The 2024–25 FAFSA form will expand eligibility for federal student aid.

• 610,000 new students from low-income backgrounds will be eligible to receive Federal Pell Grants due to updates to student aid calculations.
• Use the Federal Student Aid Estimator to get an early estimate of what your federal student aid could be after submitting the new form.

The 2024–25 FAFSA form will offer a new, streamlined user experience for students and their families.

• Applicants will be able to skip as many as 26 FAFSA questions, depending on their individual circumstances. Some applicants will need to complete as few as 18 questions, taking less than 10 minutes.
• Watch our “2024–25 FAFSA FAQs” playlist to better understand what’s changed on the new form.

• Didn’t submit a 2023–24 FAFSA form? Make sure to create your StudentAid.gov account—and remember your username and password so you can access and submit the 2024–25 FAFSA form when it’s available.
• Find out if your parent(s) or spouse will need to be contributors (contribute their info on your FAFSA form).
• If your parent(s) or spouse will need to contribute to your form, make sure each contributor creates their own StudentAid.gov account. Even if a contributor doesn’t have a Social Security number, they will be able to create an account when the 2024–25 form goes live.
• Watch our “Preparing for the FAFSA Form” playlist to understand what information and documents you’ll need to fill out the FAFSA form.

I recommend that most families start their college search in the spring of sophomore year.

If you start your teen too early, they might miss the chance to adjust to all the changes that starting high school introduces into their lives. Plus, you run the risk of having your teen burn out on the college search. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you wait too long to start, then you are sure to miss out on many key opportunities such as visiting several campuses, exploring a diverse set of college options, and developing application strategies that play into the strengths of your teen.

Colleges with test optional admissions policies allow some students to gain admission without submitting test scores. Importantly, great test scores can be an advantage in almost all admissions processes. Consequently, I generally recommend that all students take the SAT or ACT multiple times in an effort to secure a score that will help them in the admissions process. For some selective colleges, admit rates for students submitting scores are a lot higher than the admit rates for those not submitting scores.  

I recommend drafting college essays and reviewing application requirements during the summer before senior year. Then, your teen will be in a better position to apply well in advance of fall application deadlines. Most colleges do not start processing applications until August. And very few colleges, if any, have deadlines before October 15. 

Early Action – a chance to apply in the fall of your senior year and (typically) receive an application decision in early or mid winter. For more information, read this. 

Early Decision – a binding application option that requires you to enroll if you’re admitted. For more information, read this. 

Read this to learn more about the admissions advantages you gain from applying via Early Decision. 

Regular Decision – this is what most people think of when they consider applying to college. Most colleges have Regular Decision deadlines in early winter and notify students of their decisions in late winter. Regular Decision is not binding.

Rolling Admissions – this option usually allows you to apply throughout the fall and winter. With Rolling Admissions, applicants receive an admissions decision in a guaranteed amount of time. Some colleges will even extend admissions decisions within 48 hours of receiving an application, but a two-week turnaround time is much more common. 

Direct Admission – there are a growing number of colleges that admit students without receiving a traditional application. In these instances, the colleges will extend offers of admission based on data (typically GPA, ACT and/or SAT scores) stored in a database that the college can access without the students’ involvement.

There are three main sources of money that can make college more affordable for US families. The first is money from the colleges. The second is federal need-based aid. And the last is independent scholarships. To minimize your costs, you need to explore your family’s eligibility for all three sources of funds. For more information, read more here. 

Read this to learn more about how to avoid some critical mistakes in paying for college. 

I cannot answer that question without knowing you or your teen, but research makes plain the link between attaining a college degree and many life mile markers such as increased likelihood of owning a home and being insured, more time for hobbies and higher wages. 

While college can open important doors, it is also well documented that millions of students begin college and never finish. This creates “sunk costs” for their families and delays the start of their careers. Further, students who take out large education loans and never finish college face enormous challenges.

Ultimately, the college selection process is a critcal one. I’ve heard many parents describe it as the biggest personal, professional and financial decision in their teen’s young life.

NO. Read this to learn about how you can help level the playing field for your teen.

Yes, there are many reasons for a resume. Some of them relate to encouraging your teen’s growth, while others relate to applying for admission. Read more about the benefits of a resume. 

First, begin your work during the summer before senior year if at all possible. Second, read this description of the Common Application. Third, create a Common Application account; it’s fine – but not critical - to do this as early as your junior year. 

One of my dear friends and colleagues likes to explain that those two tests are like Coke and Pepsi. Some people prefer one. Some people prefer the other. And some people cannot tell the difference. For your teen, you need to figure out whether they have a preference in order to develop a strategy for maximizing their chances to post a score that will help them gain admission and secure more scholarship support. 

Many families just assume a four year college experience is the norm, but for many, it takes much longer. In your financial planning, I’d recommend you research what percentage of students graduate from each college you’re considering in 4 years, 5 years and 6 years. You should use these averages as a critical point of reference for your planning.