This area taught us about staying away from misrepresenting our school and the programs that we offer to the students.
I am very glad that everything about what we are doing regarding financial aid is integrity come first and also helping students to get them to the level of desirability.
Admissions Representatives must provide accurate information about the institution, promoting services and alternatives that will help them continue to enrollment.
This session is important for all staff in an institution. Ethics are very important and when followed, by all staff, can produce an outstanding culture. One with Trust, Belief, Facts. Nothing is ever promised, and we shall not promise anything either. Hard Word does get better results.
This module reminds me that each staff members has their own specific roles to fulfil at the same time they have to fulfil it in a way that does not create any miscommunication or it will lead to problems in the future. It also gives guidance that making sure that schools are not doing job placement but offers help to students to be able to get a job.
This a very good chapter on enrollment with integrity. There are several crucial factors the admissions reps must conform to -- chief among them is: Disclosing school information with transparency, and not using superlatives or exaggeration when representing the school offering or facilities or staff or instructors. It is also very important that Financial Aid representatives follow the policies of the USDOE, such as not obtaining the student's FSA Id, and making sure that the student is truthful in filling in info on FAFSA. Admissions should not be venturing to give info about financial aid and should refer to financial aid for that purpose.
Inappropriate to offer any incentive to prospective students as motivation to enroll in the program.
Learn about financial aid. Personal dedicated to help students with proper documentation will understand any wrong entry may disqualify the student.
Integrity is the foundation to a compliance department and institution.
Being honest is a top priority in admissions. You must be honest with students without guaranteeing too much. There is a fine line and it cannot be crossed.
Being transparent and honest as an admissions representative is Integrity's primary task.
Integrity must be the foundation of all actions, and ensures the good standing of the school.
The biggest takeaway for me is, integrity is NOT an option, we need to have the best interest for the potential student even if that means NOT enrolling them.
I think the biggest takeaway from this module is that all of these regulations are in place to, in the end, help the students succeed, which is what we are here for. We don't want to use deceptive practices or misleading language 1) because it violates standards and rules, but also 2) because we want to make sure our students have the best experience possible. It is critical to uphold all standards and regulations in regards to the admissions process, and if those rules feel tedious we just have to remember that we are trying to set our students up for success, not failure, by giving them accurate information or directing them to the right people to help them.
No question, operating ethically throughout the enrollment process is a must.
Our school mamangement makes clear to all employees the importance or permissible language and competitive integrity. So much so, the dos and don'ts are part of our culture. Meetings are held periodically to discuss questions raised and appropriate responses to said questions. If you are not a subject matter expert, refer the individual to someone who can help. Learn the values of saying, "I do not know, but will refer you to someone who can help."
Do not misrepresent the school,programs, financial aid, careers, or anything that guarantees. I also learned to stay away from answering any questions outside of my knowledge base such as first aid stuff and to guide them to the right answers. Along with first aid stuff we are absolutely not allowed to assist in any of the fasfa paperwork or financial paperwork at all. Not even guide them. We want the best for our students set with all the right expectations and no over promises or false promises.
Many of the areas covered in this section warn us to stay away from using absolutes or guarantees. This is true in regards to employment, financial aid, and even facilities. You also want to avoid any verbiage in which you are creating comparisons with other schools. Misrepresentation is what you want to steer clear of, and also implying something that may be inaccurate.
There are numerous categories of misrepresentation which includes visual cues and phrases when putting promotional material out into the world. Cut the superlatives and go with documented facts.
Financial Aid regulations are incredibly specific and non-negotiable. Realistic understanding of their role in the FA process is imperative. Training of staff members to ensure they are doing their part in this process is also critical.
