• File on Oct. 1, the day the Federal Application for Student Aid opens. The sooner you file, the longer you have to plan. Some programs fund on a first-come, first-served basis and you can list up to 20 colleges before you’ve made any decisions.

• Don’t miss the May 1 deadline. May 1 is the latest date to file and still qualify for the maximum amount of available aid. File at studentaid.gov.

• File even for short-term programs. New Workforce Pell Grants cover nine- to 15-week career certificate programs. Don’t assume a short-term program isn’t eligible. Always file and let the aid office tell you what you qualify for.

• Parent PLUS Loans are now capped at $20,000 per year. The lifetime limit is $65,000, meaning families in a four-year program could run short before senior year. Plan for all four years up front, not just year one.

• Graduate PLUS Loans are gone. Grad students are now limited to $20,500 per year in direct loans with an aggregate cap of $100,000. Talk to your financial aid office about alternatives.

• Budget for what you need, not the max you can borrow. Use calculators on college websites to determine how much it will cost to attend, then budget for the maximum amount.

• Multi-college families aid rule eliminated. The formula giving extra aid for having more than one student in college at the same time has been eliminated. Aid is now calculated on income alone.

• The Grow PA Scholarship Grant provides up to $5,000 per year for students who plan to live and work in Pennsylvania after graduation. Visit pheaa.org.

• PA Forward is a state-backed student loan option for families who hit federal caps and need to bridge a funding gap.

• The PA Targeted Industry Program offers aid for students entering fields identified as high-priority for Pennsylvania’s economy. Check pheaa.org for eligibility.

• Every college must post a net price calculator on its website. Use it before you even apply to get a realistic estimate of what you’ll pay.

• Farm and small business assets are exempt again. If your business employs fewer than 100 people, you no longer need to report those assets on the FAFSA.

• Gather tax returns and documentation of any farm or business value before you file to avoid delays in your aid package.

• Report foreign income manually. Foreign income is not automatically transferred from the IRS and may require verification.

Finding a college education in Butler County: Student aid, trending programs and AI