iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 15/07/2025

I'm just a college counselor, standing in front of Slate, begging them to give me a bulk import option when inviting students.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Nothing hits quite like a good rain shower after your garden has been thirssstttyyyyy.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

I'm so glad Senator Durbin is my senator. And not to be pedantic, but it's the FAFSA, not the FASFA. And they're school counselors, not guidance counselors. 🫠

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Browsing my spam folder and stumbled upon this gem. Think I can convince @millerwj10.bsky.social to take me on a midweek date for top-tier people watching?

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Our Class of 2029 data is tied up with a bow and wheeeew... Our 27 scholars had, on average, 3.8 *financially feasible* colleges to choose from and 89% are going to a college that met their full demonstrated financial need.

media.tenor.com

a woman sits at a desk with her hands folded

ALT: a woman sits at a desk with her hands folded

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Today, I learned that Northern Michigan University just launched a scholarship specifically for first-gen students that is funded by the founder of Starbucks. More of this!

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Cruising into May 1 today with a grateful heart knowing that 27 amazing young people are heading to 17 unique colleges across the country that they're excited about AND that they can afford. This work is never easy but dang, if it isn't a privilege to help our folks reach their goals.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

There are a few days every spring where I refuse to turn on the air because I’ve been cold to the bone for months and need to defrost, but the house is 80 right now and I might cave.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

I met one of our scholars' parents last night. They told me that the loan-free financial aid package was a "dream come true," and next week, they'll become a citizen. I hope I never forget that moment. It's what this work - and this country - is all about.

media.tenor.com

a cartoon of a monster with the words " my small heart grew three sizes today "

ALT: a cartoon of a monster with the words " my small heart grew three sizes today "

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

I am LOVING the piece about Grey Zabel’s farm. Did @hitdpod.bsky.social just find their new spokesperson?!?

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

📢 Quit asking for a letter of recommendation for your scholarship and putting a word count on it. Let me say what I need to say!

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Happy Easter Weekend — here’s my all-time favorite picture of Ivy as a gift to you.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Shoutout to the outside scholarship provider that: 1) had a straightforward process 2) sent decisions DAYS after the deadline 3) named recipients before May 1 Two of our scholars got the same scholarship and it's a game-changer for both of them because it was awarded now, not in a month. Yay!

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

We're helping our scholars launch their careers and YOU can help! If you know of any entry-level jobs in digital marketing, financial services/consulting, or PR/communications, please let me know!

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

This qualifying statement is so silly.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

563 files later, my fourth cycle of law school application reading comes to an end. There are a lot of nights that I would rather read a book or bake or golf, but I have the best team and it makes me better at my day job. I'm grateful to be a part of it, but I'm also glad to get a break!

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Happy to ✨influence✨ anyone that works with young people -- this book will change the way you work!

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

I'm benchmarking salaries for some long-term planning and some nonprofits are just out here not paying a living wage, huh?

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

It's April, time for my annual appeal to @commonapp.org (or anyone, truly) to use their powers for good and streamline the college portal insanity. The passwords, the usernames, the 2FA...it's all just too much.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

It was a great time to be on 65, let me tell you… 😅 I’m pretty sure we saw our lives flash before our eyes. Whew buddy.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

I was an ag kid in a previous life and this thread is really important.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

I don’t know if this is a hot take or not, but March Madness commercials are unquestionably better than the Super Bowl.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

"You know how you showed me that a college was actually not as expensive as it looked? Could you put my friend's financial aid package into your spreadsheet?" Kiddo, I would do it for EVERY high school senior in the world if I could. Five minutes to help them see that college is affordable? Done.

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Reposted by Sara Miller

Ron Lieber @ronlieber.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

When rich schools trumpet more generous financial aid policies, as Harvard did just now, these are the sentences I seize on: "Just over half of Harvard’s undergrads receive financial aid,." That means 45% or so can afford $83k per year. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/u...

nytimes.com

Harvard Will Make Tuition Free for More Students

Harvard is the latest elite school to announce that families with incomes of $200,000 and under will not pay tuition as a way to bolster diversity.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

It's everyone's favorite time of year, where I share the good, the bad, and the ugly of the 150+ financial aid packages I see. Today's lesson: do not default to listing your cost by semester, *especially* when they're not listed on your financial aid portal. To quote MJ, "Stop it. Get some help."

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Reposted by Sara Miller

Rodger Sherman @rodger.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Always strange how Trump is the leader of a nationwide anti-higher education movement but also personally cares deeply about what college people went to

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

We're hosting a trivia night fundraiser next week and the guy at the trivia company replies to emails in bold, bright pink text and ends his emails with, "Peace, Love, and Hugs," and that's the energy I think we need more of right now.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Moments like this are why college basketball is on in our house every single night.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

I don't know what they're doing in Madison, but the way that Wisconsin commits to funding FGLI students (or at least ours!) makes me love them so much.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

No better way to start a Monday than my student having to repeat every question I ask to the FAFSA Help Line because they won't talk to me and then getting told that they just process the FAFSA and colleges determine SAI.

media.tenor.com

a woman with glasses is being filmed by a cameraman and the caption says are you kidding me

ALT: a woman with glasses is being filmed by a cameraman and the caption says are you kidding me

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

FAFSA complaints feel like screaming into the abyss right now, but the copy-and-paste response that my student got to an email with a very nuanced question is insane. This is insane.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

My parents got me a bird cam for my birthday and now I run the neighborhood squirrel cafeteria.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Update: got ourselves a trumpet. 🎺

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Today in "whatever it takes to make dreams come true" -- sending cold emails to folks in music spaces to see if they know how to get a future music major a nice trumpet. 🤷‍♀️

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

“I need to call @hitdpod.bsky.social for shoe lacing advice so I don’t look like a nerdy boy.”—my husband right now

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

Y'all I hate to even put this into the universe but the FAFSA Estimator isn't working for me right now and I need it to cross-check an SAI that feels verrrrrrry off.

media.tenor.com

a woman is smiling with the words should i be worried behind her

ALT: a woman is smiling with the words should i be worried behind her

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

I moved our scholar application from Google Forms to JotForm and not only is it so swanky now, it's going to save me so much time. 🤩

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

It's January 8 and we have 89% FAFSA completion. I've even seen a handful of financial aid packages already. Let's gooooooooo.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

If a school doesn't take the Common App fee waiver, I immediately question how supportive they will be of low-income students when they get to campus.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

At the risk of sounding ungrateful that the FAFSA even opened (🤪), can I just say that a December 1 open date has been ~*awful*~ ???

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Does someone want to tell me why my scholar has been on hold for two hours, two nights in a row, with the FAFSA Help Line? I thought this was fixed...

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

"Many families make bad decisions based on the misleading vocabulary colleges use around financial aid, leading to broken futures and, increasingly, unaffordable student loans." *This* is why we do the work that we do at Green Halo. slate.com/business/202...

slate.com

The Single Most Important Thing to Know About Financial Aid: It’s a Sham

Colleges claim to award scholarships based on merit or need. In reality, they’re just charging the most they think families will pay.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

Today, I learned that Macalester has a need-based grant program that gives incoming students $1,000 to use for the expenses of starting college. THAT is access!

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

We raised $23,000 on Giving Tuesday and whew...I'm going to need a minute. 🥹

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Aunt Sara has been called in to help with 12 Days of Christmas Spirit Week (12 days is *insane*). I was made for such a time as this.

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Sara Miller @sarayelichmiller.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Giving high schools and college access orgs six days to plan for FAFSA Week of Action is really a choice...🤪

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