NASFAA Fall Training addresses topics of interest that have been identified each year by association members and the NASFAA Training Committee. NASFAA Fall Training is offered in most states through the state and regional financial aid associations. Detailed information about the 2007 Fall Training topic is provided below. Click here to view list of workshops.

The 2007 workshops will focus on how to explain to students and families in layman’s terms how their financial resources and family demographics are used to calculate the expected family contribution (EFC) under federal methodology (FM), and other options available to them when the standard approach does not work.

Workshop Goals

• Identify some generational characteristic of students and families and strategies for communicating with them.

• Provide an overview of FM with an emphasis on identifying the different formulas, explaining each of the formula components, and discussing the impact of changes to each component.

• Review how schools should derive cost of attendance components and discuss strategies for explaining budgets to students and families.

• Explain how to address family situations in a fair, equitable, and efficient manner, when the standard approach does not work, including strategies for saying “no” to professional judgment requests and appeals, and making alternative suggestions relevant to the family’s circumstances.

• Examine the underlying principles for counseling students and families on selecting loans, and discuss the options, benefits, and tools available to assist students and families in selecting a lender to pay for educational costs.

• Discuss ethical issues that may arise when counseling students and families, give participants an opportunity to share their experiences and concerns, and suggest strategies to address them.
  

Workshop Content

I. Introduction

A. Generational characteristics of students
B. Communication strategies
C. Ethical aspects of financial aid counseling

II. Demystifying Federal Methodology

A. Formulas
B. Formula components
C. Income protection allowance
D. Discretion in meeting expenses
E. Ripple effects
F. Counseling students and families on need analysis
G. Adjusting data elements to recalculate EFC
H. Accounting for special circumstances not reflected in FAFSA data elements
I. EFC calculations for periods other than 9 months

III. COA Development and Communication

A. Purpose and principles of budget development
B. Allowable costs and cost of attendance restrictions
C. Developing and setting the cost for each budget component
D. Consumer information requirements
E. Other factors that affect the COA

IV. How to Address Students and Families’ Financial Concerns

A. Consumer information requirements
B. Corrections, updates, and adjustments
C. Professional judgment requests and appeals
D. Developing and implementing a decision process for PJ requests and denials
E. Documentation Requirements
F. Communicating your decision and offering alternatives

V. Effective Loan Counseling and Lender Selection

A. Purpose and underlying principles of loan counseling
B. Weighing the cost and benefits of different loan products
C. Tools available to students and families for selecting a lender

VI. Ethical Issues and Counseling Strategies

A. Reiterate primary goal and standards
B. Understanding and using empathic concepts
C. Examples and case studies
D. Customer service

Who Should Attend

This training is designed for financial aid administrators, enrollment services staff, and other individuals who have some exposure to financial aid administration and who counsel and advise students and families on various aspects of applying for financial assistance.

What You Will Learn

Participants will learn how to develop effective strategies for counseling students and families on financial issues regarding paying for college.

What You Will Receive

A Participant’s Handout containing

• Resource Charts

• Discussion Points

• Tools for customizing and implementing what you've learned

• PowerPoint Handout

What To Bring

A 1-inch 3-ring binder for training materials

Faculty

A team of experienced financial aid administrators will conduct the workshops using materials written, developed, and distributed by NASFAA. All instructors receive training on the workshop materials and related issues developed and presented by NASFAA staff, as well as ongoing regulatory and teaching assistance.

List of Workshops

Most state and regional associations sponsor NASFAA workshops. This means that the states and regions select the workshop locations, dates and instructors, and coordinate the registration activities associated with the workshops. If your state or region is sponsoring a NASFAA workshop, contact your association directly for information about dates, locations, and how to register. Click here to access the list of workshops. NASFAA will update this information as we receive it. Note that some states elect not to participate in the NASFAA workshop series.

Sale of Reference Materials

NASFAA’s Value and Value Plus Members will receive an electronic copy of the Fall Training materials AFTER all the state and regional workshops have taken place. Individual handouts are combined into one Adobe Acrobat PDF file for easy downloading and printing. Members are notified by email when the PDF is available for download. Materials are intentionally provided AFTER the in-person training because the state and/or regional associations provide valuable information and insight into the actual training documents. The materials are meant to supplement not replace the state and regional training workshops. The ability to download and share copies with others at your institutions is one of the many benefits of the Value and Value Plus memberships.

In addition, after all state and regional workshops are completed, NASFAA sells any remaining printed materials, while supplies last. Ordering information for 2007 Fall Training materials will be announced in Today’s News and posted on this page.

To order workshop materials, visit the NASFAA Training Center. Then, complete a Publications Order Form and send it to NASFAA. Questions about ordering should be e-mailed to the Publications Desk.

Training materials currently available for purchase are:

Fall 2006 - Verification explained the difference between “verification” of data used to calculate a student’s expected family contribution (EFC) and “conflicting information.” In addition, the materials cover the Higher Education Reconciliation Act (HERA), which changes several need analysis formula data elements.

Fall 2005 - Administrative Capability: Campus-Wide Compliance examines administrative capability in the context of a campus-wide effort. Focus is on developing strategies to ensure and strengthen the cross-campus communication necessary to demonstrate Title IV administrative capability.

Fall 2004 - Student Loan Issues, includes information on borrower eligibility requirements, loan limits, loan periods, disbursement requirements, and the Master Promissory Notes for the Federal Perkins and FFEL/Direct Loan programs.

Fall 2003 - Student Eligibility Issues, includes academic credentials, database matches and resolution of flags, citizenship requirements, defaults and overpayments, documentation of veteran status, drug convictions, and the impact of institutional policies on student eligibility for Title IV assistance.

Fall 2002 - Treatment of Resources and Packaging Considerations, sorts out a multitude of non-Title IV resources, discussing operational issues, compliance with federal rules, and strategies for resolving overawards.

Fall 2000 - Professional Judgment, includes guiding principles and a discussion of each of the areas to which professional judgment applies, including case studies.

Please direct all questions and comments about NASFAA Fall Training to Connie McCormick.