The Office of Federal Student Aid released updated FAFSA guidance on which students should indicate they receive free or reduced-price school lunch. While all Michigan public school students are currently eligible for free lunch through state-level funding, students are now advised to check the box for receiving free or reduced-price school lunch ONLY if their annual household income falls below $60,000 to comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture income eligibility guidelines.

At the beginning of this new year, “FAFSA” is the phrase on the tip of everyone’s tongue, and for good reason. We always knew the Better FAFSA, which promises both an expansion of the federal Pell Grant and a more streamlined, quicker process, was coming this year, we just didn’t know about the associated headaches, including a three-month delay and the need for every school counselor, financial aid administrator, and college access professional to be re-trained in a relatively short period of time.

For many students and families, the road to “success” has been described the same way for decades — graduate high school, go to college, and obtain a degree. However, the landscape of higher education is constantly changing.

We are now less than one month away from the opening of the Better FAFSA! You may have seen Federal Student Aid’s (FSA) announcement that the FAFSA will open by December 31 this year.

On Feb. 8, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released her fiscal year 2023 budget proposal. This $79 billion plan includes bold investments in higher education, the k-12 system, and early childhood education.

On June 28, 2023, the state legislature passed Michigan’s FY24 budget, a bipartisan set of bills that was negotiated between both chambers of the legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. MCAN is encouraged to see bold investments in postsecondary education.

With College Decision Day rapidly approaching, students might need help navigating financial aid offers. These offers, often referred to as award letters, should spark conversations about college affordability.

January is here, and as you’re setting your goals and plans for 2023, we at NCAN think it’s a great time to reaffirm your commitment to college and career readiness.

With October comes all the exciting autumnal things — trees changing colors, Halloween, and of course, the opening of FAFSA season.

I grew up learning English as a second language, so my parents and I were lost when reading terms like Pell Grant, cost of attendance, money market account, or IRA.