Financial Aid 411 - Stephen Rogers, UHEAA

College Goal Utah & Financial Aid info for the Future
Presenters
Joanna McCormick
&
Stephen Rogers

Who Are We?
Joanna McCormick President of the Utah Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (UASFAA) & Director of Financial Aid at Utah Valley University
Steve Rogers manages outreach for the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority (UHEAA)

UASFAA
…organization whose membership provide services and support in efforts to provide financial assistance to post-secondary students in Utah.
UHEAA’s Mission
… to inform, educate, guide, and assist all students and parents with making informed decisions about preparing,participating,completing,andpaying for Higher Education in Utah, with a priority and emphasis in serving low-income, first generational, and ethnic minority students.

What is College Goal Utah?
Adapted from NASFAA’s College Goal Sunday
1989, Indiana Student Financial Aid Association
Assist students with financial aid preparation and eligibility
Funded by Lumina Foundation
Private educational research firm, Indiana
3 year grant cycle
Target = Low Income & Non-Traditional Students
FAFSA Completion
Staffed by financial aid professionals
Sunday after Super Bowl, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
This day/time can be modified for Utah
35 states participated in 2008

CollegeGoalUtah Concept
Identify Utah High Schools Demonstrating –
Location (need)
Size: High Volume of Seniors
25-50% FRLR,
lower SES
Under-represented, rural, high minority
Navajo Reservation
State wide effort

College Goal Utah - Model
High School Coordination
Principal, Counselors, Financial Literacy Teachers
Schedule Classroom Time
Financial Literacy Courses
General Financial Aid Overview & FAFSA
Advertise College Goal Utah Nights with Postcard
Computer Space & Ensuring Coverage (CGU Nights)
Train counselors & financial literacy teachers, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Assist students with FAFSA completion, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
CGU Dates – Discussion?
Early February - Late April

What to Bring on CGU Night?
Don’t be afraid to bring your friends, a league of experts is there to help

College Goal Utah’s Goals & Objectives
1) Compliancewith Federal Financial Aid Regulations
2) Increase early awareness & preparation of financial aid programs
3) Implementation of college and financial aid evenings, including regional FAFSA workshops.
4) Development of Utah high school and college partnerships.
5) Promote Utah Futures, Utah Scholars, & FAFSA Completion.
6) Provide ongoing professional development for middle and high school counselors
7) Build & maintain business and education partnerships working towards increasing the college going rate.

We need to prepare and make
Use of the strengths these new
Faces will bring to our state.
SOURCE: WICHE, Knocking on the College Door, 2008

Are Students Applying Under Current Model?
Percentage of low-income students completing the FAFSA has increased
In 1999-2000, 57% of low-income undergraduates applied
In 2007-08, 68% of low-income undergraduates applied
But because the overall numbers of students has also grown, we have lost ground
In 1999-2000, 3.3 million low-income undergraduates did not apply
In 2007-08, 3.6 million low-income undergraduates did not apply
Source: OPE Analysis of National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS 2008, 2004, 1999, and 1995)

Process Improvements
Use of newer, state of the art Web technology – Web 2.0
Populate with data directly from the IRS
Increased use of ‘skip-logic’
Provide applicant with types and amounts of aid likely to receive
Working with states and schools

Technology
Status indicators will guide applicants through web modules (e.g., student demographics, basic eligibility, dependency status).
Student and parent sections of the application will be more clearly identified.
Dynamic question labels, help text and instructions based on applicant profile (e.g., marital status, responses to tax filing status, type of tax return filed).

Technology
2010-11 design facilitated by technology upgrade
Updated navigation reduces the number of pages and length of the application
Display of help text and instructions will be enhanced by:
use of field instructions
flyover text
modal boxes

Technology

IRS Data Share
Populate with IRS Data
No taxpayer consent needed because data is not released to a third party.
While in FAFSA on the Web, applicant (tax filer) submits a real-time request to IRS.
IRS sends real-time results to applicant (taxpayer) in new window.
Applicant (tax filer) transfers data to FAFSA on the Web.

IRS Data Share
How will it work?
Students will begin completing FOTW. A link to IRS will display in the income section for the parent and the income section for students.
“You may access the IRS site to retrieve your income data to complete your application or use your tax return. If you would like to retrieve your data from the IRS click here.”

IRS Data Share
How will the IRS site be accessed?
Through the FSA PIN authentication and IRS authentication processes.

IRS Data Share
How will applicants transfer data to FOTW?
Select “Transfer” to return the IRS data to the FAFSA session

IRS Data Share
2009-10 IRS data share will be implemented in January 2010
Pilot to test proof of concept
Participation by applicant is voluntary
2010-11 IRS data share will be implemented in the Summer of 2010
Participation is voluntary

Enhanced Skip Logic
Selective Service registration
Will only be offered to students who are male and younger than 26.
Students who are 24 and older or married.
If DOB or marital status question makes the applicant independent only two dependency questions will be displayed (questions 53 and 54 – to help independent applicants accurately report household size).

Enhanced Skip Logic
Homeless Students
Screening asks if applicant is homeless or at risk
If response is NO, no further questions presented
If response is Yes, and
Applicant’s age is 21 or younger, three homelessness questions presented
If responses to all three are NO
Applicant allowed to submit without parental data and directed to their FAA
Applicant’s age is 22 or 23
Applicant allowed to submit without parental data and directed to their FAA

Enhanced Skip Logic
State of Legal Residence
State of legal residence and date of residency questions will be suppressed for those who confirm the addresses are the same and have been for at least 5 years.
Drug Convictions
Will not be presented to applicants who indicate that they will be a first-time college student.
Additional Financial Information and Untaxed Income
Presented in a much simplified “check box” format.

Results Reporting
Students will receive more detailed information on their FAFSA on the web confirmation page and Student Aid Report (SAR)
An estimate of the Pell Grant award amount
An indication of student loan eligibility
Links to College Navigator for detailed information about the institutions selected:
Programs offered,
Tuition and fees,
Graduation rates, etc.
24

Results Reporting
Retention, graduation and transfer rates within FAFSA on the Web
When students use the school code lookup within FAFSA on the web to lists colleges on the form, they will be presented with each college’s reported retention, graduation and transfer rates.
This information will also display on the FAFSA on the Web confirmation page.

Notable News
Easy to remember web address:
www.fafsa.gov
(never access fafsa.com)
PIN web address is still:
www.pin.ed.gov
(real time PIN for applicants)

YEAR ROUND PELL GRANT:
Beginning with 2009-2010. . .
Students may receive summer Pell grants even if they attended full time during fall and spring semesters NEW THIS YEAR!!!!
PELL Grant maximum
2009-2010. . . $5350
2010-2011. . . $5500 (proposed)

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
To be eligible for this grant, students must be:
Pell grant recipient
U.S. Citizen or eligible noncitizen . . . .(new)
Must be enrolled half time or more . . . (new)
Be enrolled in first or second academic year program of study
Second year students must have a 3.0 GPA for the first academic year
Must complete a high school rigorous program of study
ACG funding will only continue through 2009/2010 and 2010-2011 years then program will end
SMART Grant program funding will also expire with the 2010-2011 year

WHAT IS NEW FOR 2010-2011 FAFSA APPLICANTS – RECAP
New, streamlined application facilitated by technology upgrade
Reduced screens for applicants to fill out
22 questions are eliminated (improved skip logic)
17 web screens are eliminated
Access to information about schools and states where they apply

RECAP – Continued…
Improved Student Aid Report (SAR)
will contain:
Will receive more detailed information on SAR
Estimate Pell grant
Indicate loan eligibility
Links to colleges to see:
Programs offered
Tuition and fees
Graduation rates, etc.

In the Face of Overwhelming Odds…

Questions

Contact
Stephen Rogers
Outreach
UHEAA
(801) 366-8460
srogers@utahsbr.edu

Financial Aid 411 - Stephen Rogers, UHEAA

by HigherEdUtah on Aug 07, 2009

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Financial Aid 411 - Stephen Rogers, UHEAA — Presentation Transcript