Items of note include a notification of the initial soft launch period, which included periods of downtime, that colleges will not get FAFSA data until early to mid-March, and a reminder that almost every contributor on the FAFSA will need an FSA ID.…

Top blog post topics include the CSS Profile, the FAFSA, financial aid, scholarships, and college admissions …

Scholarships include the 1 for 2 Scholarship, Stacey Scholarship Fund, Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship, Elk Legacy Awards, Christophers High School Poster Contest, Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship, and Scholars Helping Collars Scholarship.…

The MEFA Podcast provides informative conversations, up-to-date news and guidance, and the answers to questions asked by families. Every other week, hosts Jonathan Hughes and Julie Shields-Rutyna bring you a 30-40-minute episode related to some aspect of planning for the future.…

MEFA reminds families that the holiday-giving season is the perfect opportunity to nudge family and friends toward contributing to a child's college savings account.…

Questions include who needs an FSA ID, when do I apply for an FSA ID, what are the steps to set up my FSA ID, do the child and parent need separate FSA IDs, is there a way to recover my FSA ID if I don't recall it, and more…

Learn the differences between independent and dependent students, how the new status allows students to request to be treated as an independent student even if they wouldn't automatically qualify, and what to do if it's determined that a student is dependent after requesting this status. …

Scholarships include National Garden Clubs Scholarship, American Society for Enology and Viticulture Scholarship Program, The Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) Scholarships, E-waste Scholarship, ExtremeTerrain's Student Scholarships, and Ventana Ocean Conservation Scholarship.…

Learn who needs to create an FSA ID, how a student can add or remove a contributor, when the student will receive the FSS, which information a parent will need to update if completing the form for multiple children, how to stop your FAFSA from being deleted after 45 days, and more.…

Scholarships include the International Documentary Photography Scholarship, GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship, Fidelity Scholars Program, John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest, National Washington Crossing Foundation Scholarship, Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship, and more.…