With application fees waived at many colleges, Michigan's annual College Month is providing critical support to thousands of high school seniors preparing for their next steps

A renewed push is underway to stop requiring that scores from the state-administered SAT test appear on Michigan students’ high school transcripts.

Jessica Tibbitts, counselor for Pickford Public Schools, and Susy Talentino, counselor for Sault’s Malcolm High School, were both recognized by the Michigan School Counselor Fellows Program for their efforts to help kids with the issues they face the most.

A student’s senior year of high school is sometimes their busiest. And part of that may have to do with getting ready for what comes next, whether they’re college-bound or readying to take direct career steps straight away.

“Benzie County students were riding this wave along with the rest of Michigan,” the release said. “According to the Michigan FAFSA tracker, 69.79% of Benzie High School seniors completed the FAFSA as of Sept. 8, 2025. That figure is well above the state average and an overall 30% increase over last year.”

"University presidents are paralyzed," Michigan College Access Network Executive Director Ryan Fewins-Bliss said. "They are now under attack at the federal and state level. ... Federally, things are shifting every day. They're exasperated."

The Michigan College Access Network joins the podcast with its Executive Director, Ryan Fewins-Bliss, to discuss how the organization works to ensure all Michigan students understand the opportunities available to them for education beyond high school, as well as the current state of college graduates in the state.

Teachers and other school staff could lose out on thousands of dollars in student loan forgiveness if their districts engage in activities the Trump administration now considers illegal—including, potentially, certain supports for immigrants or transgender students in schools.

Ryan Fewins-Bliss, executive director of Michigan College Access Network, said he worries that institutions "overcorrecting" and rolling back programs meant to serve specific groups of students will result in fewer students, especially students of color, attending college.

At a recent media roundtable hosted by the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), panelists said concerns about affordability, limited awareness of financial aid and unmet basic needs continue to block access to higher education, particularly for Black and Brown students, Indigenous students, immigrants and students with disabilities.