; Whereas the complexity of financial aid systems and processes, rising college costs, and a shortage of effective financial education and literacy programs can serve as additional deterrents or barriers for students and families as they assess the viability of higher education programs as a postsecondary option; Whereas the United States built a thriving middle class in part by nurturing the potential for colleges and universities to provide avenues to economic opportunity; Whereas data on the benefits of higher education demonstrate that, in spite of ongoing barriers to access and student success, colleges and universities can still provide pathways to economic opportunity; Whereas the National Center for Education Statistics High School Longitudinal Survey finds completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is one of the best predictors of future college enrollment, as high school seniors who complete the form are 84 percent more likely to begin postsecondary education; and Whereas the ongoing impact of COVID–19 on communities, families, and educational systems across the country underscores and reinforces the value of ensuring that all secondary school students have available and understand all their postgraduation options: Now, therefore, be it