College preparation - Mapping Your Future

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September 12 early registration deadline for October ACT test

Newsroom, College preparation, Latest / By Marlene Seeklander

By Marlene Seeklander Students interested in kicking off the fall by completing a college admissions requirement can register now for the October ACT test. The early registration deadline for the October 18, 2005 test is September 12, with the late registration deadline on September 30. Registration takes about 30 minutes to complete and requires students to […]

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Wooden cubes with the abbreviation Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA

Preparing for the 2026-27 FAFSA

Newsroom, College preparation, FAFSA resources, Mapping Your Future features, Paying for College / By Marlene Seeklander

By Marlene Seeklander There’s nothing like being prepared to make something a little easier and less stressful, including completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). With the launch of the 2026-27 FAFSA by October 1, 2025, students and families can start doing some prep work in advance. Federal Student Aid encourages students and families

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August tasks for high school seniors

Newsroom, College preparation, FAFSA resources, Mapping Your Future features, Paying for College / By Marlene Seeklander

By Marlene Seeklander Starting your senior year is an exciting time. During your senior year, you will finalize your college choice. This year will be filled with admission applications, scholarship essays, financial aid information, and the need to meet deadlines. Throughout your senior year, continue to build your resume by achieving academic success, as well as

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Financial Aid Offers – A closer look

Newsroom, College preparation, FAFSA resources, Latest, Paying for College / By Marlene Seeklander

By Marlene Seeklander A financial aid offer is often a key component of the college decision making process. Financial aid offers are not always alike and comparing offers can be challenging. To effectively review offers, here are some key points: While financial aid offers may differ in appearance from college to college, this sample College Financing

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July tasks for high school seniors

Newsroom, College preparation, FAFSA resources, Mapping Your Future features, Paying for College / By Marlene Seeklander

By Marlene Seeklander During your senior year, you finalized your college choice. This year was filled with admission applications, scholarship essays, financial aid information, and deadlines. Below are the tasks you should complete during the month of July: Congratulations! It’s time to get ready to start college.

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Four college students walking with their backpacks on campus

How to master the art of being a good student

Newsroom, College preparation, Mapping Your Future features / By Marlene Seeklander

By Catherine Mueller No one enters college with a plan to fail. Well, at least no one who is serious about their education. However, some students do fail – despite their desire to succeed. What do successful students do to achieve their educational goals? Successful students employ strategies to master the art of being a good

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FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Concept with keywords, letters and icons. Flat vector illustration. Isolated on white background.

Five reasons you should complete the FAFSA

Newsroom, College preparation, FAFSA resources, Mapping Your Future features, Paying for College / By Marlene Seeklander

By Catherine Mueller Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can make the difference when it comes to pursuing your dreams for the future. For many students, who couldn’t otherwise afford the cost of an education, the FAFSA makes it possible. If you haven’t completed the 2025-26 FAFSA, here’s some reasons why you should:

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Four things rising seniors can do over the summer to prepare for the future

Newsroom, College preparation, Latest, Mapping Your Future features / By Marlene Seeklander

By Catherine Mueller Although rising high school seniors shouldn’t complete the FAFSA until next fall, there’s still plenty of things they can be doing right now to prepare for education after high school. Completing the 2026-27 FAFSA when it is available next October, will be important for high school seniors who want to seek financial aid

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Black Graduation cap over stack of coins next to stack of books

2025-2026 Federal Pell Grant award amounts confirmed

Newsroom, College preparation, Paying for College / By Marlene Seeklander

By Marlene Seeklander The minimum and maximum Federal Pell Grant amounts for 2025-2026, through the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, that were previously announced are correct. In a May 29 update to an earlier Dear Colleague Letter, the Department of Education noted that the previously announced Federal Pell Grant maximum and minimum award amounts

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June tasks for high school seniors

Newsroom, College preparation, FAFSA resources, Mapping Your Future features, Paying for College / By Marlene Seeklander

By Marlene Seeklander Congratulations on your graduation from high school! Like most high school graduates, you may be just now catching your breath after all the activity surrounding the end of the senior year. It’s a good time for you to relax and reflect on your accomplishments. But once you’ve had some time to consider all

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