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The NCAA's New Five-in-Five Eligibility Rule, Explained -- and Why a Judge Just Paused Part of It
The NCAA Division I Cabinet unanimously scrapped the old 'five years to play four seasons' rule in June 2026 for an age-based model -- and eliminated the redshirt right along with it. A federal injunction over who it applies to first is still tied up on appeal this fall.
How and When You Actually Have to Declare a College Major (It's Not Day One)
Most schools give you until roughly the end of sophomore year, not your first semester -- but a handful of majors (CS, engineering, business at some public universities) run on a completely different, competitive track. Real deadlines and real examples, school by school.
Your FAFSA Was Selected for Verification -- What V1, V4, and V5 Actually Mean
Verification isn't a red flag on its own -- roughly 300,000 2026-27 FAFSA filers landed in the strictest group, V5, purely from a one-time fraud-detection sweep. Here's what each active tracking group actually checks, and what the IRS Direct Data Exchange already settles for you.
What Is Guaranteed College Admission? The State Laws That Promise You a Spot, and What They Don't Actually Promise
A handful of states -- Texas, Florida, California, Colorado, Illinois, Washington, Idaho, Missouri, Iowa, and South Dakota among them -- have real laws or systemwide policies guaranteeing admission to top-ranked students. But 'guaranteed' rarely means what it sounds like: not your chosen campus, not your chosen program, sometimes not even the state's own flagship -- and in Arizona's case, not anymore at all.
Wyoming's National Merit Semifinalist Cutoff, Class of 2027: 208, Nine Points Behind Neighboring Colorado
Wyoming's confirmed Class of 2027 cutoff is 208, tied for the national low -- nine points below Colorado, four below Nebraska, and one below Utah, all direct neighbors.
Wisconsin's National Merit Semifinalist Cutoff, Class of 2027: 212, Six Points Behind Illinois, Its Highest-Cutoff Neighbor
Wisconsin's confirmed Class of 2027 cutoff is 212 -- six points below Illinois, four below Michigan, and two above Iowa, spanning its four bordering states.
West Virginia's National Merit Semifinalist Cutoff, Class of 2027: 208, the Lowest Confirmed Cutoff in the Country
West Virginia's confirmed Class of 2027 cutoff is 208, tied nationally for the lowest in the country -- 13 points below both Virginia and Maryland, and 11 points below Pennsylvania, despite bordering all three.
Washington's National Merit Semifinalist Cutoff, Class of 2027: 221, Matching Maryland and Virginia From the Opposite Coast
Washington state's confirmed Class of 2027 cutoff is 221 -- an exact match with Maryland and Virginia, two states 2,500 miles away, and ten points above neighboring Idaho.
Virginia's National Merit Semifinalist Cutoff, Class of 2027: 221, Tied With Maryland, 13 Points Clear of West Virginia
Virginia's confirmed Class of 2027 cutoff is 221 -- an exact tie with Maryland, four points above North Carolina, and 13 points above West Virginia despite sharing a direct border.
Vermont's National Merit Semifinalist Cutoff, Class of 2027: 212, Nine Points Behind Massachusetts, Its Highest-Cutoff Neighbor
Vermont's confirmed Class of 2027 cutoff is 212 -- nine points below Massachusetts, eight below New York, and three below New Hampshire, trailing all three bordering states.