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FAFSA® Renewal: Common mistakes that could cost you - Sallie

Arianna Blakely — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Fill out the FAFSA^® every year you're in school

Once you’ve filled out the FAFSA^® the first time, maybe you feel like it’s no big deal to submit it for your next year. But the Renewal FAFSA^® has its own system for getting the most financial aid. Here is how to do it and 7 common mistakes to avoid.

Do You Need to Know Your Major Before College? - Sallie

Prima Bhakyapaibul — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

You don't need to have all the answers before starting school

You have a lot of choices in college. That’s a good thing! And it’s up to you to explore your options to make the best decision for yourself. Choosing a major in college might feel natural to you or very challenging. You might have known what you wanted to do since you were little, or you could be in college and still have no idea what you want to do. Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re unsure about what you want to study in college.

It’s ok to be undeclared

When you apply to college, you probably have many reasons for choosing that school, like the location, campus layout, community, etc. But you still might have no clue what you want to study, which is completely ok. Most colleges have the option to enroll as an undeclared major. Before it’s time to decide a major, you have the chance to take a variety of classes in different fields to get a feel for what your interests are. These are general education classes that are easily transferrable to whatever major you decide to choose later on.

You’re unsure about the major you declared

Let’s say you know what you’re interested in studying and you chose a college based on that specific department. That’s great!

But you still aren’t bound to that decision. If you find yourself not enjoying your major, you still have an opportunity to change your major. Depending on the college you attend, this process could be as easy as filling out a form and registering for different classes. You should definitely talk to your academic advisor about the best way to make the change, especially if you’re worried about losing credits from the classes you’ve already taken. Sometimes your previous class credits can transfer over to your new major.

A major doesn’t determine your future

Choosing a major can feel like you’re determining your future career. And for some people that might be true, but a major does not have to determine your life or career. Sure, having a goal set early on in college can have its perks. According to the 2022 “How America Completes College” research report, college completers are more likely to have studied science, technology, engineering, or math-related fields. And 2% of completers and 10% of non-completers left school without having a declared major. But it’s important to note that the #1 reason people do not complete college is a change in motivation or focus. The support a student needs throughout college is key to having a successful college experience. However, students cited lack of support when choosing a major as a contributing factor to leaving school.

You don’t need to know your major early on, but you should feel confident and committed to your education. Regardless of your major, your future career can still take many turns. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), people born from 1957 to 1964 had an average of 12.4 jobs from ages 18 to 54 and nearly half of those job changes happened before the age of 25. So, it’s pretty common for people to change career paths and still be successful. There will be many different opportunities in your future. And your college major does not decide your future. It’s ok to be unsure and undeclared.

Choosing a major

At the end of the day, you should be passionate about what you’re studying and make the right decision for you. If that means you have to try out different things first, go for it. Ideally, you should pursue a field that you have interest in and will enjoy doing in the future. But it’s totally understandable if you’re looking to get into a field that’s in high demand for jobs. Some current high demand fields are software developers, engineering, and healthcare.

Remember that no matter what you choose to major in, your hard work will pay off. And don’t forget that you can find scholarships for your unique interests and skills. Everyone’s path in college will be unique and it’s ok if it takes you a little bit of time to figure things out.

College Acceptance Letters: What to Expect and How to Respond - Sallie

Ashley Boucher — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Prepare for college acceptance letters

Whether it’s that much anticipated email or a thick envelope in the mailbox, college acceptance letters can come in many ways and represent a pivotal moment for high school students. Here’s what you can expect from the letters and how to respond to them.

“Congratulations! I’m pleased to inform you that you’ve been admitted to…”

No words could be sweeter if you’re a high school senior looking for confirmation that you’ve been accepted into college. College acceptance letters can represent the moment that many high school students have been working toward, figuring out your next chapter in education and beyond.

When springtime of senior year rolls around, you can expect to start hearing some rumblings in the hallways. “Macy got her acceptance letter, so did Trevor. Alannah heard back from all four of her schools. Is mine LOST? Does this mean I didn’t get in?!” Nerves can take over, leading you to your mailbox every day after school or constantly refreshing your inbox. The anticipation is completely normal, but it doesn’t make the waiting game any easier.

Whether you’ve applied to one school, or ten, chances are you’ll soon be presented with a decision from a college or university that holds the key to your future! When that day finally comes, here’s what you can expect from acceptance letters, and how to respond to them.

What is a college acceptance letter and what does it include?

College acceptance letters, although varied from school to school, follow a pretty predictable format.

First, an acceptance letter will make it clear if you’ve been admitted or not. If you see the congratulatory message you want, let that sink in! You’ve worked hard and it’s been recognized. If you are seeing a rejection, know you’re not alone—and this isn’t the end of the road. Did you know Tina Fey was rejected from Princeton, Tom Hanks got a ‘no thanks’ from several colleges, and Steven Spielberg was reportedly rejected from UCLA?

If you’ve been accepted to college, you’ll see some information about upcoming events for prospective students—these are to help get you familiar with the campus and opportunities that the school can provide, and you should look at this as your chance to decide if the school is really the best fit for you. (Take advantage of these types of events: you may have been accepted to several schools, so now is the time to be extra clear about your wants, needs, and which school fits those best.)

Finally, you’ll want to make note of any deadlines included in your acceptance letter. Usually, the school will tell you the deadline to make your decision. This date is pretty universal, and typically falls on or around May 1, because you would have heard back from all of the schools you’ve applied to by then.

When are the letters sent out to accepted students?

If you’re wondering when acceptance letters arrive, know that it can vary a little bit based on the schools and when you applied. There’s also a little bit of variation in how decisions are conveyed: you can expect many colleges to send acceptance letters by email or online portal, though some will still send a formal letter in your mailbox, too.

Early decision: If you applied for early action or early decision to your dream school, it’s likely that you sent in your application earlier than you would have otherwise, typically by November. Your conviction and commitment to the school will be rewarded by an early decision (hence the name), and you should expect to hear back in the winter months: December, January, or February.
Regular decision: If you’ve applied to multiple schools and are unsure of which you want to attend, you probably submitted your application for regular decision, usually by February. In this case, you should expect to see letters come in through mid-March to early April. You should expect to hear back from schools by the first week of April. Why? Because of the May 1 timeline that colleges and universities rely on.

If you’re waitlisted: If this happens, you may not receive final word until the school has more insight on just how many admitted students will accept their invitation to attend and register for classes. That means you can find out as late as August. If you’re going to keep a school that has waitlisted you on your list of potential destinations, be sure to have a backup plan (whether it’s a gap semester or year, a short stint at your local community college first, etc.).

How to respond to a college acceptance letter

Your next steps may hinge on whether or not you’ve applied (and been accepted to) more than one school. Let’s assume you have a few options.

Stay organized. Now may be a good time, if you haven’t done so already, to create a spreadsheet of the schools you’re still considering. You’ll want to include the decision deadline noted in your acceptance letter—don’t lose track of this! The last thing you want to do is miss an opportunity to attend your dream school just because you couldn’t remember when you needed to notify them you intend to register (and submit your deposit; more on that below). Use your spreadsheet to keep track of information on housing, meal plans, etc.
Compare offers and costs. This is also the time to keep track of the details of your financial aid offers (which will arrive separately). These are particularly important if you’re not sure which college to attend. One school, for example, may offer you a large financial aid package, while another may have little to give you. The offers will contain the same information but there’s no standard format, so you’ll need to compare them. Use the figures you get from the offers to see how much of the cost of attendance you’ll have to supply through student loans or other methods—this can also help you choose between your various options.
Give the school your answer. Once your college acceptance letters are in and you’ve decided which college or university to attend, it’s time to respond to your school of choice. You can usually do this by filling out a form and sending it to the college along with a non-refundable deposit. This deposit (which can typically range from $50-$500) is used to secure your spot in the incoming class of students. It’s important to note those deadlines and make sure to send the deposit before the deadline hits, so you don’t lose your spot.

This is also the time to let the other schools know that you don’t intend to enroll. Again, this can be done with the form given to you as part of acceptance letter packet. You should aim to do this by May 1.

Next steps after you accept

So, you’ve taken the next step in your journey and enrolled in college – congratulations! Now what?

You have a few key things to remember:

Whatever you’ve been doing to get into college, keep it up! Colleges can rescind their offers, so this isn’t the time to slack off. Use this time to continue studying (maybe you have some AP tests that you can take to save money on future college courses), look for summer internships in a field you think you might want to study or a summer job so you can save money. Or you can just enjoy the last few months you have with your high school friends before you’re off to your next chapter!
Be sure to keep your social media profiles free of any content that would portray you in a negative or inappropriate light. They’re an extension of your transcripts and resumes. Don’t do anything that would embarrass you, your family, or your future college and classmates.
Your college is chosen, but there’s a lot of planning that still needs to take place. For example, how are you planning to pay for college?

Remember those financial aid offers I mentioned? Those are really important, and now that you’ve chosen your college, go back and review the one from your school. It will list what types of financial aid you qualify for, and can include federal loans, scholarships, grants, and work-study. You’ll need to formally accept part or all of your financial aid offer (or none of it, if you choose), so be sure to do that in the timeline indicated by the school.

If you haven’t already, start your scholarship search now. Contrary to popular belief, scholarships aren’t just for valedictorians and quarterbacks; there are opportunities for everyone! Scholly Scholarships can help you find scholarships that are made for you. Best part? You don’t have to register—and you can use filters to narrow down your search based on your background, major, the state you live in, and more.

Unique Scholarships You Never Knew Existed - Sallie

Lilly Lowe — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Key takeaways about unique scholarships

They’re not just for athletes or valedictorians—there’s one for almost everyone.
Some are super easy to qualify for and don't even require an essay.
Applying can be fun—think design contests and book recommendations.
Fewer people know about them, so you’ve got better odds.
Scholly Scholarships helps you find your perfect-fit scholarships fast.

What to Do After Submitting Your College Apps- Sallie

Reyna Gobel — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

What to do while you wait

Once you’ve submitted your college applications, waiting for the results seems like all you can do. But there’s actually so much more, like applying for scholarships, getting college-ready, and maintaining your GPA.

Here’s what to do when your college applications are in:

1. Apply for scholarships

It’s never too late to get college scholarship money. In fact, thousands of dollars in scholarship money goes unclaimed each year. Set an appointment with your counselor and discuss a plan for acquiring scholarship dollars.

2. Fill out special circumstances forms if needed

You’ll also want to double check your FAFSA^® and state financial aid applications to make sure you’ve completed all forms accurately. For instance, are all the schools on your final list on your FAFSA^® form? If not, you may not be on their list of students who need financial aid.

The FAFSA^® form doesn’t always provide the most accurate financial information about your current situation. This is because the FAFSA^® requires your taxes from two years before. If your family or individual income has changed since then, you’ll need to fill out a special circumstances form for each college you may want to attend.

The special circumstances form is available at financial aid offices and provides a way to share more details about your current finances. You can also talk to financial aid counselors about extenuating circumstances. Filling the form out as soon as possible helps you avoid being overlooked for first-come, first-serve scholarship and college grant funding.

3. Develop your strategy for 529 college savings plan withdrawals

If you have a 529 savings plan, now’s the time to think about how much you’d like to withdraw each year, depending on how much scholarship money you’re offered, and other varying circumstances.

If you bought tuition in advance via a prepaid tuition plan, you have different concerns. Bob Cole, president of Private College 529 Plan says, “Before taking money from your prepaid account to redeem tuition, you should work with your plan or tax advisor, or both, to ensure the best use of your tuition.”

“If you are paying some of the college expenses (not room and board) from current income or non-529 savings, you might be able to claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit when you file your federal taxes,” Cole says. “You can’t ‘double dip’ by using 529 funds and claiming the credit for the same expense.”

4. Do shadow days and other career exploration activities

While you’re waiting to find out which schools accept you, it’s the perfect time to think about your college major.

"Shadow days" are essentially mini internships you can do in as little as a couple of hours. You’ll ask questions of someone in your field who has a job you’d like to have in the future. You may also just observe their day. High school counselors can help advise you on how and where to arrange shadow days. Try to do five in a semester.

When is the FAFSA® Due? - Sallie

Arianna Blakely — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Keep up with these FAFSA^® due dates

If you’re thinking about applying to college this year, listen up—you’ll want to know about this.

How becoming an RA helped this student pay for college - Sallie

Bryana Blanco — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

My story about becoming a residential assistant

Hi! My name is Bryana Blanco, and I am a sophomore at the University of South Florida. I have absolutely loved my college experience—living on campus, making new friends, and taking classes on subjects I actually want to learn about.

The hard work doesn’t stop after you’re awarded financial aid

Before coming to college, I was told about how expensive it can be, yet it wasn’t until I began the college lifestyle that I understood the true cost of attending.

Soon after incoming freshmen get their acceptance to a college or university, they receive their financial aid award packet that summarizes the aid and scholarships they will be getting throughout the year. This amount of aid is usually what a person will receive throughout their four years of their undergraduate program and typically only adjusts if there are changes to your FAFSA^®, student status, or scholarship amounts.

Many students then feel like their search for financial aid has come to an end, and everyone dreads that line in the financial aid office to ask any more questions. But why would you stop putting in the hard work like you did before your college acceptance?

Here is the answer: You don’t!

What is a Residential Advisor?

There are many opportunities on campus that universities all around the country offer for some type of aid or source of income. One opportunity that is found in every university with on-campus housing is the Residential Assistant (RA) position.

If you live on campus, you’ve probably met your RA at community meetings—hopefully not by being written up by them. The RA position is summarized as a student who lives in the same environment as other residents, but who has the responsibility to enforce housing policies and write up those who break the rules. But apart from that main responsibility, RAs are trained to learn how to communicate effectively with their residents to help in their growth not only academically, but physically and mentally to ensure they are overall successful.

Because you live with the students, the job offers compensation for your housing and meal plan. This compensation can range from $3,000 – $10,000 for the year depending on the school. Yes, you read those numbers correctly: in this position, you can possibly save $10,000 on your tuition bill. To break down the numbers, I’ll use my tuition bill from my freshman year without the RA compensation compared to my sophomore year bill with the compensation.

Tuition as a non-RA vs. tuition as an RA

For my first year of college, I was charged around $10,000 per semester, about $20,000 for the year, which includes my meal plan, rent, credits taken, books, and other university fees. For my second year, I lived in the same location and signed up for the same meal plan, but it was compensated by the RA position. My tuition per semester then became around $7,000, totaling to around $14,000 for the year with the same amount of credits and fees/charges considered. I saved a little over $6,000 through this position without having to change my lifestyle or classes and without having to leave campus!

This position can be held for three years, meaning I could save about $18,000 while receiving my bachelors; that’s almost a full year of school paid completely.

The savings add up and can allow you to invest in other important factors in your life, like a car, graduate school, travel plans, and so much more. The possibilities are endless.

With great savings comes great responsibility

This opportunity is one of the highest paying university positions, and with it comes a lot of responsibility. Earlier, I mentioned the general idea of what an RA does, but that’s just the surface of the true job. As an RA, I have anywhere from 20-40 residents under my watch. Each of these residents has their own struggles, goals, and strengths that I must learn about to truly be successful at what I do.

As an RA, you will host community events, have one-on-one conversations with your residents every month, and have paperwork to fill out every week regarding the environment of your hall for your supervisors.

"I saved a little over $6,000 through this position without having to change my lifestyle or classes and without having to leave campus!"

CSS Profile® vs. FAFSA®: What’s the Difference? - Sallie

Arianna Blakely — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Compare and contrast the two applications

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA^®, is the best way to get federal financial aid for school, but it’s not always the only application you should submit. Nearly 300 colleges, universities, and scholarships require the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile^®^{footnote 1}. Let’s lay out the similarities and differences between the two.

Students With Disabilities: How to Choose a School - Sallie

Kayla Cannon — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Tips on how to pick your school

Choosing the right college is a big decision—and for students with disabilities there are additional considerations. From accessibility accommodations to support services, finding a school that meets both academic and personal needs is super important. Here are a few things to think about before making a decision.

Advocating for yourself is essential

Look into support services. Most colleges have an Office for Disability Services (ODS), a Disability Services Office (DSO), or a variation of the two. This is a place to discuss and find support for your specific accommodation needs. Look for colleges with robust DSOs that offer a wide range of services, including things like note-taking assistance, extended test-taking time, sign language interpreters, and more.

Research accessibility. If needed, research the school’s accessibility features. This includes looking into campus facilities like classrooms, dorms, and recreational areas to make sure they’re set up with ramps, elevators, and other accommodations for mobility-impaired students. Also look into transportation options and how close any needed medical facilities might be.

Assess academic programs. Check out the academic programs offered and make sure they match up with what you're into and where you want to go in your career. If they are, investigate if the faculty is trained to help students with disabilities and if there are any extra resources that are available to you.

Get a feel for campus culture. Look for colleges with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, where students with disabilities are welcomed and have the support they need. A lot of schools have student organizations and campus initiatives dedicated to disability advocacy and awareness—this is where you’ll want to be.

Search out scholarships. Research scholarships, grants, and financial aid specifically for students with disabilities. Scholly Scholarships is a great place to start your scholarship search—all you have to do is share a little about your background and you can start getting matched with free money in just minutes. There are also tuition waivers and discounted rates for students that require additional accommodations—make sure to look into those, too.

Visit the campus. If possible, visit the campus to get a first-hand look—and to see if you like it! Schedule meetings with disability support staff, faculty members, and admissions counselors to address any questions or concerns you may have. Take note of the campus vibe and how comfortable you feel—that’s what matters most.

Connect with your peers. Connect with other students with disabilities who have attended or are currently attending the schools you're looking into. Online forums, social media groups, and disability advocacy organizations can be extra valuable for gathering firsthand experiences and recommendations.

What are Scholarship Sweepstakes - Sallie

Emily Schumann — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

As head of Scholly, I hear a lot about students who feel overwhelmed by the scholarship process. Between long applications, tons of deadlines, and confusing advice, it can feel like you’re expected to do so much to get money for college.

Here’s some good news: you don’t have to start with the hardest scholarships first. That’s where scholarship sweepstakes come in. They’re one of the easiest, lowest-pressure ways to potentially win money for college—no essays, no minimum GPA, no long applications. Just simple, free entries that take minutes, not hours.

If you’re short on time but don't want to skip scholarships, scholarship sweepstakes can be a smart place to start. They won’t replace every other scholarship—but they can make the whole process feel a lot more manageable.