CORE In-Service Training Updates (2008)
- Module 1A (Overview of the Student Aid Programs): The Title IV Programs: Summary Information chart has been updated to reflect the new annual and aggregate Stafford Loan limits contained in H.R. 5715, which became law on May 7, 2008. The update file contains the entire 22-page handout for the module.
- Module 6 (Federal Methodology): In the Participant's Handout, corrections have been made to pages 6-2 and 6-15. The correction on page 6-2 is to the percentages used to calculate the Student's Contribution from Assets for each model; the correction on page 6-15 is in the Example description of the mother's total income. The wording on Slide 6 of the PowerPoint presentation has been changed to ensure that participants better understand the concept being discussed. Both the updated PowerPoint slideshow file and the slide handout file contain all 37 slides for the module.
- Module 7 (Calculation of Federal Pell Grant Awards): A typo has been corrected on Slide 7-3 in both the Slide Show presentation and in the Participant's PowerPoint Handout regarding the maximum expected family contribution (EFC) to receive a 2008-09 Federal Pell Grant.
- Module 9A (FFEL and Direct Loans: Reviewing Program Requirements): The FFEL/DL annual and aggregate loan limit charts have been updated to reflect the new limits mandated by the enactment of H.R. 5715. The update file contains the last 22 pages of the Participant Handout for the module.
- Module 9B (FFEL and Direct Loans: Calculating Loan Amounts): The FFEL/DL annual and aggregate loan limit charts have been updated to reflect the new limits mandated by the enactment of H.R. 5715. The update file contains the first 22 pages of the Participant Handout for the module.
- Module 12 (Return of Title IV Funds): Page 12-22 of the Participant Handout has been corrected to include text inadvertently dropped during formatting and a typo in the header and footer of the PowerPoint Handout has been corrected.
CORE is a comprehensive set of instructional materials designed by NASFAA for training financial aid professionals. CORE's 13 modules cover financial aid administration from A to Z!
CORE's flexible design enables you to teach small or large groups.
- Topics can be reordered to suit your own needs.
- CORE is designed for structured training, not as a self-learning tool. Each CORE module contains an instructor's guide and an accompanying trainee handout.
- A PowerPoint presentation is included for each module.
- CORE is available on CD-ROM only.
When you purchase CORE, you may make one copy of the instructor guide for each of the 13 modules and copies of the trainee's handouts based on the number of licenses you purchase. Modules cannot be purchased individually. A summary of each module appears on the following page.
The CORE materials on CD-ROM are in Adobe Acrobat format, and an Adobe Acrobat Reader will be included on the CD. At this time, a Mac version of CORE on CD-ROM is not available.
The CD includes a PowerPoint Viewer that enables you to present a computer-based slide show. To run the PowerPoint presentation you will need Windows 95 or higher.
How To Order:
To order CORE, please place your order online or return your order form with payment to:
NASFAA, Attn: Publications
1101 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036-4303
You may also fax your completed order
form to 202-785-1487. If you have questions about your order, please
e-mail your inquiry to pubs@nasfaa.org or
call 202-785-6949.
What is CORE and How Can it be Used?
CORE training materials are designed for financial aid administrators with less than two years experience. The materials cover the basics of the financial aid process from A to Z, beginning with a description of the federal student assistance programs and concluding with information about the process by which an institution applies for Title IV funding.
Although you may decide to use these materials in an informal setting, CORE has been designed to train groups of people, with an instructor leading participants through the contents. CORE was not designed to be a self-learning tool.
Description of 2008-09 CORE Modules
Module 1A presents basic financial aid concepts, introduces the federal student aid programs, providing information on the Title IV programs, state aid, the Health and Human Services (HHS) programs, and other sources of financial assistances; and Module 1B discusses the administrative requirements for participating in the Title IV campus-based programs.
Module 2 covers the application and delivery system processes, including the electronic and paper financial aid applications.
Module 3 provides an overview of the general student eligibility criteria and documentation requirements. This module acquaints participants with the role of the Central Processing System (CPS), the student eligibility database matches, and the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). The module also provides information on how certain educational programs affect student eligibility.
Module 4 provides an overview of the verification principles and guides the financial aid administrator through the verification process.
Module 5 introduces the concept of cost of attendance, describes each cost component used to develop student budgets, and presents how financial aid administrators develop the cost of attendance for their institutions.
Module 6 covers the Federal Methodology. Examples are used to demonstrate the computation of an expected family contribution under the Federal Methodology.
Module 7 is an overview of the Federal Pell Grant formulas and award calculations. Case studies are used to demonstrate specific concepts as well as the Federal Pell Grant formulas.
Module 8 describes the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant programs.
Module 9A introduces the eligibility requirements and application processes for the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) and Federal Direct Student Loan (Direct Loan) programs; Module 9B discusses the frequency with which students may borrow and explains how loan amounts are calculated; and Module 9C provides an overview of the major repayment features in the FFEL and Direct Loan programs.
Module 10 discusses the goals and considerations involved in packaging, and provides information concerning the award notification process.
Module 11 covers the cash management and disbursement requirements for the Title IV programs.
Module 12 provides an overview of the Return of Title IV funds provisions and includes example withdrawal calculations.
Module 13 familiarizes participants with the application and recertification requirements as they pertain to a school's eligibility to participate in the Title IV programs.
Guide to Student Financial Aid Reporting, Disclosure, and Recordkeeping Requirements details the reporting, disclosure, and recordkeeping requirements for Title IV programs and is arranged as an institution and a student may experience the federal student aid process - from general institutional eligibility and fiscal responsibilities to student-specific aid program requirements.
A Few Comments about the Materials
We have formatted the Instructor's Guide (IG) so it is easy for instructors to use. For example, you will find a text font that is easy to read, descriptive headers and footers, visual prompts that tell instructors when to refer participants to the handouts (?), indented notes to instructors, thumbprint slide prompts (except for modules 2 and 7), a vertical line between the left- and right-hand column text, and blank space in the left-hand column for instructors to make notes. The Instructor's Guide materials include a comprehensive outline for all the Instructor's Guides and cover sheets for the modules
Module 2 (The Application Process), Module 4 (Verification), and Module 5 (Cost of Attendance) are presented in bulleted format rather than full script. We would appreciate any comments you have on the bulleted format.
Organization of Participant's Handout
The Participant's Handout folder includes a comprehensive Table of Contents for all the Participant's Handouts, cover sheets for the modules, the Guide, and the handouts for each module - including the PowerPoint Handout. (Some of the background was removed from the PowerPoint handout files to provide clearer copies for the handouts.) The participant materials are sequenced and numbered to correspond to the thirteen modules described above.
CAUTION: Some of the handouts have footers inserted using Adobe Acrobat. The footers may not print if you use a printer with a postscript function. Be sure to check the footers on all of the handouts you print to see if they appear; if the footers are missing, either use a printer that does not have postscript or turn that function off on the printer. Please set Page Scaling to "Fit to Printer Margins" so that Pell handouts print correctly.
Time Allocations
The time allocations noted at the beginning of each module are our best estimates of how long it will take to teach the topic. Our estimates are based on the premise that the materials will be taught over a four- or five-day period at an institute-type workshop. Depending on how you decide to use the CORE materials, you may find it necessary to adjust these times.
Copyright and Disclaimer
All of the CORE materials are copyrighted by NASFAA. The purchase of the CD ROM entitles you to twenty (20) licenses for use by you and your staff. Additional licenses may be purchased at the cost of $10 for each additional license. As noted on the order form, you may make a copy of each of the Instructor's Guides for your instructors and up to 20 copies of the participant handouts (additional copies of the handouts may be made if additional licenses were purchased). The permission to copy these materials is granted provided that: NASFAA is credited as the source of the materials, use of the materials is not for profit, and proper notice of copyright is included on copies. We appreciate your cooperation.