Paying for College

FAFSA handwritten in a note. Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Updated 2027-28 FAFSA documents now available for comment

By Marlene Seeklander Anyone interested in the 2027-28 FAFSA can now take a look – or perhaps a second look – at the form. In a May 26 update to an earlier Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education announced that they are seeking feedback on updated draft 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form […]

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Key differences between internships, apprenticeships, work-study and part-time jobs

By Catherine Mueller Add some on-the-job experience to your education and you are positioning yourself for a successful career. After all, most employers want to know that you have both classroom education and hands-on experience no matter what career field you’ve chosen – whether it’s a technical or building trade, an art or craftsman skill, or

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Hundreds of thousands of FAFSAs selected for identity verification

By Catherine Mueller Financial aid professionals will be busy checking student identity after a few hundred thousand FAFSAs were selected for additional verification. The selection of the FAFSAs for additional identity verification follows the implementation of a new fraud detection system. On May 14, the Department added information to a April 15 announcement about the fraud

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

Student eligibility for Pell Grants increased after FAFSA Simplification

By Marlene Seeklander While FAFSA Simplification may have been a challenge for many schools, a recent GAO study confirms what many in the industry thought – that student eligibility increased for Pell Grants after changes were made to the FAFSA. A recent study published by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) indicates that student eligibility for Pell Grants,

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Updated 2026-27 Federal School Code List released

By Marlene Seeklander The Department of Education recently released an updated 2026-27 Federal School Code List, which plays a key role in the FAFSA. The Department announced the availability of the updated 2026–27 Federal School Code (FSC) List of Participating Schools.  Although it’s usually not necessary, students can enter these codes on the FAFSA in order

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May checklist for high school seniors

By Marlene Seeklander As your senior year winds down, you may find yourself distracted with plans for prom, your graduation celebration, and summer. Don’t forget to stay focused on school so you can finish your high school career strong. Below is a checklist of things you should complete during the month of May:

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Financial aid offers – the bottom line

By Marlene Seeklander Choosing a college is an important financial decision. After all, you are making an investment in your future. Therefore, it’s important to carefully review all the financial aid offers you receive from the colleges you’ve listed on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Bottom line, you want to make sure the

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Scholarship opportunities for students pursuing specific career fields

By Marlene Seeklander Applying for scholarships is a smart way to pay for a college education. Scholarships enable students to pay for an education and avoid student loan debt. In addition, scholarships are recognition of a student’s accomplishments – something that can be included on a resume or lead to other opportunities. Students may want to

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

Minor updates coming to the 2027-28 FAFSA

By Marlene Seeklander The 2027-28 FASFA will include a few minor changes when it is released in the fall. At the recent Federal Student Aid (FSA) Conference that was held in Washington, D.C. on March 4-6, the Department of Education presented a session on “FAFSA Updates” to outline some of the upcoming changes to the 2027-28

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