This lesson will help counselors understand bias and how it comes into play in advising youth as they plan for the future.

While undocumented students face many barriers to college, it is still possible for them to get a college education. In this webinar, presented by Andrea Keenan, Director of College and Career Counseling at Excel Academy Charter Schools, attendees learn about admissions standards at both public and private universities and how to maximize credits and time for DACA and undocumented students through dual-enrollment and concurrent enrollment opportunities across states, high schools, and community colleges. There's also a discussion about financing options for students with different documentation statuses.

Join MEFA’s College Relations Team to learn more about the MEFA Loan program and processing news for the upcoming school year. In this training, college administrators learn the details of MEFA’s new 2024-25 academic year loans, operational changes, and process enhancements. Attendees also learn about MEFA resources available to financial aid administrators throughout the year such as entrance and exit counseling materials and customized staff trainings based on the needs of your institution.

Are you interested in supporting first-generation students through the college application process and their college years? Watch this webinar for counselors, college access professionals, and college administrators to learn more about some tools that can help first-generation students survive and thrive. The presenters discuss who are considered first-generation students, the variances that exists in the population, the issues and hurdles students face before and after college acceptance, and how we can all help them succeed.

This webinar is for educators who want to learn more about the programs offered within MassTransfer, find out why starting a college career at a community college can be an excellent choice, and hear tips on how to guide students to utilize this cost-saving initiative. Attendees hear from Arthur Esposito, Director of Academic Policy & Student Success at the MA Department of Higher Education, who will walk through the benefits, estimated savings, and requirements of MassTransfer, explain how students can get started, and describe some challenges for each program.

Transitioning to college and finding appropriate support services can be challenging for students with disabilities who have utilized an IEP in high school. This webinar for school counselors and college access professionals feature panelists from Westfield State University & Bridgewater State University as they share details of the resources available to students with disabilities as they transition to post-secondary education.

Did you know that New England residents can enroll at out-of-state public colleges at a discount? In this webinar, presented by Jonathan Gowin, Director of Tuition Break for the New England Board of Higher Education, earn more about Tuition Break, a savings program specifically for New England residents that can save families approximately $9,000 per year. Over 2,500 degree programs are available.

The college search and application process can be overwhelming for students. This webinar for school counselors and college access professionals, presented by Andrew Carter, Deputy Director of Admission at College of the Holy Cross, provides key information that will help you guide students through applying to college. Topics include current trends in admissions, building a balanced list of colleges, and the different components of the college application including transcripts, essays, and letters of recommendation.

Did you know that the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) supports hundreds of foster youth attending college each year? In this webinar for school counselors and college access professionals, Amy Chenette, Adolescent Services Program Coordinator at the Department of Children and Families, educate attendees about resources available to foster youth, how they file the FAFSA as an independent student, how they can get assistance with their FAFSA from DCF, and what scholarships and grants are available specifically for these students.

The new 2024-25 FAFSA is open, but some families have experienced difficulty navigating the application process. In this webinar for school counselors and college access professionals, we review known issues, technical bugs, and workarounds (when available) of the new FAFSA. We also discuss the impact of the delayed FAFSA launch on financial aid deadlines and the release of financial aid offers, as well as the process of updating and correcting FAFSA data.