Financial wellness webinars
No matter where you are on your educational path, we have the tools to help you achieve success. Catch our live webinars or watch a recording of a prior webinar. We discuss planning for school, financial aid, how to search for scholarships and more.
Stay tuned for upcoming webinars!
We’re excited to bring you a fresh lineup of webinars in early 2026. Check back soon for the full schedule and registration details.
Upcoming professional development series
Resources, tools, and best practices to help you assist students and families on their higher education journey. Attend a free, live webinar, or watch a recording of a prior webinar. Together we can help students make informed decisions and pursue their education with confidence.
Show me the signs: How to recognize and prevent student loan fraud
Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at 2pm ET / 1pm CT / 12pm MT / 11am PT
Join us for an insightful session with school panelists where we will share tips to help protect your institution from deceptive practices in the student loan process. This presentation will explore the evolving tactics used by fraudsters to exploit the student loan system and the risks they pose for institutions and lenders alike. This session will highlight strategies for fraud prevention and steps to take if you suspect fraud.
Watch our past webinars
Completing the FAFSA®: Finding Free Money for College
November 2025
This webinar will be presented in Spanish.
Scholarships can be a huge help to college-bound students and their families, but many don’t know where to find them, or how to apply. During this session students and families will learn key tips on applying for scholarships, how to create a winning scholarship essay, and more. We’ll also share helpful tips and information to complete your FAFSA® and find the money you need to pay for college.
Scholarships - finding free money for college
November 2025
Scholarships can be a huge help to college-bound students and their families, but many don’t know where to find them, or how to apply. During session students and families will learn key tips on applying for scholarships, how to create a winning scholarship essay, and more.
The first step to finding the money you need for college: Completing the FAFSA®
October 2025
Join our experts for an overview of FAFSA®, also highlighting some of last year's changes. We’ll share helpful tips and information to help you complete your FAFSA® and find the money you need to pay for college.
What's the real cost of college? How to plan now.
September 2025
If college is in your future, you will want to join this webinar to help you plan and pay for college. You will learn about:
- Saving for college – it is never too late!
- How to select a college and how much it will cost
- FAFSA® - what, why and how
- Understanding a financial aid offer
- How to find and apply for scholarships and grants – FREE $$$
- Education loan options
- Free tools and resources to make the process easier
Navigating the New Education Landscape - What policy changes mean for you and your students
August 2025
Recent shifts in federal education policies, guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, and federal aid program changes via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are reshaping the higher education landscape. This webinar will break down the most significant changes and explore how they may affect your work and the students you support. You'll leave with clear insights and actionable takeaways to prepare with confidence.
Options to pay your remaining balance
April 2025
Many students and families will consider financing a portion of their college education. This session will focus on encouraging responsible borrowing and what students and families can do to find the right solution for their borrowing needs.
1-2-3 approach to paying for college
April 2025
If college is in your future, you will want to join this webinar to help you plan and pay for college. You will learn about:
- Saving for college – it is never too late!
- How to select a college and how much it will cost
- FAFSA® - what, why and how
- Understanding a financial aid offer
- How to find and apply for scholarships and grants – FREE $$$
- Education loan options
- Free tools and resources to make the process easier
PLEASE NOTE: Our experts will present this webinar in Spanish.
Navigating financial aid offers
March 2025
After being accepted to college, students will receive a financial aid offer that outlines your financial aid eligibility at that specific school. Each financial aid offer will contain similar overall information but since there’s no standard format, they can be difficult to interpret. In this session you will learn how to decipher each financial aid offer so you can confidently determine which college is the best fit.
Navigating financial aid offers
February 2025
After being accepted to college, students will receive a financial aid offer that outlines your financial aid eligibility at that specific school. Each financial aid offer will contain similar overall information but since there’s no standard format, they can be difficult to interpret. In this session you will learn how to decipher each financial aid offer so you can confidently determine which college is the best fit.
PLEASE NOTE: Our experts will present this webinar in Spanish.
Helping Black Families Navigate the Admissions Process
February 2025
The entire college admissions process seemed challenging before, but emerging issues, such as the emergence of artificial intelligence on college essay writing, have students feeling overwhelmed. Join us for a discussion with Timothy L. Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown, authors of “The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions, Second Edition”, where we’ll discuss several topics helpful to navigating college admissions, including important factors students should consider when choosing a college.
How America Pays for College 2025
October 2025
Join us for a discussion of the key findings from Sallie Mae’s How America Pays for College 2025 report. This session will explore how students and parents across the country are financing higher education, including trends in FAFSA® and financial aid, scholarships, and borrowing. Learn how proactive planning impacts financial confidence and helps shape decisions. You’ll gain actionable insights to support your students and families in making informed, confident choices about paying for college.
How America Succeeds after College
May 2025
For most students pursuing higher education, a college degree is not a goal in itself; rather it is a steppingstone that will set them up for success in the future. Join us for a discussion of Sallie Mae’s brand-new research study "How America Succeeds After College," where we will uncover how young college graduates view success at this stage in their lives. We’ll dive in to understand what contributes or prevents them from feeling successful, what actions taken before, during and shortly after college have the greatest impact, and what can be done to ensure that more grads succeed.
Show me the Signs: How to Recognize and Prevent Student Loan Fraud
March 2025
Join our panelists for an insightful session where we will share tips to help protect your institution from deceptive practices in the student loan process. This presentation, along with school panelists, will explore the evolving tactics used by fraudsters to exploit the student loan system and the risks they pose for institutions and lenders alike. This session will highlight strategies for fraud prevention and steps to take if you suspect fraud.
Scholarships. An important piece of the yield puzzle
February 2025
Scholarships can be a huge help for college-bound and currently enrolled students seeking financial assistance. They play an important part in the college decision-making process and can help improve retention. During this session, you will gain valuable insights about the importance of free money, how searching for scholarships falls within the typical college planning timeline, and the resources available. Sallie Mae’s Director of Relationship Management, Elise Sanders, and dynamic school panelists will introduce tools, resources, and best practices to help your students optimize their scholarship search.