Financial Aid Articles
These articles cover the work of the financial aid office and the Title IV rules it administers. Topics include Pell and Workforce Pell, FAFSA and packaging, verification, compliance and audits, and how aid rule changes reach the rest of the institution.
Articles
Your Cohort Default Rate Is Low. Do You Know Why?
The national FY 2023 cohort default rate is 0.4%. That number may look reassuring, but it deserves a closer look.
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2026-27 Is Not a Normal Financial Aid Award Year. Read Why.
Institutions must align financial-aid capacity, controls, training, and leadership attention with the complexity of the 2026-27 operating environment.
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It Takes a Campus: What Really Goes Into Gainful Employment Reporting
One federal report can depend on data maintained, produced, or validated across an entire institution.
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Workforce Pell Is Live. Is Your College Actually Ready to Administer It?
A short-term program becomes Pell-eligible only after a demanding institutional, state, and federal process. Workforce Pell is a cross-functional...
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Financial Aid Rules Changed. Did Your Systems and Procedures Change?
Regulatory implementation is complete only when current authority is reflected in systems, procedures, forms, websites, training, testing, and...
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Pell Rules Changed. Did Your Systems, Controls, and Procedures Change?
The rule changes are federal. The work required to implement them is institutional. The 2026-27 Pell changes are not merely calculation updates.
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Hey, Executive Leadership – Pay Attention to Financial Aid
Financial aid is a heavily regulated operation that touches enrollment, compliance, and student trust. Ten questions executive leadership should...
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What Happens When Your Financial Aid Director Leaves Tomorrow?
A Financial Aid Director can resign on a Friday. Title IV deadlines do not resign with them. A departure is a test of whether the operation can continue.
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The Real Compliance Risk Isn’t the Regulation. It’s Organizational Health.
Every institution follows the same Title IV rules, yet audit outcomes vary widely. The regulations are not the variable. The organization is.
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Reconciliation Isn’t Month-End Cleanup. It’s Financial Aid’s Financial Early Warning System
Reconciliation is often treated as month-end cleanup. The strongest financial aid offices build it into the operating rhythm of the office, where...
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