When you and other counselors hear that the FAFSA Simplification Act of 2023 made it easier to apply for federal financial aid for college, you may think, “This will be easy!” True, the act reduced the number of questions, but counselors and families still find the form so complex and overwhelming that the process seems Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
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 Read More
Today’s Baby Boomers hold over half of total U.S. household wealth, while their kids hold a much smaller portion, despite being bigger in population, according to a new study by New York University economists. Those 65 and older have benefitted from long-term home ownership, booming stock markets and steady jobs with 401(k)s to build their Read More
When it comes to college funding, it’s never a good idea for the families of your students to sit back and let nature take its course, whether they already are already carrying other student debt or planning for a college student-to-be. A measure being considered in the U.S. Senate, which amends parts of the 1965 Read More
When their student is in 10th or 11th grade and beginning to look more seriously at what they want to study and which colleges interest them, many families get sticker shock when they realize what this might cost over four years. The sticker price on even a state university might be $30,000 to $40,000 a Read More
Are parents/students asking you for sources to help with financial aid? Here are some go to websites you can send them to or use as reference: www.fafsa.ed.govwww.fastweb.netwww.scholarships.comwww.gmsp.orgwww.collegenet.comwww.collegeboard.org
For many families, receiving a financial aid award letter can be both a relief and a concern. Today, I’m sharing a Q&A with Gage Mersereau, the CEO and Founder of GradBetter, a company focused on simplifying planning and affordability for counselors and families. GradBetter has crowdsourced financial aid awards and made it transparent, accessible, and Read More
Will you be ready to help students when the 2026-27 FAFSA form releases? There are two things we already know about upcoming changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): 1. In November, President Biden signed the FAFSA Deadline Act, establishing Oct. 1 as the release date for the FAFSA. The bill had Read More
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