Decisions | September 2021 | Recorded | |
| Paving the Pathway: Steps for Helping Students beyond High School | June 2021 | Recorded | |
| Paying the College Bill | May 2021 | Recorded | |
| Using Financial Education Games to Guide Students on a Path to Financial Wellness | April 2021 | N/A | |
| FAFSA Simplification | March 2021 | Recorded | |
| Understanding and Comparing Financial Aid Offers | February 2021 | Recorded | |
| Verification: Steps to Unlock Financial Aid | January 2021 | Recorded | |
| Managing Student Loans During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic | December 2020 | Recorded | |
| Important Personal Finance Topics and Tools to Share with Young Adults | November 2020 | Recorded | |
| What You Need to Know to Help Students File the 2021-2022 FAFSA | October 2020 | Recorded | |
| Financial Wellness Tips During COVID-19 and Beyond | June 2020 | Recorded | |
| Financial Aid Appeals | May 2020 | Recorded | |
| The Impact and Importance of Scholarships | December 2019 | Recorded |
In-Person Trainings
Financial Aid 101
Financial Aid 101 (FA 101) is FAME’s annual financial aid training for school counselors, college access advisors, educators and anyone assisting students with the financial aid process. This free event offers the latest financial aid updates, training sessions on our most requested topics, and information on events and activities for the upcoming year.
The 17th annual Financial Aid 101 will be held on March 17, 2023.
Agenda with Session Descriptions
Register for Financial Aid 101
If you have any questions, please contact Nikki Vachon.
Summer Financial Aid Training Sessions
To help prepare for the upcoming financial aid season, FAME offers a free Summer Financial Training event in August. The August 2022 training has passed.
If you missed the event but would like to know what was covered check out the 2022 Summer Training Agenda. If you would like to view the PDFs of the presentations or listen to any of the session recordings, you can access them via FAME’s Google site.
FAFSA Resources
Filing the FAFSA is the important first step students need to take to access financial aid. Here are some resources that will help you help your students file their FAFSAs and get financial aid.
Free FAFSA Help for Your Students and Their Families
FAME is offering FAFSA Help Sessions. These sessions are being offered both in-person and virtually via Zoom. We’ll provide a short FAFSA overview and then provide personalized one-on-one help to get the FAFSA done.
Answers to Your Students’ Most-Asked FAFSA Questions
Students and parents often have just a question or two preventing them from filing the FAFSA and once they have the answer(s), they are on their way. We’ve put together this FAQ for the 2023-2024 FAFSA to help you help your students!
Track Your Students’ FAFSA Filing Using FAME’s FAFSA Portal
FAME’s FAFSA Portal allows eligible high school counselors to access the FAFSA completion status for each of their high school seniors, and also identify which filers have been selected for verification. For more information, please contact Mila Tappan.
Download a Word document of scripts to use when doing FAFSA follow-up with your students.
Thermometer Poster (download PDF): Hang it in your school and track your school’s FAFSA completion percentage and encourage students to file.
FAFSA Completion Rates by High School
| School Name | Class of 2020 as of May 1, 2020 | Class of 2021 as of May 1, 2021 | Class of 2022 as of May 1, 2022 | Class of 2023 as of March 12, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide Average | 57.04% | 52.41% | 52.60% | 52.06% |
| Ashland District School | 84.21% | 82.61% | 66.67% | 72.22% |
| Bangor High School | 51.91% | 49.34% | 54.29% | 54.51% |
| Baxter Academy for Technology & Science | 59.34% | 57.43% | 63.22% | 57.47% |
| Belfast Area High School | 59.63% | 58.27% | 53.00% | 69.05% |
| Biddeford High School | 44.23% | 39.77% | 39.71% | 46.51% |
| Blue Hill Harbor School | 50.00% | 18.18% | 18.75% | 12.50% |
| Bonny Eagle High School | 44.06% | 41.53% | 46.07% | 47.16% |
| Boothbay Region High School | 55.56% | 48.15% | 64.10% | 54.55% |
| Brewer High School | 59.01% | 50.58% | 48.54% | 63.83% |
| Brunswick High School | 57.99% | 64.41% | 51.50% | 53.99% |
| Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | 51.52% | 35.90% | 40.63% | 37.50% |
| Bucksport High School | 67.57% | 56.32% | 48.98% | 59.76% |
| Calais Middle/High School | 61.82% | 62.96% | 43.55% | 43.28% |
| Camden Hills Regional High School | 68.89% | 56.38% | 69.05% | 62.05% |
| Cape Elizabeth High School | 71.54% | 72.39% | 67.81% | 68.64% |
| Caribou High School | 57.58% | 60.32% | 43.62% | 47.62% |
| Carrabec High School | 64.58% | 53.49% | 39.62% | 45.83% |
| Casco Bay High School | 64.36% | 62.75% | 71.58% | 74.23% |
| Central Aroostook Jr-Sr High School | 64.52% | 67.50% | 54.17% | 70.97% |
| Central High School | 54.24% | 50.00% | 34.72% | 52.00% |
| Community Downtown Campus | N/A | 35.29% | 24.00% | 12.50% |
| Cony High School | 53.47% | 40.00% | 46.15% | 50.32% |
| Deer Isle-Stonington High School | 38.46% | 57.69% | 57.14% | 83.33% |
| Deering High School | 58.37% | 51.07% | 47.76% | 36.96% |
| Dexter Regional High School | 30.26% | 43.08% | 44.44% | 43.08% |
| Dirigo High School | 46.94% | 43.33% | 40.91% | 35.09% |
| East Grand School | 100.00% | 77.78% | 33.33% | 42.86% |
| Easton Junior-Senior High School | 66.67% | 66.67% | 76.47% | 76.92% |
| Ecology Learning Center | N/A | N/A | N/A | 50.00% |
| Edward Little High School | 47.37% | 46.54% | 48.84% | 41.81% |
| Ellsworth High School | 59.68% | 55.65% | 60.16% | 54.26% |
| Erskine Academy | 64.00% | 63.91% | 47.01% | 64.57% |
| Falmouth High School | 69.36% | 64.20% | 62.42% | 59.52% |
| Forest Hills Consolidated School | 60.00% | 75.00% | 44.44% | 66.67% |
| Fort Fairfield Middle/High School | 64.71% | 56.67% | 70.37% | 38.89% |
| Fort Kent Community High School | 61.67% | 50.00% | 69.84% | 63.16% |
| Foxcroft Academy | 55.17% | 50.00% | 51.35% | 47.83% |
| Freeport High School | 64.39% | 58.62% | 61.64% | 61.43% |
| Fryeburg Academy | 66.30% | 55.56% | 64.15% | 55.86% |
| Gardiner Area High School | 61.03% | 42.41% | 46.98% | 48.15% |
| George Stevens Academy | 59.09% | 65.28% | 61.54% | 55.00% |
| Gorham High School | 75.24% | 66.98% | 66.95% | 61.86% |
| Gray-New Gloucester High School | 60.81% | 53.38% | 55.47% | 50.36% |
| Greely High School | 69.18% | 68.07% | 73.38% | 69.08% |
| Greenville Consolidated School | 80.00% | 63.64% | 69.23% | 66.67% |
| Hall-Dale Middle/High School | 52.56% | 48.33% | 50.65% | 57.63% |
| Hampden Academy | 61.58% | 61.26% | 61.08% | 58.33% |
| Harpswell Coastal Academy | 25.81% | 7.14% | 15.63% | 14.81% |
| Hermon High School | 53.33% | 50.00% | 53.85% | 55.24% |
| Hodgdon High School | 64.71% | 56.76% | 40.63% | 46.88% |
| Houlton High School | 64.44% | 42.71% | 50.00% | 53.42% |
| Islesboro Central School | 100.00% | 76.92% | 80.00% | 71.43% |
| John Bapst Memorial High School | 82.22% | 84.95% | 81.82% | 81.25% |
| Jonesport-Beals High School | 80.95% | 73.68% | 76.47% | 57.89% |
| Katahdin Middle/High School | 50.00% | 66.67% | 73.33% | 71.43% |
| Kennebunk High School | 64.36% | 62.38% | 67.63% | 56.59% |
| Lake Region High School | 42.86% | 54.62% | 44.76% | 43.80% |
| Lawrence High School | 45.45% | 44.30% | 38.36% | 47.62% |
| Leavitt Area High School | 53.33% | 58.45% | 57.14% | 53.13% |
| Lee Academy | 28.13% | 36.36% | 44.44% | 34.38% |
| Lewiston High School | 39.26% | 32.16% | 36.71% | 34.86% |
| Lincoln Academy | 52.10% | 53.27% | 56.06% | 52.99% |
| Lisbon High School | 55.29% | 38.96% | 63.77% | 49.46% |
| Machias Memorial High School | 66.67% | 60.00% | 52.94% | 58.97% |
| Madawaska Middle/High School | 92.31% | 82.35% | 64.52% | 77.42% |
| Madison Area Memorial High School | 66.67% | 42.31% | 59.18% | 39.58% |
| Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | 17.91% | 12.96% | 20.00% | 22.22% |
| Maine Arts Academy | 45.00% | 26.47% | 21.62% | 38.10% |
| Maine Central Institute | 59.76% | 58.46% | 56.16% | 49.09% |
| Maine Connections Academy | 39.66% | 32.31% | 25.71% | 25.81% |
| Maine School of Science & Mathematics | 100.00% | 85.71% | 84.00% | 84.85% |
| Maine Virtual Academy | 15.38% | 25.35% | 22.62% | 37.36% |
| Maranacook Community High School | 67.50% | 69.05% | 51.58% | 56.41% |
| Marshwood High School | 66.88% | 59.52% | 53.74% | 65.99% |
| Massabesic High School | 46.26% | 38.96% | 42.38% | 37.20% |
| Mattanawcook Academy | 61.63% | 37.50% | 50.00% | 50.68% |
| Medomak Valley High School | 46.05% | 42.74% | 46.77% | 38.21% |
| Messalonskee High School | 58.57% | 54.97% | 54.71% | 50.88% |
| Monmouth Academy | 78.72% | 69.39% | 56.25% | 58.70% |
| Morse High School | 66.41% | 54.66% | 58.82% | 61.18% |
| Mountain Valley High School | 40.66% | 42.22% | 28.16% | 41.79% |
| Mt Abram Regional High School | 57.14% | 59.18% | 56.52% | 48.98% |
| Mt Ararat High School | 55.17% | 47.75% | 58.95% | 48.33% |
| Mt Blue High School | 54.75% | 52.29% | 48.37% | 46.91% |
| Mt Desert Island High School | 73.39% | 60.28% | 69.23% | 63.08% |
| Mt View High School | 43.48% | 58.75% | 54.29% | 58.44% |
| Narraguagus High School | 59.09% | 42.86% | 36.36% | 60.00% |
| Noble High School | 56.03% | 42.52% | 41.98% | 38.18% |
| Nokomis Regional High School | 51.52% | 41.13% | 44.94% | 39.24% |
| North Haven Community School | 33.33% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 66.67% |
| Oak Hill High School | 60.40% | 39.47% | 55.00% | 47.19% |
| Oceanside High School East | 48.35% | 51.45% | 42.06% | 39.05% |
| Old Orchard Beach High School | 43.18% | 53.97% | 47.50% | 36.73% |
| Old Town High School | 57.48% | 56.00% | 59.68% | 57.26% |
| Orono High School | 68.29% | 62.16% | 76.32% | 60.00% |
| Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School | 49.18% | 45.39% | 39.13% | 42.91% |
| Penobscot Valley High School | 60.00% | 63.89% | 43.24% | 53.33% |
| Penquis Valley High School | 43.75% | 45.10% | 12.50% | 34.69% |
| Piscataquis Community High School | 42.22% | 47.37% | 52.00% | 33.33% |
| Poland Regional High School | 58.59% | 52.34% | 54.95% | 49.63% |
| Portland High School | 63.21% | 64.65% | 62.67% | 58.20% |
| Presque Isle High School | 64.93% | 53.23% | 50.43% | 55.00% |
| Rangeley Lakes Regional School | 78.57% | 41.18% | 73.33% | 57.14% |
| Richmond High School | 51.22% | 54.29% | 35.48% | 50.00% |
| Robert W Traip Academy | 54.29% | 50.72% | 66.67% | 57.14% |
| Sacopee Valley High School | 57.14% | 47.54% | 43.75% | 54.29% |
| Sanford High School | 41.11% | 43.55% | 39.64% | 40.08% |
| Scarborough High School | 69.57% | 68.29% | 69.71% | 63.11% |
| Schenck High School | 51.72% | 57.14% | 57.69% | 68.42% |
| Searsport District High School | 57.50% | 50.00% | 66.67% | 48.72% |
| Shead High School | 52.38% | 50.00% | 53.33% | 47.83% |
| Skowhegan Area High School | 51.22% | 42.19% | 44.74% | 46.70% |
| So Aroostook School | 80.00% | 58.06% | 39.29% | 50.00% |
| South Portland High School | 59.73% | 52.81% | 55.02% | 47.11% |
| Spruce Mountain High School | 54.95% | 44.87% | 36.71% | 50.54% |
| Stearns Jr-Sr High School | 70.00% | 38.64% | 64.29% | 54.84% |
| Sumner Memorial High School | 54.35% | 37.78% | 51.02% | 50.00% |
| Telstar High School | 67.50% | 46.34% | 39.02% | 43.48% |
| Thornton Academy | 62.62% | 60.12% | 60.82% | 60.75% |
| Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | 47.06% | 50.00% | 44.44% | 15.38% |
| Van Buren District Secondary School | 62.50% | 68.75% | 68.75% | 75.00% |
| Vinalhaven School | 81.82% | 44.44% | 21.43% | 55.56% |
| Washburn District High School | 50.00% | 62.50% | 46.43% | 44.00% |
| Washington Academy | 57.75% | 67.05% | 63.64% | 55.41% |
| Waterville Senior High School | 57.85% | 42.97% | 55.75% | 57.26% |
| Wells High School | 72.66% | 62.79% | 66.00% | 57.80% |
| Westbrook High School | 54.19% | 54.19% | 49.70% | 47.27% |
| Windham High School | 55.66% | 58.12% | 51.32% | 59.36% |
| Winslow High School | 61.48% | 75.61% | 67.65% | 63.64% |
| Winthrop High School | 62.30% | 79.25% | 70.00% | 69.09% |
| Wiscasset Middle High School | 50.00% | 60.98% | 48.48% | 31.25% |
| Wisdom Middle High School | 73.68% | 70.00% | 68.42% | 70.00% |
| Woodland Jr-Sr High School | 80.00% | 75.00% | 66.67% | 32.26% |
| Yarmouth High School | 69.81% | 68.92% | 64.89% | 58.52% |
| York High School | 74.14% | 67.48% | 67.13% | 66.94% |
Tools to Promote FAFSA Completion at Your School
- FAFSA Poster: Hang a FAFSA poster in your school or post it to your website.
- Postcards: Mail, hand out, or electronically send postcards to students.
- Phone, email, text, PA, and web scripts so you can call, email or text families using your communications systems or make a PA announcement during school. Download a Word document of all scripts:
Do-it-Yourself Tools to Share with Families
Many Maine families choose to tackle the FAFSA on their own. Here are some tools to help them get through the process:
- FAFSA Handouts: Download and share FAME’s most used FAFSA handouts from the Resources and Tools page.
- Videos: Share one (or several) of our short, animated videos on the financial aid process with your students and their parents.
Tools to Help Your Students and Families with Their Financial Aid Appeals
Students and families who have had a change in circumstance or a situation that impacts their ability to pay for college should contact their financial aid office. We created an Overview of Financial Aid Appeals to help guide your conversations with students and families. Additionally, we ask that you share Steps to Appeal a Financial Aid Offer with students and families to help them appeal their financial aid offer.
Encourage Your Students to Connect with FAME
FAME shares information about the FAFSA on social media and by email and text. Encourage your students to connect directly with FAME by following us on social media or joining our mailing list.
Share this link with your students to sign up to get texts and emails from FAME:
Financial Education Resources
FAME knows that one of the best ways to benefit Maine people and our future economy is to ensure that Maine citizens have the resources and knowledge to lead financially capable lives. Financially capable citizens lead to a financially stable Maine.
FAME has pulled together some financial education resources that can help students of all ages.
Elementary School
FAME’s Cash and Max characters introduce elementary students to three key concepts: career exploration, education after high school, and money management.
- Cash and Max Elementary Coloring Books and Coloring Book Educator Guide – grades K through two
- Cash and Max Elementary Workbooks and Workbook Educator Guide – grades three through five
Middle School
Claim Your Future® is a classroom game that was created for middle school students to encourage them to explore education after high school, future careers, and money management. By playing the game, students will understand the strong connection between the choices they make today and their opportunities in the future. They will also learn that higher education generally leads to more career options and higher-paying jobs.
- Contact FAME to schedule a Claim Your Future session at your school conducted by FAME’s College Access and Financial Education Team.
High School
Online Financial Wellness, powered by FAME and iGrad, provides online financial education to empower Maine people to confidently manage their money and build financial skills for life. Popular features include:
- Financial wellness assessment
- Interactive money management courses
- Calculators, tools, videos and infographics
- Scholarship search tool
Find Maine-based financial literacy tools and more at the Maine DOE website.
Claim Your Future®
Created by FAME, Claim Your Future® is a game that encourages students to explore education after high school, future careers, and money management. Since its launch in 2015, Claim Your Future has been played in over 90 countries, and thousands of students representing every state in the United States have played online.
Claim Your Future can be played using the hand-held game kit, or online. The program is flexible and can be played with a wide range of audiences from elementary-age students, through middle school, high school and beyond. It can be used as a one-time classroom activity, an after-school activity, or as part of a larger unit on careers, higher education, and money management.
FAME has made Claim Your Future® available free of charge to all Maine schools or nonprofit educational organizations.
Claim Your Future Kit
When the game is played in the classroom, students are each assigned a unique game wheel, representing a specific career, education level and monthly salary. Educators are encouraged to discuss various career and college options and to lead students through a monthly budget activity. Educators can order game kits at FAME.ClaimYourFuture.org.
What you’ll find in the classroom game kit:
- 50 unique wheels representing various careers
- 100 student reward stickers
Claim Your Future Online
FAME.ClaimYourFuture.org allows students to choose a career and navigate through different spending choices. They will find descriptions of academic degrees, careers, key vocabulary and various spending options. Students can see a visual representation of how much money they’ve spent as they progress through the game.
Website features:
- 125 unique careers, along with descriptions and key vocabulary
- A printable budget worksheet
- Additional financial education resources
- An Educator’s Guide, which includes budget worksheets, a detailed lesson plan, homework activities and additional resources
Email Newsletters
FAME’s “Tuesday Tips” are emailed every month to anyone who has signed up to receive education news updates from FAME.
February 2023 – Five Resources for New Mainers
January 2023 – Five Questions and Answers about Your Financial Aid Offers
December 2022 – Five Important Updates on Federal Student Loans
November 2022 – Five Tips for Getting a Head Start on Scholarship Applications
October 2022 – Five Tips for Filing the 2023-2024 FAFSA
September 2022 – Five FAFSA Myths Busted
August 2022 – Five Newest Members of the FAME Team!
July 2022 – Five FAQs on Free Community College
Select Previous Emails
Five Great Summer Job Opportunities for Students (June 2022)
Five Facts About Assets, Savings, and Financial Aid (May 2022)
Five Steps to Take Before Borrowing a Student Loan (April 2022)
Five Things to Consider When Starting (or Restarting) Education after High School (March 2022)
Five Tips to Pay the Remaining Balance After Financial Aid (February 2022)
Five Tips for Submitting Prize-Winning Scholarship Applications (November 2021)
Five Tips for The Path to Affording Higher Education (September 2021)
Five Tips for a Smooth Transition to College (June 2021)
Five Fun Financial Wellness Tools and Games—All Online! (April 2021)
Five Upcoming Changes as a Result of FAFSA Simplification (March 2021)
UPDATE: Since this email was sent, the date for implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act has been revised. Changes to the FAFSA will be rolled out with the 2024-2025 FAFSA, which will become available on October 1, 2023.
