By Marlene Seeklander By Marlene Seeklander The Department of Education is extending an urgent “ask” of colleges to help with default prevention. In a May 5 Electronic Announcement the Department of Education reminds schools that the federal student loan programs are a shared responsibility between student borrowers, the Department, and participating schools, with borrowers having the primary
Tip of the Week Mapping Your Future flyer to help colleges provide repayment information to former students The Department of Education is extending an urgent “ask” of colleges to help with default prevention. In a May 5 Electronic Announcement the Department of Education reminds schools that the federal student loan programs are a shared responsibility
Tip of the Week – May 7, 2025 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander There’s good news for Direct Loan borrowers and students receiving TEACH Grant awards in the next academic year. as the Direct Loan fees and TEACH award amounts remain unchanged. A recent Electronic Announcement outlined the sequester-required increases to Direct Loan fees and sequester-required reductions in TEACH Grant award amounts. These apply to loans
Direct Loan fees and TEACH Grant award amounts set for 2025-26 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander A commitment to a profession can be measured in years. Catherine Mueller, executive director of Mapping Your Future, was honored for 30 years in financial aid/higher education at the South Dakota Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SDASFAA) Spring Conference, recently held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The awards luncheon, held on April
Catherine Mueller honored for 30 years in financial aid industry Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Colleges thinking of switching or adding accreditors should find the process easier under new guidance issued recently by the Department of Education. A May 1 Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) from James P. Bergeron Deputy Under Secretary, outlined information regarding the process to change or add an accrediting agency and to submit all materials
Department clarifies process on changing accreditors, expands options for schools Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals will – hopefully – see the return of the automated NSLDS post-screening functionality soon. A May 1 Electronic Announcement from Federal Student Aid (FSA) stated that the processing of post-screening data on Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 FAFSA cycles should resume for all institutions the
National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) post-screening functionality to resume Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander The Federal School Code List – a key component of the FASFA – has been updated by Federal Student Aid (FSA). A recent Electronic Announcement provided information on the most recent 2025–26 Federal School Code (FSC) List of Participating Schools. Students sometimes enter these codes on the FAFSA in order for colleges to
Most recent 2025-26 Federal School Code List now available Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander EDExpress users will want to make note of several resources that are now available for Release 2.0 of the 2025-26 software. In a recent Electronic Announcement, Federal Student Aid announced the availability of EDExpress for Windows 2025-26, Release 2.0, which is available in the Software and Other Tools area of the Knowledge Center website.
EDExpress for Windows 2025-26, Release 2.0 now available Read More »
Higher Ed News Vol. 17 – Issue 9 More volumes of 2025-26 FSA Handbook now available If you want to update your financial aid reading list, the latest volumes of the 2025-26 Federal Student Aid Handbook have just been released by the Department of Education (ED). Final 2026-27 FISAP Form and related materials now available While the
Mapping Your Future Higher Ed News – May 1, 2025 Read More »
Early Awareness E-News May 2025Vol. 17 – Issue 5 Mapping Your Future hosts scholarship strategies webinar – recording now available Scholarships can sometimes mean the difference between having enough money for a college education or having to borrow student loans. Department of Education to resume collection of defaulted student loans Borrowers with defaulted federal
Early Awareness E-News – May 2025 Read More »
