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.

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.

This webinar, presented by Dr. Amanda Sterk, Director of Accelerated Programs, Florida Southwestern State College and Dr. Timothy Poynton, Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston, two experienced educators with a passion for bringing tools and strategies to school counselors, help you assist your students with the college choice process using a strategy called LEADS. You can be able to take the strategies and tools shared during this webinar and immediately start using them as your work with students and families.

In partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has created near real-time school and student-level FAFSA completion reports within Edwin Analytics. These live reports allow schools and districts to monitor whether seniors have completed and submitted their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which they must submit in order to apply for federal and state financial student aid for college. The Department encourages all school counselors to have access to Edwin. Join in this webinar with presenter Nyal Fuentes, College and Career Readiness Coordinator at DESE, to learn about this important tool and how it can help your school and your students.

FAFSA Simplification, including the delayed availability of the FAFSA, has brought unprecedented changes to the financial aid process this year. The college admissions and financial aid cycle has been upended, with significant impact on the work of admissions, financial aid, and enrollment management administrators. Three higher education leaders and FAFSA experts provide guidance on how your institutions can manage these FAFSA changes and revised timeline this winter and spring while continuing to serve your prospective and current students.