Helping Students Get Ready for the FAFSA, Feelings, and Finances

On this episode, we will hear from Melanie Mason, Director of Programs and Administration, at the Maryland Center for Collegiate Financial Wellness. Prior to joining the Center, she worked as a financial aid administrator for several institutions in Maryland and also served as an avid volunteer and trainer with the Delaware-DC-Maryland Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Melanie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and has also earned graduate degrees in Nonprofit Management and Business Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Ms. Mason shares guidance for prospective students and their families as they prepare to pay for higher education. She also discusses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), changes for the 2024-25 academic year, and steps students and families can take to get ready for success.

Connect with Melanie Mason

• Learn more about Melanie Mason: LinkedIn

Connect with the Maryland Center for Collegiate Financial Wellness

• Connect with Dr. Tisa Silver Canady: LinkedIn
• Visit MCCFW online: Web
• Follow MCCFW online: Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube
• Have an idea for who should we interview? Suggest our next guest!

The CRREST Podcast is a production of the Maryland Center for Collegiate Financial Wellness. Helping campus-based professionals and community partners bring the CRREST vision to fruition.

To learn more, visit: mccfw.org/podcast

Chapters

• 6:13 Who needs to complete the FAFSA?
• 8:41 How do students and families feel about completing the FAFSA for the first time?
• 12:10 About the FSA ID and why it is so important to have one
• 15:27 We've seen the paper FAFSA unraveled on the Senate floor. Is the form really that long for most users?
• 18:42 What students and families can do to be ready for success on Day 1
• 24:00 Recognizing the institutional (school-based) nuances in the financial aid process
• 28:28 New term alert: In the 2024-25 FAFSA, what does it mean to be a contributor?
• 37:30 A quick tip for students and parents to get on the same page
• 40:27 New term alert: Who is a FAFSA preparer?
• 42:00 Consumers beware: Do not pay thousands of dollars for FAFSA help
• 44:19 How MCCFW approaches helping students and families make informed decisions
• 45:38 What about students who aren't eligible for federal aid?