Less than two weeks remain to register for the Department of Education's National Default Prevention Day. This second annual event will be held August 1, 2002, in all ten regional office cities, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
The registration deadline is July 1. More than 1,000 individuals have registered to date. Since seating is limited, ED recommends registering now. To register or obtain additional information, visit http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/0429NDPD.html.
Note that because of heightened security at federal buildings, where most of the events are being held, there is no on-site registration and individuals may not attend using someone else's registration.
What's new this year? If the school's OPE ID number is provided when registering, the Department of Education will prepare an individual report showing the school's current cohort default rate, plus comparison data of institutions similar in type, size and location. A "tool kit" with practical ideas to lower the default rate will be provided, along with free software to assist in the management of default rate data and an easy-to-follow default management checklist from which a school can choose to implement as many suggested strategies as it likes.
Representatives from student loan guarantors will describe successful default prevention strategies. Consumer credit counseling professionals will outline methods for helping students avoid unnecessary or excessive debt, often a precursor to default. ED's Federal Student Aid staff will explain how to enhance the accuracy of the data included in the institution's cohort default rate calculation, and a panel of school default prevention experts will discuss their "best practices" and answer questions.
[Information provided by the Planning Committee for National Default Prevention Day 2002]
Posted June 21, 2002 on www.NASFAA.org, the Web Site of the
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).
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