California’s higher education systems can provide a ladder for economic mobility, yet too many of the state’s high school graduates fail to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or — for those who are undocumented — the California Dream Act Application (CADAA). This results in missed opportunities, decisions made with limited information and unclaimed aid.

A report from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) analyzes the initial results of California’s recently enacted universal financial aid application completion policy, which suggests the policy may help to improve access to college among low-income, Latino and other historically underrepresented groups.