October 2013 SmartSessions
Perfecting Your Policies and Procedures Manual
Are you meeting administrative capability requirements? Are you ready for an audit or program review? Does your staff know the policies and procedures necessary to ensure proper compliance? Your Policies and Procedures Manual is the first thing ED will want to see. This session makes sure your office has well-defined policies and procedures are in place. A thorough manual can also serve as a step-by-step guide for staff members.
Specific topics include:
- Key components of a manual
- Regulatory guidance
- Tools for schools
October 1 @ 3 PM, Eastern time
Perfecting Your Policies and Procedures Manual
New Professionals
Loans I: Understanding the Basics
Learn the basic details of the different federal loan programs so you can better understand, process, and encourage your students to make good borrowing decisions.
Specific topics covered include:
•• Guidelines for educating students on the impact of borrowing loans
•• Types of federal loans and how they compare
•• Using NSLDS
•• The consequences of delinquency and default and what you can do to help borrowers avoid them
October 23rd @ 12 PM, Eastern time
Loans I: Understanding the Basics
Loans II: Helping Students Succeed in Repayment
Gain a deeper understanding of preparing students for repayment. This session will cover borrower options for repayment and the consequences of default. You’ll come away with a thorough knowledge of loan basics that will help you educate your students on the impact of borrowing student loans.
Specific topics covered include:
•• Repayment options available to students
•• How to prepare your students for repayment
•• The consequences of delinquency and default and what you can do to help borrowers avoid them
October 29th @ 12 PM, Eastern time
Loans II: Helping Students Succeed in Repayment
Financial Aid for Beginners
Learn the basics of financial aid and gain an understanding of how different programs work and how financial need is determined. This session will review how students apply for financial aid and how the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) fits into the application process to help you better respond to the needs of your students and help them see that a college education is possible.
Specific topics covered include:
•• Deciphering the language of Financial Aid
•• Student eligibility requirements
•• Types of financial aid programs
•• Importance of FERPA privacy provisions
October 15 @ 12 PM, Eastern time
Financial Aid for Beginners
Understanding the Verification Process
Baffled by the complexities of verification? This session will give you the information you need to simplify the verification process into three easy steps. We’ll also define some common issues found during the review process and how you can resolve them.
Specific topics covered include:
•• Understanding verification requirements
•• Step-by-step instructions for reviewing documentation and completing the verification process
•• How to resolve verification findings
October 22nd @ 3 PM, Eastern time
Understanding the Verification Process
Applying Federal Methodology
How is a student’s financial need determined? Learn how Federal Methodology is used to calculate a student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC)undefinedand be able to calculate an EFC. You’ll be better prepared when making financial aid awards.
Specific topics covered include:
•• Purpose of Federal Methodology
•• Guiding principles of Need Analysis
•• Components
•• Manual EFC calculations
•• Special circumstances
October 17th @ 12 PM, Eastern time
Applying Federal Methodology
Database Matches: Resolving Common Comment Codes
This session reviews how the database matches following FAFSA completion impact student aid eligibility and what you can do to help resolve any issues that arise. Leave feeling confident about resolving C-codes and conflicting information.
Specific topics covered include:
•• Review of the Central Processing System database matches
•• Guidance on resolving database mismatches
•• Types of conflicting information and how to resolve them
October 24th @ 3 PM, Eastern time
Database Matches: Resolving Common Comment Codes
Understanding the FAFSA: It All Starts Here
Get a comprehensive overview of the FAFSA. This session steps you through the FAFSA line by line. We’ll help you feel comfortable assisting your students so they can correctly complete this crucial first step to receiving federal financial aid.
Specific topics covered include:
•• Applying for financial aid
•• Answering dependency questions
•• Processing the FAFSA
October 16th @ 3 PM, Eastern time
Understanding the FAFSA: It All Starts Here
