High School Counselor Week

How the government shutdown will affect student loans, FAFSA and the Education Department
AP news – October 1, 2025
Already diminished by cuts by the Trump administration, the U.S. Education Department will see more of its work come to a halt due to the government shutdown. The department says many of its core operations will continue during the shutdown, which began at midnight Wednesday. Here is what the department does and how a shutdown is expected to affect that work.

‘A perfect storm’ — more colleges at risk as enrollment falls and financial pressures mount
CNBC – September 30, 2025
As college and university leaders returned to campus this fall, there were new signs that a long-building financial crisis may finally be reaching a breaking point Closures and mergers are looming “at a pace we haven’t seen since the Great Recession,” said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education. And now, international student enrollment is poised to drop off due to the Trump administration’s tougher visa rules and anti-immigrant policies, representing billions of dollars in lost tuition and stripping away one of higher ed’s most reliable financial lifelines.

What schools stand to lose in the battle over the next federal education budget
NPR – September 26, 2025
Congress and the White House have released not one, not two, but three competing funding visions for the nation’s K-12 schools in fiscal year 2026. And education researchers warn that two of those three proposals — from the White House and House Republicans — would impose steep cuts on some of the United States’ most vulnerable students and disadvantaged school communities.

Instagram met with criticism as it launches new School Partnership Program to combat cyberbullying
Scripps News – September 25, 2025
Instagram is rolling out a new School Partnership Program that allows all middle and high schools to flag safety concerns like bullying directly to the platform for faster review — but is facing criticism from education advocates over whether the move actually benefits students’ well-being, or if it’s just the platform’s latest effort to deflect responsibility to regulate their products. To participate, schools must create their own Instagram profile and register for the program. Those accounts will get a special tag to indicate participation on their profiles. That account can then flag cyberbullying language and administrators can report the content directly. Instagram says the program has already been piloted in about 60 schools over the past year, and is now available for schools to register nationwide. Critics note that the rollout of the program comes just months after Meta loosened its own community rules, ending its third-party fact-checking program and replacing it with “user-based community notes,” and dismantling its hateful conduct policy.

What AI Addiction Looks Like in Kids—7 Red Flags Every Parent Should Know
Parents – September 26, 2025
How can you tell if your teen’s AI use has crossed the line into addiction? Here, experts break down what “AI addiction” looks like, how it affects kids, and the steps parents can take to protect them.

Get Schooled: How to Plan a Family Vacation With a College Visit
AARP – September 22, 2025
Combining a college visit and a vacation in some ratio isn’t just financially intelligent multitasking; it helps rebrand a potentially stressful endeavor as an informational trip that’s fun for the whole family — siblings and grandparents often included. We spoke to the pros for tips to help you plan and maximize a combo vacation-college trip.

Just how integral is calculus to college readiness?
Higher Ed Dive – September 24, 2025
Fewer than 5% of colleges explicitly require applicants to have completed a calculus course. But the vast majority of college admissions officers — 89% — say students who take calculus in high school are more likely to succeed in college. Nearly half of admissions officers said that not taking calculus limits a student’s college options. The potential problem with those assumptions revolve around both equity and pedagogy. At a panel during NACAC’s annual conference last week, Just Equations National Policy Director Andrea McChristian pointed out that only 35% of high schools where over 75% of students are Black or Latinx offer calculus. Meanwhile, other math courses that might be more pertinent to a high schooler’s career in college and beyond — particularly statistics and data classes — are often viewed by admissions staff as less important or rigorous

Should my child take AP or dual enrollment? What to know about the programs
AZ Central – September 24, 2025
Taking Advanced Placement classes or dual-credit courses might seem like the best option to get a leg up before entering college. As colleges get more selective, students want to do whatever they can to show that they’re preparing and putting in the extra work. Students should know what options their high schools offer for college credit, she said. If they already have colleges in mind, it will make choosing between AP and dual enrollment easier.

How to Complete the CSS Profile
U.S. News & World Report – September 24, 2025
The CSS Profile, administered and maintained by the College Board, the same group that develops the SAT, opens the door to nonfederal scholarships and other kinds of institutional aid that can make a big difference when it’s time to pay for college. The schools that require the application are mostly private colleges or other institutions that have large endowments, experts say. But other colleges tarted using the CSS Profile when significant changes – that ultimately created delays and challenges for families – were made to the FAFSA. Here’s what families should know about filling out the CSS Profile.

How Do You Complete The FAFSA If Your Income Has Changed?
Forbes – September 30, 2025
FAFSA always looks backwards when it comes to family financial information. For example, for students completing the FAFSA this year will provide family income and tax information, from 2024. This is not a problem for students and families whose financial situation is stable. But it does present issues for students and families that have experienced a financial shock, like losing a house or a job. When that happens, students can appeal to colleges for more support. U.S. Education Department must process students’ finished FAFSA form before students can submit an appeal to see if they qualify for additional aid.

2026 – 2027 Student Aid Index (SAI) Chart And Calculator
The College Investor – September 24, 2025
The Student Aid Index (SAI) replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) when calculating financial aid needs for families paying for college. This is the key formula that can help unlock scholarships, grants, federal student loans and other financial aid. Both are calculated through formulas with information derived from the FAFSA form. The big reason behind the change is to create a better reflection on the true cost of colleges.

Completing the FAFSA: Everything You Should Know
U.S. News & World Report – September 24, 2025
The 2024 federal tax return is needed to complete the FAFSA for the 2026-2027 academic year. The federal due date is June 30 of the following academic year. Students ineligible for a federal grant may still qualify for other federal assistance. Here are answers to common questions about the FAFSA.