FAP856: MEFA Rescue in the Works, Volunteering Jobcast Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + Boston Globe: MEFA rescue plan? Governor Deval Patrick has asked the state pension fund to invest $50 million and will ask Harvard University and other local colleges to invest millions more to provide student loans to thousands of families struggling to pay [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "FAP856: MEFA Rescue in the Works, Volunteering Jobcast", url: "http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/2008/08/07/fap856-mefa-rescue-in-the-works-volunteering-jobcast/" });

FAP855: Expert interview with Whitney Hoffman on new FAFSA provisions Listen now: Expert Interview + On today’s show, former Madden & Patton attorney and podcast producer Whitney Hoffman on the legal definitions of emancipated student, unaccompanied homeless minor, and dislocated worker + What financial aid administrators need to know about legal documentation of new statuses + A potential solution [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "FAP855: Expert interview with Whitney Hoffman on new FAFSA provisions", url: "http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/2008/08/06/fap855-expert-interview-with-whitney-hoffman-on-new-fafsa-provisions/" });

Image via Wikipedia FAP854: Student loans becoming less available? Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + KCCI: As families continue to deal with rising costs at many colleges, some said that they’re finding student loans harder to come by. Iowa Student Loan CEO Steve McCullough said that many middle-class families are paying higher interest rates on those loans [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "FAP854: Student loans becoming less available?", url: "http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/2008/08/05/fap854-student-loans-becoming-less-available/" });

FAP853: ACG and SMART grant issues, 2009-2010 FAFSA Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + Higher Education Act Reauthorization + Inside Higher Ed: An audit by the U.S. Education Department’s Office of Inspector General has faulted the agency for not doing enough to reach out to recruit students from all schools for the new Academic Competitiveness Grant and [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "FAP853: ACG and SMART grant issues, 2009-2010 FAFSA", url: "http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/2008/08/04/fap853-acg-and-smart-grant-issues-2009-2010-fafsa/" });

I’ve been reviewing the 2009-2010 FAFSA form this weekend, in its draft form, to go over the changes since last year’s form. There’s a hefty pile of changes, and while most of them are good, a few contain the potential for some serious abuse. Here’s a rundown of what’s changed/changing, and my opinion of the changes: 1. [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "First look opinions on the 2009-2010 FAFSA form", url: "http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/2008/08/02/first-look-opinions-on-the-2009-2010-fafsa-form/" });