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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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Department of Education reopens Income-Driven Repayment Plan and Loan Consolidation Applications for borrowers

By Marlene Seeklander Student loan borrowers wanting to apply for the Income-Drive Repayment Plan or Loan Consolidation can once again do so. A March 26 Press Release from the Department of Education announced that they have reopened the online income-driven (IDR) plan and loan consolidation applications for borrowers. In order to comply with the 8th Circuit

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Tip of the Week – March 26, 2025

Tip of the Week Keys to a successful scholarship strategy topic of upcoming webinar When it comes to getting money for college, scholarships can be critical. Even a small scholarship could mean the difference between being able to continue postsecondary education or having to withdraw. Mapping Your Future’s “Four Components of a Successful Scholarship Strategy”

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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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Mapping Your Future Higher Ed News – March 20, 2025

Higher Ed News Vol. 17 – Issue 6 Letter to education stakeholders from Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron The FAFSA and student loan servicing are two areas left unimpacted by the recent Department of Education layoffs, according to a letter sent out late last week. Updated School Participation Division contact information Schools with questions related

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Understanding your FAFSA status

By Catherine Mueller It’s no longer just a matter of “done” or “not done” when considering the status of your financial aid application. It’s important to understand the different status updates to determine if you need to take any action. When you log in to your account at StudentAid.gov, the status of your application will be one

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