by Shannon Vasconcelos, former financial aid officer at Tufts University

If you’ve been within shouting distance of a TV, computer, tablet, phone, or newspaper today, you’ve likely heard that Congress passed an omnibus spending bill last night, including a COVID relief package. What you may not have heard much about yet is a number of significant changes to federal financial aid programs included in the legislation.  More details will be forthcoming, and the bill is still pending President Trump’s signature, but, for now, here are the major provisions in the bill that may directly or indirectly affect how students and parents pay for college:

by Shannon Vasconcelos, former financial aid officer at Tufts University

Important news for student loan borrowers coming out of the Department of Education this weekend!

Secretary of Education Betsy Devos announced the extension of the automatic loan forbearance for federal student loan borrowers through January 31, 2021.  This forbearance was originally granted by the CARES Act and was scheduled to end September 30, 2020. President Trump later extended the forbearance by executive action through December 31, 2020, and Devos’ latest action ensures that struggling borrowers will not need to make payments prior to the new administration taking office in late January.

Campus visits are an invaluable way to learn about colleges—but they’re simply not an option right now at the majority of schools. So, how can you figure out if a college is a fit even if you can’t experience it in person?

A guest post from Sabrina Manville, Co-founder and COO of Edmit

This fall, students of all ages have transitioned to virtual online learning in some format as a result of the global COVID pandemic—some by choice, and some not. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, which is tracking college reopening plans, 44% of colleges are fully or primarily online whereas only 27% are operating fully or primarily in-person (as of the time of writing). The remaining colleges are offering a mix of hybrid or blended options.

by Mary Sue Youn, former admissions officer at Barnard College

In July, I wrote in a blog post about a question we get often from current senior families:

“What will happen if a higher percentage of the class of 2020 takes a gap year? Won’t that mean that there will be fewer spots for the class of 2021?”

by Sara Calvert-Kubrom, former admissions officer at Lewis & Clark College

As we field calls from high school seniors and their parents, we have noticed that there is substantial confusion and uncertainty about what “test optional” is, and how to navigate the college admission process during this time of extensive SAT and ACT exam cancellations. Here are some tips and insights to demystify the landscape of standardized testing and college admission for this year’s seniors and to empower you to make informed decisions:

In theory, college applications like the Common App, The Universal Application, and the Coalition App allow students to write one essay for all colleges. In practice, many colleges also require supplemental essays. We’ll tell you what these are and how to find them, and offer tips on writing the most common prompt—Why This College? We’re also discussing COVID-19’s impact on college finance based on what we are hearing from colleges and families. Finally, we’ll set some goals for juniors returning to high school.

In terms of the college application process, almost nothing has been impacted quite as significantly by COVID-19 as standardized testing. A testing expert joins us to share her insights into what to expect when it comes to these evaluations this fall. In our second and third segments, we’re answering your questions related to college finance and admissions.

Southern New Hampshire University President Dr. Paul LeBlanc joined the show this week to offer his thoughts on how SNHU is responding to COVID-19, tips for online learning, and what he sees as the overall disruption to higher ed and the potential positive outcomes to that disruption. For those with college savings plans, we’ll discuss how to maximize those plans to pay the college tuition bill when it arrives.

by Julie Wolf, Guest Writer

“While remote or online learning is different than face-to-face, it truly isn’t less than.”

A professor friend told me this. I believe it’s true, but some students are anxious. Who better to address their concerns than experienced faculty members? A dozen professors in varying fields (art history, architecture, writing, literature, African-American studies, nutrition, philosophy, computer science, and electrical engineering) from varying institutions (midsize Ivy League and liberal arts schools, large private universities in the Northeast, even larger state universities in the South and Midwest) weighed in: What can students do to achieve a successful fall semester? Their advice will be helpful not just for college students, but for students in high school as well.