By Marlene Seeklander When planning to pay for college, students and parents need to consider both direct and indirect costs. Direct and indirect costs are an important part of the estimated cost of attendance. And while financial aid can cover both types of college expenses, indirect costs is an area where students and parents can save […]
Direct vs. indirect costs for college Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander At first the request seems like a paradox – you didn’t file a tax return, and the college financial aid office is asking you to prove something you didn’t do. While it may seem unusual to prove that you didn’t file a tax return, you may need to do just that and depending
Five steps to obtain proof of federal tax return non-filing Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander POET is offering scholarships to help students take that big step to pursuing their aspirations. POET, a South Dakota based company that has expanded across the Midwest, is awarding up to $75,000 in scholarships to students who are never satisfied with “good enough” and share POET’s mission to create a brighter future. The
POET offers “Never Satisfied Scholarships” Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Scholarships are a wise investment in a student’s educational career – both for the organization granting the scholarship and the student applying for funds. For students, not only does a scholarship award look great on a resume, it can also reduce the amount of money a student has to borrow to pay for
Scholarship opportunities to help students pay for college Read More »
By Catherine Mueller While several steps have been taken to simplify the FAFSA, students and parents often still have questions about calculating the value of assets. To help students and parents understand and be prepared to answer the asset questions, here are some things to know: To determine the value of an investment, the student or
Things to know when calculating assets for the 2026-27 FAFSA Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Students who want to take the ACT in February, either for the first time or to improve their score, have until early January to register. The regular registration deadline is Friday, January 9 for the February 14 ACT test. After January 9, students can register for the February test up until January 23
February 2026 ACT registration deadline approaching soon Read More »
By Catherine Mueller Students wanting to better understand financial aid for college can do so by looking at the big picture. To make the financial aid process more manageable, Mapping Your Future has developed a list of the five major steps a student must take to receive financial aid. Granted, each one of the steps involves
Breaking financial aid into five steps Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Students who apply for scholarships know it’s the smart way to pay for a college education. Scholarships are sometimes referred to as “free money” since it usually doesn’t have to be repaid. Scholarships are also a recognition of a student’s accomplishments – recognition that can sometimes lead to other opportunities or be included
Paying for college with scholarships Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Not all scholarships are considered “free money.” When you are awarded a scholarship, make sure you understand any terms and conditions. For example, some scholarships may require you to maintain a certain number of credits each semester and/or a minimum GPA, while some may have a “work commitment” as part of the requirements.
Making the commitment to meet scholarship requirements Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander School counselors must keep current on a lot of topics, but trying to attend scheduled webinars can be challenging. After all, a student may need your help at any time and often it’s an issue that can’t wait. To address that challenge, ACT offers you a number of on-demand virtual events to watch
Latest ACT news available via on-demand virtual events Read More »
