Early Awareness E-News April 2026Vol. 18 – Issue 4 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. Federal student loan borrowers on SAVE repayment plan must choose a new plan soon Student
Early Awareness E-News – April 2026 Read More »
Financial pressure on Gen Z and their parents It’s tough to talk about money. That may be the reason that so many Gen Z’s are relying on social media for financial guidance. A Wells Fargo study released earlier this week reveals that Gen Z (which includes teenagers, college students and recent graduates ages 14-29) are
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By Marlene Seeklander The 2027-28 FASFA will include a few minor changes when it is released in the fall. At the recent Federal Student Aid (FSA) Conference that was held in Washington, D.C. on March 4-6, the Department of Education presented a session on “FAFSA Updates” to outline some of the upcoming changes to the 2027-28
Minor updates coming to the 2027-28 FAFSA Read More »
By Catherine Mueller As your senior year winds down, don’t let yourself become distracted by solely focusing on celebrating graduation – stay focused and finish your high school career strong. Below are the tasks you should complete during the month of April:
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By Marlene Seeklander Imagine for a moment if you had no idea how much money you had in your bank account. Writing checks or swiping your debit card could get you into serious financial trouble. That’s just one example of where being financially literate is so important. Financial literacy is a lifelong skill. It shouldn’t end
A valuable lifelong skill Read More »
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 2026-27 FAFSA (and provided a valid email address),
Six things to check on your FAFSA Submission Summary Read More »
By Catherine Mueller It’s a good financial decision. When it comes to taking care of your financial health, there are the basics – establishing a budget, tracking income and expenses, and saving for the future – to name a few. But all that work means nothing when you become the victim of identity theft. And it
A critical step in managing your finances Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Building your financial future can be like building a house. You need a “blueprint” or a plan in order to have a sound foundation. Create a budget Creating a budget needs to be your foundation. After all, a house without a foundation won’t stand upright very long. Make sure you account for all
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By Marlene Seeklander During Financial Literacy Month in April, Mapping Your Future encourages you to use its financial literacy tools and share the tools and resources with your students: Contact the Mapping Your Future staff at feedback@mappingyourfuture.org or (800) 374-4072 with any questions.
Mapping Your Future offers a variety of financial literacy tools Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals face some new requirements when it comes to returning federal funds for those students who don’t attend or withdraw. Some schools may have already implemented part of the new regulations, but in a March 27 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education reminded schools that all changes to the R2T4 regulations
Colleges reminded about new rules for returning federal financial aid funds Read More »
