FAFSA Articles

Important News About the FAFSA Form (Updated November 2024)

Important News About the FAFSA Form (Updated November 2024)

So—you've got a kid who'll be in college or grad school in the fall of 2025. And you're wondering, "There were so many problems with the FAFSA financial aid form in 2023 and in the first half of 2024. What's going on with the form now?" The biggest news is that the...

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How to Feel ECSTATIC When Your Kid’s in 12th Grade

How to Feel ECSTATIC When Your Kid’s in 12th Grade

Who feels ecstatic when their kids are in 12th grade? Parents (at all different income levels) who've laid the groundwork needed to get their 12th-grade kid through college debt-free—and then directly into a career that kid excels at and loves afterward. (I provide...

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Kid in College Next Fall? Grab This Free Money Now

Kid in College Next Fall? Grab This Free Money Now

If you'll have a kid in college next fall, grab this free money right now. That's right. Eleven months before college starts. Fill out the FAFSA financial aid form as soon as you can after October 1st, 2021—no matter your income level. Do this, and you'll put your...

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Exciting FAFSA Changes Coming in 2022! I’m On It!

Exciting FAFSA Changes Coming in 2022! I’m On It!

This article has been updated. You’ll find my most current information about the FAFSA financial aid form here. (See you over there!) —Jeannie Burlowski It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using...

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Debt-Free College Training—Fast and Easy

Debt-Free College Training—Fast and Easy

Watch just one of the short, succinct video trainings below, and you'll be on the fast track to getting the kids you love through college debt-free.  If you've got a bright, capable middle schooler or high schooler headed for college—you're probably wondering, "How...

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College Financing: Should Kids Just Do It Themselves?

College Financing: Should Kids Just Do It Themselves?

Some parents try to save a little time, energy, and money by putting their kids in charge of planning their own college financing.  “She's nearly an adult—let her figure it out herself and live with the consequences,” some parents think. But—is it actually a good idea...

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How Filling Out the FAFSA Protects Your Kid

How Filling Out the FAFSA Protects Your Kid

Filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) sounds like the best deal in the world.  Honestly. You as a parent spend just a little bit of time entering information into a clear, safe online form, and a kid you love magically gets put in line for...

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Should You Fill Out the FAFSA on Your Phone?

Should You Fill Out the FAFSA on Your Phone?

This article has been updated. You’ll find my most current information about the FAFSA financial aid form here. (See you over there!) —Jeannie Burlowski It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using...

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What Happens to Student Loan Debt After You Die?

What Happens to Student Loan Debt After You Die?

No parent wants to consider this—but what happens if one of your children runs up $80,000 in student loan debt, and then perishes in a car accident or dies of cancer? Will your grief be compounded by having to make years (decades!) of student loan payments, until the...

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Can Parents Call the College Financial Aid Office?

Can Parents Call the College Financial Aid Office?

If you're parenting a teen, there's a good chance that sometime during the winter of your child's senior year of high school, you're going to be flipping through documents called "financial aid award letters." You'll have a "financial aid award letter" from every...

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7 Reasons to Fill Out FAFSA — Even If You’re Rich

7 Reasons to Fill Out FAFSA — Even If You’re Rich

You’d love for your son to get loads of free money financial aid to help him pay for college, but you’re pretty sure he won’t qualify for much. Your family lives comfortably, after all. You aren’t poor. You wonder if filling out financial aid forms is even worth your...

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Want More College Money? Avoid These Costly FAFSA Mistakes

Want More College Money? Avoid These Costly FAFSA Mistakes

This article has been updated. You’ll find my most current information about the FAFSA financial aid form here. (See you over there!) —Jeannie Burlowski It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using...

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Which Colleges Are Still Taking Applications?

Which Colleges Are Still Taking Applications?

Ben and his parents sat up late at their dining room table, combing through all of Ben's college financial aid numbers one more time. Ben's dad ran his fingers nervously through his hair. The problem? It was already summer, and every college that had accepted Ben for...

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Ordinary Students—Extraordinary Financial Aid

Ordinary Students—Extraordinary Financial Aid

You'd love for your son to get loads of free money financial aid to help him pay for college, but you're pretty sure he won't qualify for much. Your family lives comfortably, after all. You aren't poor. You wonder if filling out financial aid forms is even worth your...

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Buy LAUNCH Before 1/11/17 — Get Bonuses Worth $248

Buy LAUNCH Before 1/11/17 — Get Bonuses Worth $248

Today I'm announcing the extra bonuses your family will receive if you purchase LAUNCH by January 11, 2017. Bonus #1 You and your immediate family will be invited to attend an online MasterClass with live Q&A with me, the author -- at no charge to you. This online...

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URGENT Info For Parents of 9th Graders

URGENT Info For Parents of 9th Graders

Today I'm helping financial professionals across the nation to spread the word. There's urgent financial aid info for parents of 9th graders. Yes I'm serious—9th graders. Parents, there are some things you need to know right now—so you can carefully protect your...

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5 Things to Do With That Student Aid Report (SAR)

5 Things to Do With That Student Aid Report (SAR)

Lately I've been talking a lot about parents filling out the FAFSA financial aid form even if they're rich. (If you've got a kid who'll be in college next year, you need to do this.) But what's the next step after that? About 2–3 weeks after you fill out the FAFSA...

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5 Places to Get Help With College Financial Aid Forms

5 Places to Get Help With College Financial Aid Forms

Are you filling out financial aid forms for a kid who'll be in college next fall? Great. The fall before he or she enters college is the perfect time to do that. But what do you do if you get stuck? Where do you go to get help with college financial aid forms? Here...

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3 Ways KIDS Can Get More Financial Aid For College

3 Ways KIDS Can Get More Financial Aid For College

Is your child a senior in high school, or older? This post is part 2 of a 2-part series on what to do each September to make sure the FAFSA form you fill out in early October will get your child maximum financial aid for college. To read part 1 of this very important...

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“HELP! My Parents Are Refusing to Help Me!”

“HELP! My Parents Are Refusing to Help Me!”

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post for parents who erroneously believe that if they'll just refuse to put their financial info on their child's FAFSA form, their child will get additional financial aid for college. Student, if your parents are refusing to help...

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Can’t My College Kid Just Declare Independence From Me?

Can’t My College Kid Just Declare Independence From Me?

The dad was smiling at me, like he had a special secret that no one else knew. He folded his arms, rocked back on his heels, and got ready to tell me just why he was never going to need my help getting his kids' college paid for. “I don’t have to worry about that,” he...

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About

Hi, I’m Jeannie Burlowski.

I am a full-time academic strategist, conference speaker, and author of the book “LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt-Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward.

My writing and speaking provide parents a clear, step-by-step checklist so they can set their kids up to succeed brilliantly in college, graduate debt-free, and move directly into careers they excel at and love.

For more than 20 years, I’ve helped students apply to highly competitive law, medical, business, and grad schools. I still do that from my website GetIntoMedSchool.com.

I am married, and my husband and I have a son and a daughter. We live in Minneapolis.

More about me …

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