By Catherine Mueller An online video can sometimes be a lifesaver. Maybe you’re working late at night and can’t figure out the instructions on some project. Do an online search and, more than likely, you’ll find a video that solves your problem. Fortunately, for many students and parents, who often complete the FAFSA late at night […]
This season’s lineup on the Mapping Your Future YouTube channel Read More »
By Catherine Mueller Financial aid awareness really needs a year-long celebration. Even though February is the only official recognition of financial aid awareness, financial aid professionals and many others are observing it every day. In reality, there shouldn’t be only one month dedicated to financial aid awareness – it needs to be an everyday occurrence when
A month that could change a life Read More »
By Catherine Mueller Students should apply for as many scholarships as possible. That’s good advice, but with that advice in mind, students should prioritize some scholarships and maybe avoid some scholarships altogether. In general, you should apply for those scholarships that are a good fit and not apply to any scholarships that seem questionable. To determine
Questions to ask yourself before applying for scholarships Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Students and parents setting up an FSA ID find it easy to do so, but there are some important tips to avoid account problems in the future. Setting up an FSA ID (also known as creating a StudentAid.gov account) is the first step to complete the FAFSA. To assist students and parents with
Create your StudentAid.gov account updated flyer available Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Hopefully, your holiday list doesn’t include working on Christmas or New Year’s day, but if you do, be aware that some Federal Student Aid offices are taking a break or will have modified hours. Federal Student Aid (FSA) announced that their federal offices and Federal Student Aid processors and contact centers will be
Christmas and New Year’s holiday hours for Federal Student Aid and Mapping Your Future Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Students and parents wanting to know about the FAFSA or who need to create a StudentAid.gov account will want to watch the latest videos from Mapping Your Future. The “2025-26 FAFSA and Financial Aid” presentation and “Creating a StudentAid.gov Account” (setting up an FSA ID) videos are now available on the Mapping Your
By Marlene Seeklander Colleges often have priority deadlines for the FAFSA to help determine who to consider for certain financial aid programs. Please note: Some institutions may adjust their priority deadlines for 2025-26 due to the delay in the release of the FAFSA. If you have a question about priority deadlines or a suggestion for this
Priority deadlines for South Dakota colleges Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Students and parents wanting to know about the FAFSA will want to watch the latest video from Mapping Your Future. The 2025-26 FAFSA and Financial Aid presentation is now available on the Mapping Your Future YouTube channel. In the presentation, Cathy Mueller, Executive Director of Mapping Your Future, presents a high-level overview of
2025-2026 FAFSA presentation recording available from Mapping Your Future Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander It’s not too late to schedule an event specifically for your students and parents. With the 2025-26 FAFSA available, now is the time to host an event if you haven’t already. You can choose whether to invite your families to school to view the presentation, or the presentation can be online for everyone
You can still schedule your financial aid event Read More »
