Tip of the Week

Tip of the Week A month that could change a life 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 […]

Tip of the Week The ups and downs of funding If you weren’t buckled in your seat, you might have been shaken up a bit. For those in higher education (and for many others as well), yesterday was a day that turned out to be one heck of a roller coaster ride. News trickled out

Tip of the Week Questions to ask yourself before applying for scholarships 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

Tip of the Week Reminder about FAFSA Call Center extended hours While many financial aid professionals have been dealing with data and deadlines in recent weeks, the 2025-26 FAFSA completion cycle has gotten underway. That launch of the FAFSA cycle also typically means more calls from students and parents. Hopefully, the expanded hours for the

Tip of the Week What are your New Year’s intentions? There’s something about getting out a new calendar that often prompts us to think about resolutions or intentions for the new year. Many times, our resolutions or intentions are focused on our health, our financial habits, or our family and friends. Have you set some

Tip of the Week Reminder of COD peak processing times Delays in COD processing can be frustrating as you prepare to disburse aid, so you may want to make note of the peak processing times. In a recent announcement, the Department of Education reminds schools that starting in January, processing for the 2024-25 award year

Tip of the Week Mapping Your Future offers helpful tips on FAFSA completion, StudentAid.gov account creation in new videos 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

Tip of the Week It was clear the FAFSA needed to be fixed It was while helping his own daughter complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA, that Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona realized something needed to be fixed. In his remarks today at the virtual Federal Student Aid (FSA) Conference, Cardona acknowledged that the root cause of

Tip of the Week For your kindness If it weren’t for the kindness of friends and strangers, I am not sure where I would be. When I think about what I am thankful for this holiday season, I am aware of the many times someone helped me. Much of that help has come from family,

Tip of the Week ED releases 2025-26 College Financing Plan As you prepare for the 2025-26 award year, you may want to implement the new College Financing Plan template. The Department of Education recently announced the release of the 2025-26 College Financing Plan (CFP), formerly known as the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet, a tool that