February 2026

Atlanta, GA – February 19, 2026 –Financial Aid Services, LLC (FAS), higher education’s leading provider of strategic consulting and outsourced financial aid services, and Meadow, the Series A startup modernizing the student financial experience, today announced a partnership that expands access to best-in-class cost transparency tools across higher education.

Moving forward, FAS clients will have access to a custom net price calculator (NPC) built by Meadow and tailored to each institution. The collaboration reflects FAS’s belief that Meadow’s NPC represents the gold standard in cost transparency—and that modern, student-friendly pricing experiences are now a best practice at the most innovative colleges and universities.

Net price calculators have become a critical front door for enrollment and financial aid strategy. But many institutions are still relying on tools that are difficult to use, hard to maintain, and confusing for students and families, creating friction at the exact moment when clarity matters most. Through this partnership, FAS will help institutions pair operational expertise in financial aid with modern technology that improves the student experience and supports informed decision-making.

“Cost transparency is no longer optional. It’s foundational to student and institutional success in today’s volatile enrollment landscape” said Robert Heil, Chief Executive Officer of Financial Aid Services. “By partnering with Meadow, we’re giving our clients access to what we believe is the most accurate, transparent, and student-friendly net price calculator available. This is the gold standard, and Meadow’s growth reflects how this tool is quickly becoming a best practice for institutions that want to lead with clarity.”

Meadow’s Net Price Calculator is designed to be accurate and student-friendly, with an emphasis on clear design, personalized outputs, and an experience that helps students understand affordability with confidence not confusion. For institutions, the result is a more modern front-end financial aid experience that better reflects the realities of how students and families evaluate cost.

“Financial Aid Services has built its reputation by helping institutions operate with excellence in one of the most complex areas of higher ed,” said Amy Jenkins, Chief Operating Officer of Meadow. “Together, we’re making it easier for schools to offer a transparent, modern affordability experience at scale. This partnership is about meeting students where they are with a net price calculator that’s intuitive, accurate, and aligned with what leading institutions now consider the standard.”

As colleges and universities navigate increasing scrutiny, shifting enrollment dynamics, and growing expectations from students and families, the partnership offers a practical, high-impact step forward: a better affordability experience that supports institutional goals while improving clarity for the people higher ed serves.

Press inquiries or to request an interview

Financial Aid Services: Melissa King, mking@financialaidservices.org
Meadow: Ali Lindsay, ali@meadowfi.com

About Financial Aid Services

Financial Aid Services, LLC (FAS) is the nation’s leading provider of strategic consulting and outsourced managed solutions for financial aid operations in higher education. With a 35-year track record of success, FAS partners with colleges and universities to strengthen financial operations, optimize the student experience, and drive enrollment outcomes. Our team of consultants provide solutions across interim staffing, consulting, technology optimization, and outsourced managed services. FAS proudly serves over 1,800 colleges and universities and is fortified with over 1600 years of combined experience, empowering institutions to navigate complexity in an era of unprecedented change.

About Meadow

Founded in 2021, Meadow provides student-friendly tools that use advanced personalization and modern consumer design to improve the financial experience for everyone—from institutions to the students they serve. Meadow Price is a net price calculator designed to be both accurate and student-friendly, helping institutions deliver a modern affordability experience that improves transparency and supports enrollment.

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FAFSA 2026: What Higher Education Leaders Need to Know- and Do- Now

The FAFSA has changed again—but this time, the implications go far beyond the application itself.

As the updated FAFSA moves fully into effect for the 2026 cycle, colleges and universities are navigating a new financial aid landscape shaped by simplified student processes, redesigned aid calculations, and expanded federal eligibility. While the intent is greater access and clarity for families, the operational and strategic consequences for institutions are significant.

For higher education leaders, the question is no longer what changed, but how these changes affect enrollment, revenue, and student success.

A Simpler FAFSA, With Bigger Institutional Impacts

The new FAFSA dramatically reduces the number of questions students must answer. Early indicators suggest this will improve completion rates—particularly for first-generation and underserved students.

For institutions, this shift has upside: more completed applications, earlier data, and fewer processing errors. But it also places greater responsibility on colleges to interpret results accurately and communicate clearly, especially when aid outcomes differ from what families expect.

The Student Aid Index Changes the Conversation About Affordability

Perhaps the most consequential change is the replacement of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) with the Student Aid Index (SAI).

SAI is designed to more accurately reflect a family’s financial circumstances and can even be negative—signaling higher need. This recalibration expands Pell Grant eligibility for some students while reshaping aid expectations for others.

From a leadership perspective, SAI affects:

Institutional aid modeling
Yield projections
Net price perceptions
Family trust in financial aid decisions

Put simply, it changes how affordability is defined—and discussed.

Expanded Pell Eligibility and New Asset Rules

FAFSA updates also revise how income and assets are considered, including exclusions for certain family businesses and farms. These adjustments may open access for new student populations while shifting eligibility among middle-income families.

Strategically, this creates both opportunity and risk. Institutions that understand where eligibility is expanding can sharpen recruitment efforts. Those that don’t may struggle with unexpected demand or misaligned aid strategies.

What’s No Longer True

Several long-standing assumptions no longer apply:

Having multiple children in college no longer increases aid eligibility
Aid calculations no longer rely on EFC
Manual income reporting is increasingly replaced by IRS data transfer

Families often don’t realize this—until they see their aid offer. Institutions that proactively explain these changes are better positioned to preserve confidence and minimize friction.

Why Leadership Engagement Matters

FAFSA 2026 is not just a financial aid issue. It touches:

Enrollment planning
Institutional budgeting
Compliance and risk management
Student experience and retention

Leaders who treat FAFSA changes as a back-office concern risk downstream challenges—from delayed packaging to enrollment volatility. Those who engage early can plan more predictably and communicate more effectively.

Moving Forward With Confidence

The new FAFSA presents a clear reality: simpler for students, more complex for institutions.

Colleges and universities that succeed in this environment will be those that pair operational readiness with strategic oversight—aligning financial aid, admissions, and enrollment leadership around a shared understanding of what’s changed and why.

At FAS, we help higher education leaders navigate FAFSA transitions with clarity—supporting compliance, forecasting, and student-centered outcomes.

If FAFSA 2026 is reshaping your planning conversations, we’re here to help.

Financial Aid Services Partners with Meadow to Deliver Custom Net Price Calculators to Clients

The New FAFSA: 9 Big Changes You Need to Understand in 2026

FAFSA 2026: What Higher Education Leaders Need to Know- and Do- Now

A Simpler FAFSA, With Bigger Institutional Impacts

The Student Aid Index Changes the Conversation About Affordability

Expanded Pell Eligibility and New Asset Rules

What’s No Longer True

Why Leadership Engagement Matters

Moving Forward With Confidence

Why FAS?

Financial Aid as a Service

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