If not, you are in luck! SCOFile has created a great template you can use.
It is a free, simple digital school profile counselors can create and share with colleges. No cost, it will always be free for counselors.
If you want to try it out, you can create one here: https://www.scofile.com/form
Have any feedback or suggestions for making it better? E-mail Jeremy Kasten at Jeremy@scofile.com.
Whether you are working with students starting college this fall, next fall or the one after that, there are steps you can take in 2026 to help your students get their degree without sabotaging their parents savings or retirement.
Here are some things to keep in mind based on when your students will be starting college.
Starting in fall 2026?
Families often don’t realize that, when they’re filling out the FAFSA (Federal Application for Federal Student Aid) for fall 2026, the income information will be from 2024; in other words, the tax return they filed in 2025. That’s water under the bridge and there’s nothing they can do about reported income and assets that may impact financial aid eligibility.
But that’s also just one year. You hope your student will be in college for four years, so you still have three years to make modifications in adjusted gross income (AGI). The 2025 tax return you file in April 2026 will form the basis of the 2027-28 FAFSA.
So that’s Tip #1 for fall 2026 college freshmen and their parents: Think ahead to the sophomore, junior and senior years of college and position income and assets to improve financial aid eligibility. This varies widely, not only by state but also institution.
This may require making larger 401(k) or IRA contributions to reduce AGI; transferring savings accounts from the student’s name to the parent’s, which are assessed at a lower rate; or burning some savings by paying down the mortgage or buying that car you’ve been thinking about. The FAFSA excludes retirement accounts and home equity as factors in financial aid eligibility.
Students heading to college this fall will start receiving their financial aid offers in April, or even earlier if they applied for early-decision. These letters will tell you how much financial aid the college is awarding, what the family’s expected contribution is, and how to apply for a loan to cover the balance. But that’s not necessarily the end of the story.
For example, financial aid offers can be appealed because of a documented change in the family’s circumstances. So far in 2025, over 1.1 million people have been laid off in the U.S., the most since the pandemic. A family’s income may go from $200,000 when both parents were working to $90,000 after one of them loses their job. Although the FAFSA has been finalized, the college can manually adjust the application to lower the student aid index (SAI), or what the family is expected to pay.
Unexpected medical expenses are another reason for an appeal. Just keep in mind that any appeals must be validated by pay stubs, termination letters, hospital bills and any other documentation you can gather.
Starting college in fall 2027?
This year’s high school juniors are making their final decisions on which colleges they want to apply to. In addition to focusing on adjusted gross income, the parents may want to investigate transferring savings to a liquid annuity because these are not reported on the FAFSA. There are annuities specifically designed for families paying college tuition, without early withdrawal penalties. Be sure to work with a qualified college planning specialist.
It’s also time for the students to be strategic about what they want to study and which colleges are competing for those students. Let’s say your high school junior has their heart set on becoming an engineer. Which colleges have a strong focus in that major?
This may require looking beyond public colleges and universities and even outside your state. Very often, private colleges will offer grants and institutional aid to students they want to attract. And when the financial aid offers start arriving the following year, a student may be in a strong position to negotiate their financial aid package.
Starting college in fall 2028?
Good news! Your high school sophomores still have two years to identify their passions and interests and build a high school resumé that will make them stand out to a college admissions official. This could include extracurriculars, job shadowing or summer employment, all of which can help your students write a strong admission essay.
It’s also not too early to look those potential tuition bills and college expenses in the eye and start figuring out how they will pay for it. They should educate themselves on the financial aid process, Pell grants, and how your students can maximize grants and scholarships – money that doesn’t have to be paid back. Fun fact: There are over 150 different strategies to help maximize grants.
College financing is not a one-size-fits-all proposition because every family is dealing with different circumstances. Working with a financial planner who is a fiduciary and has expertise in college planning is the best bet – no matter when your students are starting college.
Brian Safdari, who founded College Planning Experts in 2004, is a Certified College Planning Specialist™. He and his team have assisted more than 7,500 students nationwide on their college journey using their exclusive My College Fit System and financial planning tools. For more information, call 818-201-4847 or visit collegeplanningexperts.com.
College access advocates have legitimate concerns that the Workforce Pell Grant Act could have an unintended negative impact on students related to lifetime Pell Grant eligibility. Students may eventually review associate and bachelor’s degree options and the funds utilized for the short-term job training program may limit future Pell Grant educational financing. This new dynamic is similar to the longer-term concern that remedial/developmental courses some college students are required to take will impact them running out of funding later in their educational endeavors.
Community colleges have a great opportunity to serve students who qualify for the Workforce Pell Grant Act. First, they can offer training at a lower cost than other organizations. While this provides students a benefit, policy and operational coordination is needed to fully support students. Following are some specific examples of what can be done.
High School Students – Vocational-Technical courses available for college dual enrollment can be offered and then placed on the community college transcript. This saves the students time and money. Students with an interest in these fields should enroll. Also, these credits could be a college degree elective for students entering other career fields.
All Students – Credit for Work Experience and Industry Recognized Credentials transferring into the community college as degree credit can also assist students. A timely review of these documents is important, way before the student applies for college graduation, so this information is available for academic advising appointments.
Student Advising Approach – Many associates of applied science degree programs have mini certificates and other certificates a student can earn along the way towards obtaining their degree. Some specific examples are electronic technology, computer aided drafting and automotive services. Students should be advised to stack credentials.
Non-Credit and College Credit Department Coordination – Some community colleges might have a field of study being taught in both divisions. For example, IT and electronics. Coordination can assist students in the non-credit courses to be considered for college credit if they decide later on to work towards a degree program.
Utilizing these steps can allow community colleges to utilize the Workforce Pell Grant to promote short term and long-term student retention and success.
Kenneth McGhee is a Financial Aid and Enrollment Management Consultant.
“Nearly every first-year college student discovers that college courses are more academically challenging than they expected, and certainly harder than classes in high school. Professors expect students not just to absorb material, but to analyze and synthesize it, to consider multiple perspectives, to evaluate conflicting evidence, and then to apply what they’ve learned in new contexts.
Thinking Critically in College explains how to do all this and more.
Unlike most college prep books—which advise you to go to office hours, get enough sleep, take good notes, and learn how to get along with your roommate—this one actually shows you how to do the work your professors will assign and explains how to tackle common academic challenges. This accessible and comprehensive handbook covers metacognition (thinking about how you think); basic critical thinking skills; college-level reading, writing, and quantitative reasoning; how to think about academic disciplines; decoding actual assignments from college courses and tackling research projects.
Written in a personal, engaging style that draws on the author’s experience as a professor and academic advisor for more than forty years, Thinking Critically in College is an indispensable guide to doing the work of college for students from all academic backgrounds.
For more information about Thinking Critically in College: The Essential Handbook for Student Success, as well as presentations and workshops for faculty and students and information about Professor Newman’s College Success Coaching services, see this website.”
College Admissions, Financial Aid and Billing Office Questions to Consider
For students enrolling for college effective July 1, 2026, the student loan limits have been changed from the current amounts available. To prepare for these changes college administrators should consider reviewing the following questions and the resulting data.
What percentage of the freshman admitted students accept our offer of admission?
What is our percentage of freshman admitted students enrollment yield rate?
How many of our Federal Pell Grant eligible students are on a payment plan?
What is the average per semester payment plan amount for our Federal Pell Grant eligible students?
What is the average per semester payment plan for students who are not awarded a Federal Pell Grant?
How many parents are currently utilizing the Federal Plus Loan? What is the average amount borrowed?
What is the number of parents and students borrowing from private student loans? What is the average amount of the loan?
What is the freshman student retention rate for their sophomore, junior and senior year?
What are the top five reasons students do not return to the institution? EXAMPLES: No longer in a specialized major, not accepted to a competitive program like nursing, financial issues and/or academic difficulties.
What financial gaps does the institution see as potential challenges based upon Federal loan borrowing changes?
Based upon a review of all this data, how can institutional scholarships impact our enrollment, retention and student success objectives?
By Kenneth McGhee, Financial Aid and Enrollment Management Consultant
An ancient game can help teens prepare for college
What if there were a board game that could help teens develop their cognitive skills, build their confidence, and hone their social skills? Good news! There is, and it’s not chess.
It’s Backgammon, a game as old as time that is still relevant in an age dominated by screens and digital interactions.
In Backgammon, two players use strategy and logic – along with a little bit of luck – to “bear off” all their checkers from the board before their opponent. It’s fun, it’s social and it’s a great way to meet new people. In Backgammon circles, new players of all skill levels are always welcome.
As you can tell, I’m a Backgammon enthusiast from way back, and the game is having a moment, especially among younger people seeking new modes of social connection. In New York and San Diego, Backgammon clubs and game nights are becoming fashionable social activities. Some high schools have started Backgammon clubs as well.
Initially, in 2026, I and some partners are launching eight Backgammon clubs in Chicagoland under the banner of the Chicago Backgammon League. In addition, we will be working with the U.S. Backgammon Federation (USBGF) to recruit educators and high school counselors who know the game to help students prepare for college.
If you have played Backgammon, you are familiar with the appeal and how it can foster critical thinking and social connections. Engaging in real-world activities and problem-solving can also improve a teen’s attention span, something that is often in short supply thanks to the TikTok-ification of our culture.
The program being launched in the Midwest will be offered every Saturday. We are planning to go national next. By providing an engaging, interactive, and mentally stimulating alternative to screen time, this initiative will help teens build the confidence and connection necessary to thrive in a college environment and beyond.
Backgammon has been around for 5,000 years, so it has long-standing appeal and staying power. Teens, whether or not college is in their future, deserve the opportunity to give it a try.
If you are a high school counselor who would like to be part of this unique initiative, get in touch at JackSchacht@ChicagoBackgammonLeague.com. Our organization, along with the USBGF, will also be happy to support the establishment of high school clubs anywhere in the country.
Jack Schacht is a long-time Chicago entrepreneur who helped college-bound students and their families find an affordable path to higher education through his company, My College Planning Team.
Are you a school counselor who has served as a site supervisor for a school counselor in training? If yes, please consider completing a 15–20-minute survey about school counseling supervision models. This survey will help counselors contribute to further understanding and development in our field.
Based on a survey of 1,000+ U.S. workers ages 18–33, Zety’s new Boomerang Kids Report finds that 1 in 3 (34%) live with their parents, driven largely by soaring housing costs (62%) and low salaries (38%).
Key findings:
Something to definitely discuss with your students as they embark on the next stage of their lives.
Longing for the comforts of home when everything is new and different isn’t surprising, but the depth of homesickness among students on college campuses appears to be rising.
According to Christopher Thurber, a psychologist at Phillips Exeter Academy, a boarding school in Exeter, New Hampshire, “about 20 percent of students entering college say they’re bothered by missing home, and about 5 percent have homesickness so severe that it interferes with their daily lives or causes significant symptoms of anxiety or depression.”
My niece Sara Griffin, who attended Elon University in Elon, North Carolina, says that she found the transitions, heading home and returning to campus, were the hardest for her. And there’s a bunch every fall. First, there’s the big drop-off in late August. Then, in varying order, there’s Parents’ Weekend, where family members come to campus, and then Fall Break, where students traditionally return home. And then it seems, as quickly as the leaves turn, it’s suddenly Thanksgiving and there’s another visit home. After that time off, students return to campus for sometimes as little as two weeks before they head home again for the holiday break. With this many stops-and-starts in a freshman’s routine, it’s understandable why getting adjusted can sometimes be so challenging for so many students.
It’s okay to miss home a little, but it’s not considered very socially acceptable to let it get to you so much that you become depressed or anxious. One of the biggest problems homesick students encounter is admitting that they need help. Resident Assistants (RAs) are trained to identify symptoms and respond with a variety of tools
Suggested strategies for students to battle homesickness:
The good news, according to Larry Marks, PhD, psychologist at the University of Central Florida Counseling Center, is that “usually the feeling lessens as the first semester goes on. Focusing on classes, making friends, and getting involved in campus activities will help with the transition.”
Lee Bierer is an independent college adviser based in Charlotte. Send questions to: lee@bierercollegeconsulting.com; www.bierercollegeconsulting.com
LINK for Counselors recently had Signet Research conduct a readership survey on readers of the Fall 2025 issue of LINK for Counselors. You can see the final survey results here – https://www.linkforcounselors.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Staff-Report-LINK-For-Counselors-Fall-2025.pdf
All survey participants were entered into a drawing for a $100 Amazon Gift Card. The winner that was randomly selected by Signet Research was Twila Simmons-Walker of Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Arizona. Congratulations to Twila and thanks to all that participated.
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