By Catherine Mueller At first, it seems a little unusual – receiving an update to a FAFSA preview presentation when the 2024-25 FAFSA was released almost 6 months ago. But, then again, this year has been anything but typical. In a June 12 update to an Electronic Announcement issued last year, the Department of Education said […]
Updated “preview” presentation now available for the current FAFSA Read More »
By Catherine Mueller With eyes bright, they are embarking on their maiden flight. This summer, soon-to-be fully fledged college students are descending on college campuses across the country to attend summer orientation. For incoming freshmen, it is a beginning. But for many parents, it’s part of a journey that began long ago. The first look into
College planning flyer for parents updated Read More »
By Catherine Mueller Students across the country are now beginning to receive their long-awaited financial aid offers, and for some families those offers are not what they hoped for or what they expected. In previous years, students would have received financial aid offers much earlier in the year, but this year due to problems with the
Two FAFSA Simplification changes impacting financial aid offers Read More »
By Catherine Mueller Completing the FAFSA can make the difference when it comes to pursuing your dreams for the future. For many students, who couldn’t otherwise afford the cost of an education, the FAFSA makes it possible. If you haven’t completed the 2024-25 FAFSA, here are some reasons why you should: Because financial aid could be
Five reasons to complete the FAFSA Read More »
By Catherine Mueller Many have predicted the problems with the 2024-25 FAFSA will have an impact on college enrollment this fall. A new research article out this week, however, provides new analysis on FAFSA completion data, enrollment projections, and recommended actions. A May 7 article, written by Katharine Meyer and published on the Brookings Institute website, suggests
By Beth Ziehmer New student loan borrowers will be facing higher interest rates starting July 1. To help students know the upcoming July 1 interest rates, Mapping Your Future staff recently updated several references to interest rates. The new rates were announced in a May 14 Electronic Announcement. Updates were completed on the: Contact the Mapping Your
Interest rate information updated Read More »
By Catherine Mueller Even though a FAFSA belongs to a student, the student is usually not the only person with a role in completing it. To determine who, if anyone, should contribute to their FAFSA, a student should first determine if they are considered dependent or independent. The Department of Education provides a list of personal circumstances that
Questions to determine who needs to contribute to a student’s FAFSA Read More »
By Catherine Mueller For those financial aid professionals tracking some of the known technical issues with the processing of student FAFSA records, another couple of updates were added to the list this week. The Department on May 22 added two alerts to the Technical FAQ and Known Issues Guide. The guide, which the Department says is “to
Two new issues with student FAFSA data added to technical guide Read More »
By Catherine Mueller The gate restricting entry to the FAFSA for some students and their parents has been opened by the Department of Education. In an Electronic Announcement this week, the U.S. Department of Education said it would allow students, whose parents may not have a Social Security number, to immediately access the 2024-25 FAFSA online after creating
Accessing the 2024-25 FAFSA may be easier now for those without a Social Security number Read More »
By Catherine Mueller Saving for college can be tough. With costs of just about every living expense continuing to rise, setting aside money for a child’s education may have been challenging. Even if a family has managed to save some money, it may not be enough to cover all of a student’s college expenses. Parents who
Five facts everyone should know about parent student loans Read More »
