Watch This Before You Apply: College Admissions & Financial Aid Changes in 2026 You Need to Know скачать в хорошем качестве

Watch This Before You Apply: College Admissions & Financial Aid Changes in 2026 You Need to Know

🎓 Big changes are happening in college admissions and financial aid — and families need to stay ahead. In this expert-led session, Whitney Soule and Elaine Varas of UPenn break down the trends shaping the 2026 application season. From test-optional policies and transcript priorities to FAFSA delays and merit aid strategy, they provide the clarity families are looking for — with practical tips you can act on now. This is your chance to hear from two of the most trusted voices in college admissions and financial aid. As application numbers rise, testing policies shift, and financial aid becomes even more complex, families need updated guidance to help their students succeed and reduce stress in the process. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: The impact of rising application numbers What “test-optional” means in practice now Why transcripts carry even more weight in a test-optional world What’s happening with the FAFSA (and how to prepare) Where to find (and not miss) merit aid What matters most to admissions and aid offices — and what families can stop stressing about ✅ Perfect For: ✔ Parents of high school juniors and seniors ✔ Families navigating the college process for the first time ✔ Students applying to selective or test-optional schools ✔ Anyone trying to understand how admissions and aid intersect in 2025 The Speakers Whitney Soule and Elaine Varas Whitney Soule began her tenure as Vice Provost and Dean of Admissions on July 1, 2021. Vice Provost Soule is the first female Dean of Admissions in Penn’s history, with more than three decades of experience in higher education admissions. Prior to Penn, she served as Senior Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Student Aid at Bowdoin College. Her leadership at Bowdoin College advanced both diversity and selectivity, with an increasing number of students of color, first-generation students, and students on financial aid. She was also the first woman in her role at Bowdoin College. Soule received the NEACAC Professional of the Year Award Recipient and was named one of the “Top Women Leaders for 2023” by Women We Admire. She is also a regular presenter at national conferences, speaking about responsible admissions practices, change management, and advancing women in higher education leadership. She is frequently quoted in national media outlets such as Bloomberg, Forbes, USA Today and Wall Street Journal, and has had opinion pieces featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dallas Morning News and Grown & Flown. Soule began her career in college admissions at Bates College. Positions at Connecticut College and Bowdoin College preceded her tenure at the University of Pennsylvania.vIn addition to a bachelor’s degree from Bates College, Soule holds a master’s degree from Harvard University. Elaine Papas Varas is the University director of financial aid at UPenn. Ms. Varas has more than 30 years of experience in financial aid, most recently serving as senior executive director of student financial aid at Drexel University. Prior to joining Drexel, she worked for many years as a university director of student financial aid for Rutgers University Biomedical Health Sciences and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ).x During her tenure at UMDNJ she served as director of the New Jersey Loan Redemption Program and doubled funding support for medically underserved communities. She facilitated federal funding integration of a merger of three state schools and established a nationally recognized Financial Literacy Program. Her leadership in the field has been acknowledged on a regional and national level, with a gubernatorial appointment to New Jersey’s Board of Higher Education Student Assistance Authority and with her selection as a negotiator with the Department of Education. Ms. Varas received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wheaton College and completed graduate coursework in higher education at Rutgers and Columbia University. ⏰ Timestamps: 0:00 Welcome & Introductions 1:45 Trends in Admissions: More Applications, Fewer Clear Answers 4:10 Test-Optional vs Test-Required: What’s Actually Happening 7:00 How Transcripts Are Evaluated Now 9:30 Financial Aid Overview with Elaine Varas 11:50 FAFSA Delays & Tips for Families 14:15 Merit Aid & Strategic Positioning 16:45 What Colleges Want Families to Know 19:00 Final Advice & Q&A 👍 Like this video if it helped 🗨 Leave your questions below — our team is listening 🔔 Subscribe for more weekly expert webinars on college admissions and financial aid college admissions 2025, financial aid 2025, FAFSA updates, test optional 2025, Whitney Soule, Elaine Varas, merit aid tips, college admissions trends, what colleges look for, CSS profile 2025, financial aid for parents, college application help, grown and flown, college planning 2025, high school seniors college prep, admissions expert advice