NOW THAT THE STATE has created Mass Educate, or Free College for All, the hard part begins: messaging—so that low-income students will actually apply for the aid.

A good model was the rollout of Mass Reconnect this past year (aid for students over 25), which set aside funds for outreach. But the issue now is more complicated. Mass Educate operates in its own silo yet must integrate with other financial aid for students to receive the full benefits. It’s a first-world problem borne of the state’s generosity that must cope with the challenge of many low-income students failing to take advantage of the benefits laid before them.

Our state has created a stew of financial aid programs. They differ in terms of eligibility and the colleges students can attend. Last year the state pushed Reconnect, attracting more students than anticipated while MassGrant Plus Expansion received less attention. The result was students missed out on applying for a great program. All of these programs should be presented as a whole outlining how they connect together.

The state should hire an advertising firm that knows how to deliver an effective campaign. For starters, MassGrant Plus Expansion and Mass Educate as names are real clunkers — neither exciting nor informative. The state should learn from political advertising to utilize all forms of digital communication, from texting to Tik-Tok, flooding social media with scholarship ads. It needs a hip-hop call-out.

As any good politician will tell you, you have to get in face of your prospects everyday. Lack of information is a big reason low-income students fail to sign up for financial aid. A unified webpage can tell the full story. It is where advertising must bring people.

Unfortunately, there are some inherent challenges to Free College that messaging alone cannot resolve. The lack of guidance counselors, especially in districts in Gateway Cities, is the first. Surveys show that low-income Black students and other students of color increase their participation significantly if they receive counseling. The entire financial aid system of the state is severely understaffed. There is an urgent need for high school guidance counselors and college advisors to bring Free College to life.

It is well established that low-income and minority students have been applying for financial aid at lower rates, particularly because their schools do not provide adequate support. With the recent FAFSA delays and glitches, new research shows that the drop-off in FAFSA completions has been significantly worse among historically marginalized communities. As a result, colleges are likely to see enrollment declines linked to race, educational attainment, and income.

This issue was also evident in MassReconnect, where many students did not complete the FAFSA and consequently received no aid. A major investment in counseling services with a focus on FAFSA could address these issues.

Getting the word out to students in a way that creates excitement will cost money. Advertising firms and web designers are not cheap, nor are the technicians who maintain the system. Funds should be allocated strategically across all programs. Unfortunately, the line item for Mass Educate is separate from the other programs.

It is possible that the new IT bond authorized by the governor could help cover the cost. The “FutureTech Act of 2024” supports key projects that continue building out the digital experience for Massachusetts residents, allowing people to interface with state agencies online in a way that makes sense, ensuring residents can easily find and access the services and information they need.

Another issue to address is private scholarships. The common assumption is that private scholarships are for students attending private colleges. However, many private funds focus on low-income students. If a student heading to a state two-year or four-year school receives a private scholarship, the amount is subtracted from any state aid received. This is confusing for the student and acts as a disincentive to apply for private scholarships. Awardees of private scholarships should be allowed to keep the cash above the state aid that pays for tuition.

Like any significant new program, Mass Educate will have growing pains. Its merit lies in its sweeping aid to both students and community colleges. Addressing the issues raised here will only make it better.

Robert Hildreth is a philanthropist and education reformer. He is the founder of Inversant, La Vida Scholars, and other nonprofit organizations with complementary missions of expanding access to high-quality education opportunities to low-income families and restoring the promise of higher education.

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