Financial Aid Performance Group

Public

Ask a question from your peers to help you in your professional work. Seek different points of view on a topic that interests you. Start a thought-provoking conversation about a hot, current topic. Encourage your peers to join you in the discussion, and feel free to facilitate the discussion. As a community of educators, all members of the Career Ed Lounge are empowered to act as a discussion facilitator to help us all learn from each other.

Justine Gallegos

Assisting students who are in default or on the way...

We are new to Financial Aid at my institution and have not begun to track or keep up with graduated students who have Student Loans. Can someone provide me with websites I can use to find out if a student is on the verge of defaulting or what are some ways that schools keep up with this information? I have not explored the websites enough to understand which is good for what information yet. Is this at NSLDS or COD? Thank you!

Afton Erdmann

Audits can be really helpful and rewarding

Audits can give you a better understanding of where you are and what things you need to work on.

Justine Gallegos

How much communication is too much communication?

For effective borrower communication, I noticed it stated that students open up about living situations when they trust the faculty, and that is the way to increase relationships. But I find that sometimes students have friendships with instructors or faculty that leads to problems like favoritism. How do we develop relationships with the students and gather important data such as homelessness or financial difficulties, without crossing the line and making these personal conversations?

Paula Trawick

Reference and Address checks

At our schools we Maill information out once every three months to see who comes back, so we can update. Twice a year we ask for complete information from all the students which encluded new cell numbers or e-mail adresses. Upon exits I have them fill out the reference's on the McKenzie as will as the sheet with five reference we have from the start. I have then look over there information so they can change what need to be.

Tanya Cioffi

Student Complaints

Share ways that you or your colleagues have effectively addressed student complaints, resulting in a positive experience for all involved.

Tanya Cioffi

Customer Service

If you had to boil customer service down to one critical element, what would you most recommend?

Tanya Cioffi

Financial Aid Deadlines

In your experience, what have been the most challenging aspects of adhering to the financial aid time deadlines? How do you most successfully get students to keep them?

Tanya Cioffi

The Financial Aid Office After Graduation

What strategies has your school implemented to keep students connected to the financial aid office post-graduation?

Tanya Cioffi

Default Management

What strategies has your institution employed to reduce its default rate? In your opinion, what more could be done to assist students and protect the institution?

Tanya Cioffi

Compliance Audits

Based on your experience, whatâ€™s the best way to prepare for a Compliance Audit? Do you have any tips for those new to the process?

Tanya Cioffi

Performance Requirements

Are there any of the Performance Requirement details that are particularly difficult for you as a FAA to comply with?

Tanya Cioffi

Performance Requirements

How do the Performance Requirements guide the performance of your duties?

Tanya Cioffi

Challenges

Of the institutional responsibilities covered in this course, which have you found to be the most challenging requirements of your job? How have you overcome these challenges?

Tanya Cioffi

Paper vs Online Applications

What circumstances have you used paper application? In particular, please identify any that were in addition to those mentioned in the course.

Tanya Cioffi

Documentation

The course mentions that the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities (MTCU) and the Performance Requirements are currently in conflict regarding documentation in the student files. How has your institution solved the issue of maintaining proof of the studentâ€™s age but protecting his/her privacy by not having personal identification in the file?

Tanya Cioffi