The Haines Borough School District. (File photo/Chilkat Valley News)

With three months until the deadline, only 16% of Alaska high school seniors have applied for federal student aid.

The funding mechanism, called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA, is an indicator of college-bound students.

Alaska has the lowest rate of applicants in the nation, which has been true for at least the last decade, said Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education Executive Director…