Author name: Marlene Seeklander

Dark blue folder with FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid on the front

Knowing the code could be an important key to financial aid

By Catherine Mueller Although every school or college has its own unique identity, sometimes its name can be similar to another institution. For that reason, in addition to the names, there is also a not-so-secret code for schools, and it’s a good idea to know how to find out these school codes before you apply for

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A checklist of applications to complete for your college education

By Catherine Mueller By the first day of college classes, a student has completed a lot of paperwork to begin their educational journey. Completing the necessary applications and forms for a college education is an accomplishment in and of itself — even before you step on campus. Although the paperwork can seem overwhelming, it’s often much

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Mapping Your Future Higher Ed News – March 20, 2025

Higher Ed News Vol. 17 – Issue 6 Letter to education stakeholders from Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron The FAFSA and student loan servicing are two areas left unimpacted by the recent Department of Education layoffs, according to a letter sent out late last week. Updated School Participation Division contact information Schools with questions related

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US Department of Education building

Letter to education stakeholders from Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron

By Marlene Seeklander The FAFSA and student loan servicing are two areas left unimpacted by the recent Department of Education layoffs, according to a letter sent out late last week. In a March 17 Electronic Announcement, the Department published the March 14 letter from Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron, addressing the recent reduction in force (RIF). The

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Wooden tile spelling out FAFSA

2025-26 FAFSA reminder campaign underway

By Marlene Seeklander Most of us need a nudge every once in a while, a little reminder to do something important like, maybe, completing the FAFSA. Students who completed FAFSAs in the last couple of years are receiving reminders from the Department of Education that the 2025-26 FAFSA is ready for them to complete. And the

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Updated School Participation Division contact information

By Marlene Seeklander Schools with questions related to the E-App and other general school eligibility will want to make note of updated contact information. According to a recent Electronic Announcement, with the recent regional organizational changes, Federal Student Aid (FSA) is now responding to questions related to the completion of the Application for Approval to Participate

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Understanding Take-Home Pay

2025–26 award year COD System implementation

By Marlene Seeklander Another important piece of the 2025-26 award year processing will soon be in place. The Department of Education announced that on March 23 they will implement the functionality to support Campus-Based programs and the processing of Pell Grant, TEACH, and Direct Loan awards for the 2025-26 award year in the Common Origination and

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Magnifying glass with FAFSA being magnified

Six things to check on your FAFSA Submission Summary

By Catherine Mueller After successfully completing your FAFSA, you should celebrate your accomplishment. However, don’t celebrate so much that you forget you will have other tasks to complete. One of those tasks is to review your FAFSA Submission Summary. One to three days after a student submits a 2025-26 FAFSA (and provided a valid email address),

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Computer keyboard with FAFSA button

Understanding your FAFSA status

By Catherine Mueller It’s no longer just a matter of “done” or “not done” when considering the status of your financial aid application. It’s important to understand the different status updates to determine if you need to take any action. When you log in to your account at StudentAid.gov, the status of your application will be one

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