Financial Aid & Scholarships: Helping Students Plan for College with Pathful

February 26th, 2025

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Sam Spiegel

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Navigating how to pay for college is one of the biggest challenges students and families face in the postsecondary planning process. Understanding the options available—from scholarships and grants to loans and work-study—can be overwhelming. Pathful helps simplify the journey by giving educators and students tools to explore financial aid options and plan ahead with confidence.

Students often underestimate the cost of college and overestimate the amount of aid they might receive. Early financial literacy and access to planning tools are essential to making informed decisions. Pathful equips educators with easy-to-use tools and resources to introduce key financial concepts and help students explore funding options that best fit their goals and circumstances.

With Pathful, educators can:

• Assign career-aligned FlexLessons that introduce key concepts like budgeting for college, types of financial aid, and student loan basics.
• Use Pathful’s Postsecondary Plan and Goal Setting tools to help students build personalized plans that account for college costs, timelines, and financial considerations.
• Guide students through interactive activities and reflection prompts that help them consider how their postsecondary goals align with their financial realities.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the gateway to most financial aid opportunities. Yet many students either miss the FAFSA window or don’t complete it due to confusion or misconceptions. Pathful helps educators walk students through the process by:

• Providing up-to-date information about FAFSA timelines and eligibility requirements.
• Offering conversation starters and family engagement tools to encourage FAFSA completion.
• Highlighting scholarship search strategies and how to evaluate financial aid award letters.
• Providing FlexLessons that demystify the FAFSA process.

Scholarships can make a significant difference in covering college costs. Pathful provides access to scholarship databases, helping students find opportunities that match their qualifications. Encourage students to:

• Search for scholarships early and apply to multiple opportunities.
• Write compelling application essays and meet deadlines.
• Use Pathful’s Common App or ETX* tools to track application progress and ensure they don’t miss critical submission dates.

Financial planning doesn’t stop at securing aid. Pathful helps students develop budgeting skills to manage tuition, living expenses, and other costs effectively. Educators can teach students how to:

• Create a realistic college budget that includes tuition, books, housing, and other expenses.
• Differentiate between essential and discretionary expenses to make informed financial decisions.
• Plan for loan repayment and long-term financial health, helping students understand loan terms, interest rates, and repayment strategies.

Pathful's financial literacy resources are designed to be shared. Educators can use reports to show families what students have explored and where more support might be needed. Families can also use these insights to guide conversations at home about affordability and planning.