College preparation

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May 9 registration deadline for June ACT test 

By Catherine Mueller Students interested in kicking off the summer by completing a college admissions requirement can register now for the June ACT test. The registration deadline for the June 14 test is May 9. Registration takes about 30 minutes to complete and requires students to register online, pay the fee, and upload a recent photo. […]

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Draft 2026-27 FAFSA application materials available for comment

By Marlene Seeklander While many students and parents are completing the 2025-26 FAFSA, the Department of Education is already looking ahead to next year’s FAFSA. Now is your opportunity to submit comments on or before April 7 to the Department of Education about the proposed draft 2026-27 FAFSA form and FAFSA Submission Summary. In an Electronic

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5 things to look for in a financial aid offer

By Marlene Seeklander After the admissions acceptance letter, the financial aid offer is probably second when it comes to those highly anticipated notices from a college. For some students, getting admitted is just the first hurdle to overcome. Knowing they will get the financial aid they need can be critical to pursuing their education. After all,

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

Contributing to a FAFSA when the invite isn’t received

By Marlene Seeklander Sure, sometimes high school students don’t want to invite their parents to something, but in the case of the FAFSA, most students need to invite their parents. Students completing the 2025-26 FAFSA (if they are determined to be dependent students) are asked to invite their parent or parents to contribute to the FAFSA. Students need to provide

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Turquoise blue piggy bank with stacks of quarters next to it.

Five reasons to begin your scholarship search early

By Marlene Seeklander It’s never too early to begin your search for college scholarships. All high students – not just seniors – should pursue scholarships. In fact, some scholarships are aimed at students as young as those in elementary or middle school. And, even if you can’t apply for some scholarships until you are senior, here

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Mapping Your Future offers a variety of financial literacy tools

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.

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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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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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