Affording College

As the cost of college continues to rise, students and families are searching for ways to make it more accessible. This section features lists, templates, and guides to help bridge the college affordability gap.

Equity & Access Planning for College Affording College Professional Development

College Affordablity Resources

Financial Aid Vocab Cheat Sheet

This glossary explains common acronyms and terms in the financial aid process. 

English | Spanish

Apples to Apples: 4 Steps to Finding the Best College Deal

This worksheet helps students calculate and compare cost for the colleges they're most interested in. 

English | Spanish

The FAFSA: The Most Important Financial Aid Form You’ll Ever Fill Out

This resource informs students where to get help filing the FAFSA. 

English | Spanish

A Second Look: Appealing Your Aid Award When Family Finances Shift

This guide addresses the professional judgment/special circumstances appeal process and how to indicate on the FAFSA that a parent/guardian is unemployed. 

English | Spanish

FAFSA Facts and Fiction: Get the Truth, and the Money You Need for College

This guide addresses the most common barriers to filing the FAFSA, especially for lower-income students. 

English | Spanish

FAFSA Verification: Don't Panic and Don't Wait

Simple steps for students selected for the FAFSA verification process. 

English | Spanish

Six Items and 22 Minutes: All You Need to Fill out the FAFSA

This resource addresses the misconception that the FAFSA takes a long time to complete and requires documentation that is difficult to access. 

English | Spanish

FAFSA Submission Support Resources

FAFSA and Pell Grant awarding is set to substantially change for the 2024-2025 academic year. These changes will have major impacts on your prospective and returning students and their families. 

Several of these changes should make the FAFSA easier to complete, and hopefully, increase the number of filings, as well as expand access to Pell Grants. But for this to happen, families need to be made aware of these upcoming changes. 

EAB’s student communication and financial aid experts are creating a suite of adaptable, ready-to-use content you can use to walk students and families through the changes and encourage FAFSA submissions. 

Access the Resources