By Marlene Seeklander Students and families will want to take note of a recent update to one of the FAFSA questions. The Department of Education announced an update made to the FAFSA to comply with President Trump’s Executive Order, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government. The update to […]
FAFSA Question 11 updated Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Although the 2026-27 academic year seems a long way into the future, financial aid professionals now have some tools available to help them prepare for it. The Department of Education announced the initial installment of the 2026–27 FAFSA Specifications Guide, which includes the Microsoft Excel version of the 2026–27 Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) record
2026-27 FAFSA Specifications Guide released Read More »
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 Marlene Seeklander For some students, one of the most challenging parts of the FAFSA is knowing which parent to invite to the FAFSA. The Department of Education has the parent wizard tool available outside of the FAFSA form, making it easier for students, families, and others to make this determination ahead of time. In addition, Mapping Your
Determining the parent for the 2025-26 FAFSA Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Institutions will want to take note of a recent update to one of the FAFSA questions. The Department of Education announced an update made to the FAFSA to comply with President Trump’s Executive Order, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government. The update to Question 11
FAFSA Question 11 updated Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander The minimum and maximum Federal Pell Grant amount for 2025-2026 remains unchanged from 2024-2025. In a recent Dear Colleague Letter, the Department of Education released the Federal Pell Grant maximum and minimum award amounts for the 2025-2026 award year (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026). The maximum Pell Grant award remains at
2025-2026 Federal Pell Grant award amounts Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander A key component of the FAFSA – the Federal School Code List – has been updated by the Department of Education. The Department announced the availability of the updated 2025–26 Federal School Code (FSC) List of Participating Schools. Students sometimes enter these codes on the FAFSA in order for the postsecondary schools to
Updated 2025-26 Federal School Code List now available Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Students often have lots of questions about “what happens next” with the financial aid process. The general answer to all the questions is students who have submitted a FAFSA have now taken their first step to determine eligibility for financial aid. There are many specific things that happen now that a FAFSA has
What happens after you submit the FAFSA? Read More »
By Catherine Mueller It is understandable – that overwhelmed feeling you get when thinking about how to pay for college. While much of that feeling is due to the amount of money involved, you can mitigate it somewhat with a college financial plan. The college financial plan consists of understanding the cost of attending college and
Four components of a good college financial plan Read More »
By Catherine Mueller Students eligible to receive the maximum Federal Pell Grant for 2025-26 will receive the same amount as was awarded in the current academic year. The maximum Pell Grant award for 2025–26 (July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026) will be $7,395. Pell Grant award amounts can vary based on a student’s eligibility and
Pell Grant award amounts unchanged for the 2025-26 academic year Read More »
