Internet search histories reveal much about the collective concerns and interests of the population. Researchers have demonstrated that searches for terms such as "flu symptoms" predict the onset and prevalence of flu in given geographical areas. Can such an analysis be applied fruitfully to data on searches related to higher education issues? One potentially productive line of inquiry concerns how searches for financial aid information may or may not reflect the official policy timeline for searching and applying for aid. In this analysis, the author shows how Google search terms both follow and deviate from the timeline laid out by the federal government and many states and institutions for applying for aid. (Contains 2 resources.)