MEFA: A Year in Review

What families searched for, watched, and listened to in 2025.

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With the landscape of higher education always changing, families once again this year turned to MEFA for trusted, accessible guidance on planning, saving, and paying for college. From tools that helped families understand college costs, to videos and podcasts that broke down complex topics, MEFA’s digital channels saw strong engagement throughout 2025.

mefa.org

The MEFA website witnessed strong traffic driven by financial aid tools and scholarship content.

MEFA’s Student Aid Index (SAI) Calculator was the star of the year for the second year running, with over 73,000 visits in 2025 as families sought clarity around financial aid formulas. MEFA’s College Cost Projector followed as the second most utilized tool, with over 38,000 visitors estimating future college costs.

Unsurprisingly, scholarship information continued to spark interest, led by the performance of Scholarships for Elementary and Middle School Students with over 12,000 views.

Additional top-performing financial aid articles include:

• What’s Reported on the FAFSA?
• Applying for Financial Aid When Parents are Divorced
• What Do I Include on the CSS Profile?
• Here’s How Colleges Calculate Your SAI
• What is the Effect of Retirement Savings on Financial Aid?

Beyond financial aid topics, families navigated to mefa.org for other key content, including:

• The Massachusetts College Savings Tax Deduction
• Should I Save for College in a 529 or a Roth IRA?
• Managing Loan Repayment
• ABLE Accounts and 529 College Savings Plans
• Explore MEFA’s resource center at mefa.org/resource-center to find more trusted tools, articles, and resources built for every stage of the college and career journey.

YouTube

MEFA’s YouTube channel saw continued growth, generating over 46.7k total views, with over 2.8k hours of watch time and earning 177 new subscribers.

Like mefa.org, the most viewed video was related to the Student Aid Index (SAI): What Is a Good SAI? with over 3,100 views. Filing Financial Aid for Divorced and Separated Parents drove the highest subscriber conversion rate, with 4.5% of viewers subscribing (more than double this year’s average of 1.8%).

MEFA’s YouTube-based podcast content also stood out with more than 44% of viewers watching over 15 hours of MEFA Podcast videos.

Subscribe to MEFA on YouTube for practical guidance you can watch on your schedule at youtube.com/@MefaOrg.

The MEFA Podcast

The MEFA Podcast continued to expand its reach in 2025, with over 6,500 unique listeners and over 25k downloads in 2025.

The top performing episodes for 2025 included:

• Expanded Uses for 529 and 529A Plans
• Navigating Changes to Federal College Loans (Part 1)
• Saving for College with the U.Fund
• 2025-26 FAFSA Updates
• How to Become a Pilot
• Current College Admission Trends

These topics reflect the questions families are asking about most—savings strategies, regulatory changes, and career-driven planning.

Listen and subscribe to the MEFA Podcast wherever you consume your podcasts for in-depth conversations on planning, saving, and paying for college and career.

Looking Ahead

Engagement throughout 2025 shows that families are seeking clear, actionable guidance, and that they turn to MEFA’s tools, videos, and podcasts to find it. Looking ahead to 2026, MEFA will continue to help families plan, save, and pay for college, reach financial goals, manage education loans, and navigate a continually evolving financial aid environment. To stay informed, visit mefa.org to sign up for MEFA emails, follow us on our social media channels, and explore the website for the tools and resources most important to you.

And if you have any questions or if you need guidance, reach out to MEFA’s College Planning Team with questions or if you need guidance. You can find them at (800) 449-MEFA (6332) and [e-mail].

About MEFA

MEFA is a state authority, not reliant on state or federal appropriations, established under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 15C. MEFA’s mission, since its founding in 1982, has been to help Massachusetts students and families access and afford higher education and reach financial goals through education programs, tax-advantaged savings plans, competitive loans, and expert guidance. All of MEFA’s work aligns with the ever-present goal to support the independence, growth, and success of Massachusetts students and families. Visit mefa.org to learn more.