Lincoln, Neb. (April 21, 2026) – As graduates step into a world of first paychecks, student loan decisions, and real-world financial responsibilities, Inceptia, a nonprofit dedicated to student success, has released the latest edition of its Great Advice series — created in collaboration with NerdWallet — to help them move forward with clarity and confidence.

Great Advice for Grads 2026 delivers practical, real-world guidance for managing money after graduation — without the overwhelm. Designed to be both approachable and actionable, the guide equips students with tools to make informed financial decisions from day one.

This year’s edition includes:

• Strategies to pay down student loans faster and reduce long-term interest
• Simple budgeting frameworks that balance real life with financial goals
• Clear guidance on building and improving credit
• Insights on using AI for financial decisions, when it helps and when to think twice

“Graduation is an exciting milestone, but it also introduces a new level of financial responsibility that many students aren’t fully prepared for,” said Michelle Lisec-Talarico, Director of Marketing at Inceptia. “This guide is designed to meet graduates in that moment — with practical guidance they can actually use and return to as their financial journey evolves.”

Developed in partnership with NerdWallet, a trusted source for personal finance insights, the guide combines expert-backed strategies with approachable education — making it easier for graduates to take their next steps with confidence.

Colleges and universities are encouraged to share Great Advice for Grads 2026 with their students and alumni as a timely resource to support financial wellness beyond graduation.

ABOUT INCEPTIA

Inceptia enables colleges and universities to strengthen relationships and boost enrollment using dynamic tools and personal outreach programs that empower students to successfully navigate admissions and financial aid. With tailored solutions and a nonprofit’s commitment to service, we remove barriers for students so schools can focus on what matters most — guiding them toward a rich and rewarding life through higher education.

ABOUT NERDWALLET

NerdWallet (Nasdaq: NRDS) is on a mission to provide clarity for all of life’s financial decisions. As a personal finance website and app, NerdWallet provides consumers with trustworthy and knowledgeable financial information so they can make smart money moves. From finding the best credit card to buying a house, NerdWallet is there to help consumers make financial decisions with confidence. Consumers have free access to our expert content and comparison shopping marketplaces, plus a data-driven app, which helps them stay on top of their finances and save time and money, giving them the freedom to do more. NerdWallet is available for consumers in the U.S., UK, Canada and Australia.

New Leaks in the FAFSA Funnel

For years, the focus has been simple: Are students completing the FAFSA?

But today, that question falls short.

Even when students begin the process, many never make it to enrollment. And the breakdown isn’t happening in one place, it’s happening across the entire student journey. The FAFSA funnel is still leaking — just in new places, with students falling off at every stage from completion to enrollment.

FAFSA Completion: The First Barrier

FAFSA completion remains one of the biggest obstacles to college access.

About 50%¹ of high school seniors complete the FAFSA — meaning millions of students never even enter the financial aid pipeline. For many, especially first-generation and low-income students, this isn’t about choice. It’s about access, clarity and support.

Students aren’t opting out. They’re falling through the cracks early.

“My parents had never done this before, and honestly, neither had I. Having someone reach out and explain the next steps gave me the confidence to keep going.”

Billions Left Behind

Even when aid is available, it often goes unused. An estimated $4 billion in federal grants is left unclaimed² each year, largely because students don’t complete the FAFSA or fail to take the next step.

That’s more than lost funding. It’s lost opportunity for students and institutions alike.

Where Progress Stalls

Submitting the FAFSA doesn’t guarantee completion. Verification requirements, documentation challenges and unclear communication can slow or stop students altogether. At the moment they need clarity most, many encounter friction instead.

Without timely, guided support, momentum fades quickly.

“I almost gave up because I thought I had missed something and didn’t know who to ask. When someone actually called and walked me through it, everything changed. It made me feel like someone wanted me there.”

Summer Melt: When Intent Doesn’t Convert

Even students who do everything “right” don’t always enroll.

About 1 in 4³ college-intending students don’t enroll in the fall — with rates climbing as high as 40% for some populations. They are applying, being accepted, often completing the FAFSA… and still not showing up. Financial uncertainty, unanswered questions and competing priorities create gaps between intention and action.

“I had been accepted, but I was overwhelmed and started putting everything off. That follow-up call reminded me I was closer than I thought.”

More than a Pipeline Problem

Taken together, these gaps point to something bigger. This isn’t a single breakdown — it’s disconnection at every stage.

Students:

• Don’t know how to start
• Aren’t sure what comes next
• Miss timely, relevant follow-up
• Lose momentum along the way

The challenge isn’t just process. It’s connection.

Supporting Students from Start to Enrollment

If the breakdown spans the full student journey, the response should too.

Institutions are shifting toward coordinated, student-centered engagement that supports students from FAFSA completion through enrollment ensuring they don’t just start the process but successfully move through it.

That includes:

• Early, proactive outreach that encourages FAFSA completion
• Clear, simplified guidance to navigate next steps like verification
• Timely, personalized communication that keeps students informed
• Ongoing engagement that maintains momentum through enrollment

Rather than addressing a single point in the funnel, this approach supports students across the journey reducing friction, closing communication gaps and helping more students move from intent to enrollment.

Inceptia’s FAFSA Completion Outreach supports this approach by combining targeted communication with hands-on guidance helping students complete the FAFSA, navigate follow-up requirements and stay engaged through the path to enrollment.

Turning Intent into Enrollment

The FAFSA remains a critical gateway to higher education, but completion alone isn’t enough.

Students aren’t disappearing. They’re disengaging.

Institutions that prioritize connection at every stage will be better equipped to turn intent into enrollment and enrollment into long-term success.

^{1: National College Attainment Network (NCAN), FAFSA Completion Data}

^{2: EducationData.org, Federal Aid Statistics}

^{3: National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Summer Melt Studies}

Higher education leaders are navigating a shifting landscape.

Today’s priorities extend beyond enrollment growth to include credential completion, workforce alignment, adult learner re-engagement, and return on investment. States and systems are increasingly measuring institutional success by how effectively colleges move students already in the pipeline toward meaningful credentials.

Yet many institutions face a common challenge: students who have demonstrated intent stall before completion.

• They apply.
• They’re admitted.
• They may even begin financial aid.
• Then progress slows.

When this happens, institutions lose more than tuition revenue. They lose momentum toward completion goals, workforce readiness, and long-term economic impact.

Enrollment Ready Outreach as Student Progression Infrastructure

Enrollment Ready Outreach is not recruitment. It is institutional infrastructure designed to convert existing student intent into credential progress by re-engaging admitted, stopped-out, and near-completer learners already in the system.

Through right-time, knowledgeable engagement, institutions:

• Reconnect with students at critical decision points
• Remove barriers related to financial aid and enrollment complexity
• Extend internal capacity during peak demand
• Gain visibility into why students stall and where additional support is needed

The result is measurable movement — from intent to enrollment, from enrollment to persistence, and from persistence to completion.

What Institutions Are Seeing

Across documented outreach campaigns, institutions report consistent outcomes:

• Enrollment return rates commonly in the high-20% to mid-30% range, with some exceeding 50%
• Strong student engagement through email and live outreach
• Hundreds of thousands of dollars in incremental tuition revenue
• Documented returns exceeding 500% in some cases

These results demonstrate a repeatable model for advancing student progress without increasing admissions spend.

Advancing Workforce and Attainment Goals

By focusing on students who have already entered the institutional pipeline, Enrollment Ready Outreach supports priorities that matter most to leadership today:

• Increasing credential production
• Re-engaging adult learners and stop-out populations
• Improving return on public investment
• Strengthening alignment between education and workforce demand

Rather than chasing new enrollment, institutions can maximize existing intent — accelerating progress toward completion while supporting economic mobility.

From Enrollment Activity to Institutional Impact

Enrollment Ready Outreach bridges the gap between interest and action. It helps institutions move students forward, strengthen completion outcomes, and deliver measurable ROI while supporting workforce readiness and long-term institutional sustainability.

Click here to read more about Enrollment Ready Outreach.

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New data show repayment distress is surging. Institutions that act early can turn a liability into a long-term success strategy.

Repayment has returned, and community colleges are feeling the impact. As of mid-2025, more than 18 million borrowers are in active federal student loan repayment, and the transition has been anything but smooth: the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports that 12.9% of all student loan debt is seriously delinquent (90+ days late) – the highest level in more than two decades. Among borrowers required to make payments, nearly one in four fell behind in early 2025.

Why Community Colleges Are at Higher Risk

With the mission of serving large numbers of first-generation, Pell-eligible, and part-time students, community college student populations are disproportionately vulnerable to financial stress. The most recent federal Cohort Default Rate (CDR) data confirms this risk:

• Borrowers at public two- and three-year colleges defaulted at an average rate of 15.2%.
• At less-than-two-year institutions, the default rate averaged 13.1%.

These figures far outpace defaults at four-year institutions and highlight the urgent need for targeted repayment support in the community college sector. That’s where proactive support makes the difference.

The Case for Early Intervention

Community college students often juggle work, family, and financial obligations. Without clear guidance, many feel overwhelmed or simply disengage from their loans. A 2024 Trellis survey found that nearly 60% of struggling borrowers had not spoken to their servicer or school since repayment began again, often because they were embarrassed, confused, or unsure where to turn.

A Partner in Proactive Repayment Support

Community colleges don’t have to carry this burden alone. Inceptia partners with institutions to provide timely, tailored outreach during the most critical repayment windows – before repayment begins and when they have slipped into delinquency.

Early, personalized counseling works. Schools that have used Repayment Counseling Outreach have seen:

• An 83% average resolution rate
• 92% of the resolutions consisting of a warm transfer to the servicer
• Unlimited borrower consulting time

To help borrowers before their first payment is due, Grace Counseling Outreach offers:

• Up to a 50% decrease in delinquency
• Greater borrower confidence and engagement
• Fewer defaults, escalations, and loan rehabilitation cases

By serving as a bridge between students, institutions, and servicers, Inceptia helps borrowers navigate repayment options with empathy and clarity. For colleges, this means reduced default risk, preserved federal aid eligibility, and stronger student retention.

Change Moments into Movement

Repayment challenges aren’t going away. For schools committed to access and success, proactive counseling is no longer optional – it’s essential. With the right support, institutions can protect their students’ financial futures while strengthening their own compliance and reputational standing.

If you’re rethinking how your institution supports borrowers through repayment, we’d be glad to share what’s working and how others are scaling their efforts. Visit Inceptia.com or connect directly with one of our business development representatives.

Lincoln, Neb. (June 10, 2025) For decades, Inceptia has been a trusted leader in default management, successfully guiding borrowers back on track to repay their student loans. Their new service solutions Institutional Balance Outreach builds on their extensive experience working with borrowers to help student understand their financial responsibilities and habits with just the right nudges and counseling to keep balances paid off through personalized borrower engagement.

"We’ve been helping institutions lower Cohort Default Rates (CDRs) and improve student repayment success for more than 35 years, with proven strategies and personalized engagement that has had to change as payments and processes evolve. Now, we bring that same expertise and results-driven approach to our Institutional Balance Outreach product. Our highly trained counselors leverage meaningful methods to connect with students, understand their financial challenges, and help them take action to resolve their institutional balances,” said Sue Downing, Senior Vice President & Officer.

Why Inceptia?

• Decades of success in student loan repayment and default prevention
• A results-driven, student-centric approach that increases resolutions
• Skilled counselors who specialize in borrower engagement and financial education
• Seamless transfer of our default management expertise to institutional balance resolution

With Inceptia’s Institutional Balance Outreach, institutions can recover lost revenue, re-engage students, and improve financial stability – all while supporting students in achieving their educational goals.

Lincoln, Neb. (April 30, 2025) – Inceptia, a nonprofit organization committed to empowering students with financial knowledge, has announced the release of the newest edition in its acclaimed "Great Advice" series. Developed in collaboration with NerdWallet, Great Advice for Grads 2025 offers recent graduates practical strategies for managing money with confidence as they transition into life after college.

Recognizing that the leap from campus to career comes with first jobs, first paychecks, and first major financial decisions, Inceptia and NerdWallet teamed up to help graduates find balance and reduce financial stress. This year’s guide includes:

• The Do’s and Don’ts of Using AI to Manage Your Finances: Tips on using technology wisely without losing the
  human touch.
• When to Splurge and When to Save: How to recognize smart splurges that align with your values and long-term goals.
• How to Create a Spending Plan: Building a spending system that supports both saving and living fully.
• Low Buy, Big Impact: How I Cut Spending and Stress: A personal look at using low-buy strategies to create more freedom and less financial anxiety.

"Financial success after graduation isn’t about rigid rules — it’s about building smart habits that evolve with you," said Michelle Lisec-Talarico, Director of Marketing at Inceptia. "Providing students with tools to help them move forward with the knowledge, balance, and confidence they need to master their financial future is the core of our mission. The Great Advice series is another avenue to spread the word."

Great Advice for Grads 2025 is available as a complimentary download, providing a concise and approachable resource for graduates seeking to navigate their next chapter with greater financial clarity.

ABOUT INCEPTIA

Inceptia enables colleges and universities to strengthen relationships and boost enrollment using dynamic tools and personal outreach programs that empower students to successfully navigate admissions and financial aid. With tailored solutions and a nonprofit’s commitment to service, we remove barriers for students so schools can focus on what matters most – guiding them toward a rich and rewarding life through higher education.

ABOUT NERDWALLET

NerdWallet (Nasdaq: NRDS) is on a mission to provide clarity for all of life’s financial decisions. As a personal finance website and app, NerdWallet provides consumers with trustworthy and knowledgeable financial information so they can make smart money moves. From finding the best credit card to buying a house, NerdWallet is there to help consumers make financial decisions with confidence. Consumers have free access to our expert content and comparison shopping marketplaces, plus a data-driven app, which helps them stay on top of their finances and save time and money, giving them the freedom to do more. NerdWallet is available for consumers in the U.S., UK, Canada and Australia.

For many students, higher education represents a path to opportunity, but financial obstacles can quickly derail that journey. Unpaid balances – whether from tuition, fees, or other institutional charges – are a leading cause of student attrition, often forcing students to pause or abandon their education altogether. While financial aid helps many, gaps remain, leaving students in a precarious position when they cannot meet their financial obligations.

Institutions face a dual challenge: ensuring financial stability while keeping students on track to complete their degrees. That’s why proactive balance management is essential – not just for protecting revenue, but for safeguarding student success.

The Link Between Outstanding Balances and Retention

A student who owes even a small balance may be prevented from registering for future courses, accessing transcripts, or continuing their academic progress. Without intervention, what starts as a minor financial setback can become an insurmountable roadblock.

Research shows that financial stress is one of the primary reasons students stop out of college. In many cases, these students intend to return but struggle to navigate the process of resolving their financial obligations. Without structured support, their likelihood of completing a degree diminishes significantly.

Why Institutions Need a Proactive Approach

Many schools rely on reactive strategies, such as placing holds or sending final notices, but these methods often come too late. A proactive outreach approach – one that engages students early, provides clear resolution pathways, and connects them to institutional resources – can significantly increase balance resolution rates and retention.

A successful balance outreach strategy includes:

• Personalized Communication – Engaging students with clear, actionable steps through email, phone, and letter outreach.
• Guided Support – Connecting students with financial aid, payment plans, and other resources before balances become unmanageable.
• Warm Transfers – Ensuring students don’t just receive information but are actively supported in taking next steps.

A Win-Win for Students and Institutions

When students receive timely support, they are more likely to stay enrolled, re-enroll, and persist toward graduation. For institutions, this means higher retention rates, improved student success outcomes, and better financial stability. Addressing outstanding balances isn’t just about collections – it’s about ensuring that financial barriers don’t stand in the way of education.

By implementing a structured, student-centered outreach approach, institutions can turn financial challenges into opportunities for engagement and support. The result? More students completing their education and a stronger, more financially stable institution.

Explore Inceptia strategies to enhance your student retention efforts with proactive outreach solutions, including institutional balance outreach, that can make a difference in if, when and how students meet their higher education goals.