What to Do If You're on a Waitlist
Were you placed on a college’s waitlist? There’s some actions you can take now, such as formally accepting the spot, providing the school with updated grades or awards, letting the college know they’re your top choice, and depositing at a school you’ve been accepted to. To learn more about waitlists, read our blog post, Have You Been Placed on a Waitlist?, at https://www.mefa.org/blog/have-you-be...
 Create an Account in MEFA Pathway
As students progress through middle and high school, it's important for them to make a postsecondary plan. MEFA Pathway, our free college and career planning website, guides students through every step of that planning process. This website provides tools and activities to help students learn more about themselves, set goals for the future, and meet academic and career benchmarks. It's easy for students to create an account in MEFA Pathway! This short video walks through every step of the process. Get started today at https://www.mefapathway.org/
The MEFA Institute<sup>™</sup>: Understanding MA State Financial Aid
This webinar provides an overview of the state-based financial aid programs in Massachusetts. Join Constantia T. Papanikolaou, Chief Legal Counsel at MA Department of Higher Education, and Dr. Clantha McCurdy, Senior Deputy Commissioner of Access and Student Financial Assistance at MA Department of Higher Education, as they discuss each of these programs and highlight some initiatives by the Commonwealth of MA and Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA).
Answering Your Questions about 529 Accounts and Financial Aid
Do 529 accounts owned by a grandparent affect financial aid? Do families receive less financial aid if they saved in a 529 account? Get the answers to these questions and others in our short video. And learn more in our blog post, College Savings Accounts and Financial Aid.
Attainable<sup>®</sup> Savings Plan Overview
The Attainable® Savings Plan allows individuals with disabilities and their families to save for disability-related expenses without losing eligibility for federal means-tested benefits. In this webinar, we review the benefits, eligibility requirements, and plan details of Attainable®, and explain how to easily set up an account. Download a copy of the webinar slides to follow along.
Why to Consider Community College
Are you thinking about attending a community college? Community colleges are two-year schools where you can earn an associate degree. They have many benefits, including costing less than 4-year institutions, allowing you to utilize MassTransfer, having open enrollment and rolling admissions, and offering career training and apprenticeship programs.
The Anniversary of ABLE
ABLE accounts were established thanks to the ABLE Act, enacted on December 19, 2014 to help individuals with disabilities save for qualified expenses without impacting their access to federal public benefits. Find out how you can save in Attainable®, the Massachusetts ABLE Plan offered by MEFA and managed by Fidelity Investments.
What to Know about the CSS Profile
This webinar introduces the nuts and bolts of the CSS Profile®, a financial aid application required by roughly 200 colleges, universities, and scholarship agencies across the country. Topics include tips on completing the Profile, specific financial and household data collected, and how colleges and universities use the application information.
The MEFA Institute<sup>™</sup>: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile
This webinar for school counselors and college access professionals, presented by Gail Holt of Amherst College, introduces the nuts and bolts of the CSS Profile®, a financial aid application required by roughly 200 colleges, universities, and scholarship agencies across the country. Topics include tips on completing the CSS Profile, specific financial and household data collected, and how colleges and universities use the application information.
The FAFSA and Early Action/Early Decision
If you’re applying to college Early Action/Early Decision, you won’t be able to submit the FAFSA at the same time you submit your application for admission, as the 2024-25 FAFSA won’t be available until December 2023. You’ll want to make sure you check the financial aid webpage of every college where you are applying early to find out about any other required financial aid applications they might require, such as the CSS Profile® or an institutional financial aid application. For more information on the new FAFSA, read our blog post, What You Need to Know about the New FAFSA