SEPTEMBER 2026

Tuesday Tips

Get Ready to File the 2027-2028 FAFSA

The 2027-2028 FAFSA has been released! Now is the time to get ready to file and take steps that will make higher education more affordable. Read on to learn how!

Attend a Financial Aid Information Session

Financial aid is a world of its own! Let FAME help you prepare to file the FAFSA and understand what to expect as you navigate the financial aid process. FAME offers both in-person and virtual Financial Aid Information sessions. You'll find a schedule of sessions on our website. In-person sessions are open to all and do not require registration. Virtual sessions require registration and you’ll receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link. You can also review our Financial Aid Information session resources to help you prepare and stay on track.

Create Your StudentAid.gov Account

The first step in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) filing process is to create a StudentAid.gov account at StudentAid.gov. When you create an account, you set up a username and password that you use to log into the StudentAid.gov website where you'll complete your FAFSA. All students need their own StudentAid.gov account. If parent information is required on the FAFSA, at least one parent will also need their own account. To learn more about creating accounts and who needs one, visit FAMEmaine.com/FAFSA.

Build a List of Schools

When filing the FAFSA, you’ll list all the schools you want to receive your FAFSA data (even if you haven’t yet applied for admission). We encourage you to apply to a variety of schools, so you’ll have options that are a good fit academically, as well as within reach financially. Here are some tips on searching for schools:

• Focus on net price, not sticker price. Net price is the cost after grants and scholarships and better reflects the actual cost to attend. To get an estimate of net price, use each school’s Net Price Calculator, usually located on the school’s financial aid webpages. Sometimes schools with a higher sticker price are actually more affordable based on net price.
• Use the College Board’s BigFuture website. This site includes over 4,000 schools and lets you search for schools using the criteria that matter most to you, including major, location, size of school, campus life, and affordability.
• Be sure the list includes at least one school that is affordable even without great financial aid.

Search for Scholarships

Scholarships are a great way to reduce borrowing or cover costs that financial aid does not. Start at FAMEmaine.com/scholarships, where you’ll find Maine-based scholarship opportunities, free scholarship search tools, and a downloadable spreadsheet to track your scholarships. Also, ask your high school guidance office about scholarships available through your high school. Students who are most successful in earning scholarships are those who consistently spend an hour or two per week searching and applying. You can do this, and it’s worth your time!

Have the Chat

It’s helpful for you and your family to talk about expectations around paying for higher education as early as possible. Talk about who will cover which costs and what your family can realistically afford. Use these conversation starters to help make sure everyone is on the same page.

Connect with FAME for a Chance to Win a $1,000 Scholarship

To stay updated on the FAFSA and the financial aid process, please join our text and/or email list. We’ll send important reminders and tips to help you navigate the critical steps in the financial aid process. As an added incentive, students in the class of 2027 and their parents/caregivers who join our list will be entered into a drawing for one of three $1,000 Future Fund scholarships. To learn more about the scholarship drawing and to sign up, visit FAMEmaine.com/join.

FAME is here to support you!

• Have a question or two? Call us at 800-228-3734, option 4, or email us at Education@FAMEmaine.com.
• If you’d like to meet virtually with one of our financial aid experts, book a financial aid coaching appointment.
• Visit our website. We recommend starting with our Filing the FAFSA section as well as visiting our Resources and Tools page.

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