Straight talk on paying for college.
Quick reads on aid, loans, and the stuff nobody explains at orientation.
Starting College in January? How Financial Aid Works for a Spring 2027 Start
Starting in January 2027? Spring starters file the 2026-27 FAFSA. Here are the deadlines, the questions to ask, and how to compare offers.
This week
Three short reads
Oct 14, 2026
Admitted Early but No Aid Offer Yet? What to Do Before Your Deposit Is Due
Oct 13, 2026
Record Numbers of Seniors Filed the FAFSA Last Year. Here Is What That Means If You Are Part of the Class of 2027.
Oct 12, 2026
What a Financial Aid Priority Deadline Really Means, and a November 1 Checklist for Early Applicants
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Recent posts
Oct 15
2026
Starting College in January? How Financial Aid Works for a Spring 2027 Start
Starting in January 2027? Spring starters file the 2026-27 FAFSA. Here are the deadlines, the questions to ask, and how to compare offers.
Oct 15 2026 · 9 min read
Oct 14
2026
Admitted Early but No Aid Offer Yet? What to Do Before Your Deposit Is Due
Got an admission letter but no financial aid offer? Learn why offers lag, which deposit deadlines can bend, and exactly what to ask the financial aid office.
Oct 14 2026 · 9 min read
Oct 13
2026
Record Numbers of Seniors Filed the FAFSA Last Year. Here Is What That Means If You Are Part of the Class of 2027.
The Class of 2026 set a FAFSA completion record at 59.1%. Here is what the number means, which states led, and how Class of 2027 families can file early.
Oct 13 2026 · 7 min read
Oct 12
2026
What a Financial Aid Priority Deadline Really Means, and a November 1 Checklist for Early Applicants
A priority deadline decides who gets first pick of limited aid. Learn what it means, which forms carry one, and a simple checklist to finish before November 1.
Oct 12 2026 · 8 min read
Oct 11
2026
The Federal Loan Fee Nobody Puts on the Award Letter: What a Parent PLUS or Student Loan Really Puts in Your Account
Federal loans carry an upfront fee (1.057% or 4.228%) taken before the money reaches your school. See the math, why it matters under Parent PLUS caps, and how to keep more of what you borrow.
Oct 11 2026 · 9 min read
Oct 9
2026
A Senate Bill Would Make Every College's Financial Aid Offer Look the Same. Here Is How to Read Your Offers Until It Does.
A Senate bill would require every college to show aid offers the same way. Here is what it says, where it stands, and a 5-step method to compare offers today.
Oct 9 2026 · 10 min read
Oct 8
2026
Student Debt Sits at About $1.86 Trillion: What the Fed's Newest Numbers Mean for Your Family
The Fed's Oct. 7 report puts student loans near $1.86 trillion. Here is what that number does and does not mean, plus five steps to keep your own family's share small.
Oct 8 2026 · 8 min read
Oct 7
2026
Your Student Loans and the Treasury Department: What Is Moving, What Is Not, and What to Do Now
ED and Treasury are sharing student loan work in phases. Here is what has changed for borrowers in default, what stays the same for everyone else, and a simple checklist to protect your family.
Oct 7 2026 · 8 min read
Oct 6
2026
Only 1 in 3 Public Four-Year Colleges Is Affordable for Low- and Moderate-Income Families. Here Is How to Find the Ones That Are.
NCAN's 2026 report found only 32% of public four-year colleges were affordable for low- and moderate-income families. Here is how to compare net price and your own gap.
Oct 6 2026 · 7 min read
Oct 5
2026
Student Loan Mix-Ups Are Happening This Fall. Here Is How to Build a Paper Trail Before You Need One.
Servicer errors and confusing notices are common this year. Here is a simple 7-step system for saving the records that protect you.
Oct 5 2026 · 7 min read
From the resource library
Deeper guides, when you're ready to dig in
Blog posts are short. The resource library is step-by-step.
Workforce Pell Approved Programs Tracker: Every Federally Approved Program by State
Early Decision and Early Action Financial Aid Timeline: When Forms Are Due and When Offers Arrive (Fall 2027 Entry)
The 2027-28 CSS Profile Is Open. Here Is What to Gather and When It Is Due.