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Trump’s Budget Proposal Would Cut $2.3 Billion From Education Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

If you’re a college student or family relying on financial aid, President Trump’s newly released fiscal year 2027 budget proposal (PDF File) could signal major changes ahead. The plan calls for eliminating two long-standing aid programs, freezing Pell Grant awards at their current dollar amount, and continuing the administration’s push to shut down the Department of Education entirely.

The proposal, unveiled on Friday, requests $76.5 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education, a $2.3 billion (2.9%) decrease from last year. Including both mandatory and discretionary funding, the administration requested $124.4 billion for federal student aid.

The budget document describes these moves as putting the department on a “path to elimination,” with programs transferred to other agencies and staff reduced.

Here’s what the proposal includes, what it would mean for your wallet, and why it may or may not actually happen.

Colleges Are Requiring SAT and ACT Scores Again — Here’s the Full List for 2027 Apr 07, 2026

Show notes

The test-optional era in college admissions is rapidly drawing to a close. What began as an emergency response to Covid-19 disruptions has turned into one of the most significant policy reversals in recent higher education history.

From the Ivy League to SEC flagships, schools are bringing back SAT and ACT requirements, and some are now accepting the Classic Learning Test (CLT) as well. According to Brian Eufinger, co-founder of Edison Prep, "Even at schools that remain test-optional, scores are often still required to compete for top-tier merit scholarships."

For the high school class of 2027, which will begin submitting applications this fall, standardized testing is once again a central part of the college admissions equation.

PSLF Strategy in 2026: New Employer Rule, RAP Plan, and Parent PLUS Changes Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Public Service Loan Forgiveness remains one of the best student loan forgiveness programs for federal student loan borrowers working in government or at qualifying nonprofits.

The core program hasn’t changed: you still need to hit four requirements to get your loans forgiven. But the rules around those requirements are shifting in 2026, and if you’re actively pursuing PSLF, you need to understand what’s different.

Here are the four pillars of PSLF eligibility and what’s changing with each.

Education Department Says 10 Million FAFSA Forms Complete Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

The U.S. Department of Education announced that more than 10 million Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms for the 2026-27 academic year have been completed and processed this application cycle.

That represents a 17% increase over the number of applications completed at this point during the previous year and a 487% jump compared to two years ago, when the Biden Administration’s botched rollout of a redesigned FAFSA form left millions of families waiting months for processing.

The Department credited the improvement to what it called "the earliest FAFSA launch in history".

What Are Ghost Students? Financial Aid Fraud Explained Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

Across the country, colleges are discovering that their enrollment rolls are full of students who don’t actually exist. They’re called “ghost students”—fabricated or stolen identities used by scammers to enroll in college courses, trigger federal financial aid disbursements, and then vanish with the money.

The fraud has grown so large that the U.S. Department of Education says it prevented more than $1 billion in attempted student aid theft in 2025 alone. And the problem is getting worse.

Dept. of Education To Downsize Headquarters And Move Buildings Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

The U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday that it will move out of its longtime headquarters in Washington, D.C., downsizing to a smaller building.

The agency will relocate to a smaller federal office one block away, a move that underscores how much the department has shrunk under the Trump administration’s push to dismantle it.

The LBJ building, which sits at 400 Maryland Avenue SW, is now approximately 70% vacant following a reduction in force that cut nearly half of the department’s workforce.

The move is targeted for August 2026.

SAVE Plan Forbearance Ending: What To Know Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

The Department of Education is going to begin contacting the more than 7 million borrowers enrolled in the now-defunct SAVE student loan repayment plan, directing them to choose a new repayment plan. The first emails are reminders, followed by formal notices.

Starting July 1, loan servicers will issue formal 90-day notices requiring borrowers to switch or be automatically placed on the standard repayment plan. That means the effective end date of the SAVE forbearance will likely be September 30, 2026.

The Washington Post first reported that the Education Department would begin emailing SAVE borrowers on Friday to encourage them to apply for a different repayment plan. Those emails will be followed by formal notices from loan servicers giving borrowers 90 days to choose a new plan or be automatically moved into the standard repayment plan — the most expensive option available, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The Associated Press confirmed the timeline, reporting that the formal 90-day notices from loan servicers will begin on July 1. Borrowers will be contacted in waves, with a new group receiving notice every two weeks. Those enrolled in SAVE the longest will be the first to hear from their servicers.

This aligns with The College Investor's previous SAVE Timeline Predictions of fall 2026.

A Parent's Guide to College Applications: From Essays to Financial Aid Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

College applications present students with a challenging and time-consuming project — perhaps the largest they have faced in their lives. As a parent, you can help your child manage the process, but you can also hurt their chances if you make the wrong moves.

Here’s a collection of college admissions secrets that can help you craft the ideal college list, get your child into schools they love, and choose one that you’ll be able to afford.

What's The Difference Between Prepaid Tuition And 529 Plans? Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

The main difference between a prepaid tuition plan and 529 plan is that prepaid tuition plans allow you to lock in tuition credits at today's prices.

Prepaid tuition plans and 529 college savings plans are specialized savings accounts used for future college costs. Prepaid tuition plans act like defined benefit plans, while 529 plans act like defined contribution plans.

There are other significant similarities and differences between them. Get the details for each to figure out which plan makes more sense for your college needs.

200,000 Borrowers Await Ninth Circuit Ruling on $12 Billion Student Loan Settlement Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

A federal appeals court heard arguments on Friday over whether the Education Department can further delay a court-approved settlement that promises loan discharges, payment refunds, and credit report corrections to more than 200,000 student loan borrowers who say they were defrauded by their colleges.

The case, Sweet v. McMahon, has been working through the courts since 2019 (as a result, the case has changed names a few times: Sweet v. DeVos and Sweet v. Cardona). The settlement, valued at up to $12 billion, set firm deadlines for the Department to process borrower defense to repayment applications. The Department has missed those deadlines and asked for extensions multiple times. So far, those requests have been denied.

During Friday’s hearing before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw offered a blunt assessment: “The time for negotiating is over. You missed your deadline.”

The court is now considering the Department’s motion to stay the settlement while it appeals.

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