# Presentation: 382944

## Slide 1

## Capstone Session

***Student Aid Awareness and Application Processing System Update***

- Capstone

## Today’s Topics

- Student Aid Awareness and You!
- 2003-04 Application Processing System Update
- PINs
- Processing Statistics
- FAFSA on the Web
- Paper FAFSA and Renewal FAFSA
- Student Aid Report (SAR) and SAR on the Web
- Central Processing System (CPS)
- FAA Access to CPS Online
- Important Dates

- Capstone

## Outreach – Building Partnerships

- Recent successes:
- HUD Neighborhood Networks
- National Indian Education Association
- Tom Joyner Morning Show

- Capstone

## Publications – Our “Flagship” Publications

- Funding Your Education

- The Student Guide

**Send Your Feedback To: jennifer.douglas@ed.gov**

- Capstone

## Publications – New in FY02: “Don’t Get Stung!”

**Free advice on Federal Student Aid**
**Free application process**
**Who to contact**

**FOCUS:**

- Capstone

## Publications – New in FY02: Need Money for College?

**Get information on Federal Aid programs at FSA’s Students Portal **

**FOCUS:**

- Capstone

## FAFSA Toolkit: Don’t Leave Home Without It

***FAFSA Toolkit: Don’t Leave Home Without It***

- Capstone

## Students Portal: WWW.STUDENTAID.ED.GOV

***Students Portal: ******WWW.STUDENTAID.ED.GOV***

- Capstone

## The PIN

- The PIN is the *key *to Online financial aid
- Encourage students and parents without PINs to apply for one ***NOW!***
*	*

-  www.pin.ed.gov
- Provide e-mail address and receive PIN in about 24 hours

- Capstone

## PIN Statistics	

- Since Nov. 1998, nearly
- 	23 million individuals have received PINs
- In 2001-02, over 500,000 students and parents used PIN to sign FAFSA electronically
- So far for 2002-03, more than 1.2 million have signed with PINs

- Capstone

## FAFSA on the Web Statistics 

**For the first 46 weeks of processing for **
**2001-2002 and 2002-2003**** **

- Capstone

## FAFSA ProcessingElectronic and Paper FAFSAs

**14%**

**17%**

**20%**

**24%**

**32%**

**40%**

**50%**

-  **60%**

- Capstone

## Application Volume 2001-02 and 2002-03 

- 2002-03 FAFSAs:  10,692,665 processed
- after 46 weeks (mid-November 2002)

- 2001-02 FAFSAs:  9,807,997 processed after 46 weeks (mid-November 2001)

*That’s a** ****9%****** ****increase!*

- Capstone

## FAFSA on the Webwww.fafsa.ed.gov

- General site improvements
- New logo
- Dynamic “late-breaking” news section
- “Fill Out a FAFSA” button more prominent

- Capstone

## FAFSA on the WebEnhancements

- Fields pre-populated based on applicant’s answers to other questions –
- ‘Number in College’ set to ‘1’ if independent and ‘Household Size’ is ‘1’
- ‘Were you born before 1/1/80?’ pre-populated based on answer to ‘Date of Birth’ question
- ‘Are you married?’ pre-populated based on answer to ‘Marital Status’ question
- More use of skip logic

- Capstone

## Simplified FAFSA on the Web

- Law provides that applicants meeting criteria for Automatic Zero EFC or Simplified Needs Test (SNT) can complete ‘simplified’ FAFSA
- Will implement 2003-04 ‘Simplified’ FOTW
- Web technology offers advantage of helping students to determine if they qualify

*“**The simplified application form shall... permit such family to provide only the data elements required for the purposes of establishing eligibility for student financial aid”*

- Capstone

## Simplified Application

***Simplified Application***

- Will apply to FOTW, RFOTW, and COTW
- Questions reordered to determine up front if applicant qualifies for Auto Zero EFC or SNT
- New Pre-Application Worksheet will follow questions as presented in FOTW and reference paper FAFSA question numbers
- Students from certain states will not be given option to skip questions because data is required for state programs

- Capstone

## Simplified Application

***Simplified Application***

- Applicants notified that schools/health professions programs may need all FAFSA data
- If student qualifies for Auto Zero EFC, student (and parents) given option to skip --
- Income taxes paid and number of exemptions claimed
- Worksheets A, B, C questions
- Asset net worth questions
- If student qualifies for SNT only, student (and parents) given option to skip asset net worth questions
- If student does not qualify for Auto Zero EFC or SNT, student completes all remaining FAFSA questions
- COTW will detect if eligibility changes and prompt students to provide additional information

- Capstone

## Corrections on the Web

- Many students will receive “real-time” results
- CPS edits applied immediately
- Official EFC provided instantaneously
- No NSLDS match will occur, but postscreening match done no more than one week later
- ISIR will go out in daily batch transmission

- Capstone

## FAFSA on the Web Toolkits 

- Mailed in October 2002 to --
- Postsecondary schools
- High schools
- State agencies
- Libraries
- PTAs
- TRIO Centers
- Toolkits include materials you can use to encourage students to use the Web to apply for aid

- Capstone

## FAFSA on the Web Toolkits 

- For faster and more accurate processing, encourage students to–
- Go to Section 1 on Home Page to see what documents they will need to complete FOTW
- Use new and improved Pre-Application Worksheet instead of paper FAFSA to prepare for filling out FOTW
- Provide e-mail address
- Use PIN to electronically sign Web applications

- Capstone

## Applying for Aid is FREE!

- Also use Toolkit to remind students that the first “F” in FAFSA stands for

- Plenty of help available –
- Federal Student Aid Information Center
- Online Chat and other Help features within FOTW
- Financial Aid Office
- Caution students about “dot com” Web sites with URLs similar to www.fafsa.ed.gov that charge families to complete FAFSA!

- Capstone

## FAFSA on the Web

-    PowerPoint presentation of FAFSA on the Web screen shots available on IFAP in October 2002 for use at Financial Aid Nights

- Capstone

## FOTW Demo Site

- Available on 11/25/02
- http://fafsademo.test.ed.gov
- User name: eddemo
- Password:  fafsatest

- Capstone

## The Paper FAFSA

- Color of the FAFSA
**Yellow for Students ****	****	****(Pantone 100 CVU)**
**Purple for Parents ****	****	****(Pantone 264 CVU) **
- FAFSA will include insert and return receipt postcard
- Some new and reworded questions and instructions

- Capstone

## The Paper FAFSA

- New logo to                                               complement FSA logo:

- Improved notes for --
- Questions 38 and 73: Answer “yes” if 1040 filed only to claim Hope or Lifetime Learning credits
- Questions 47-48 and 82-83: If eligible for Simplified Needs Test, can skip asset questions

- Capstone

## The Paper FAFSA

- VA monthly benefits amount increased to
- 	4 characters
- Added parents’ marital status date question (Question 60)

- Capstone

## The Paper FAFSAE-mail Address

- New e-mail address field added to Step 6 allows FSA and schools to communicate electronically with students
- Student receives e-mail with links to PIN and SAR data on the Web as quickly as 24 hours after processing

- Capstone

## The Paper FAFSAE-mail Address

- Question 99
- 34 characters long
- Pre-printed “@” symbol
- Set to blank if questionable characters
- FSA will send e-mails with secure link to PIN and SAR information on the Web

- Capstone

## E-mail Statistics

- 4.5 million students have provided e-mail addresses
- Since Jan. 1, 2002
-  > 4.7 million PIN e-mails sent
-  > 6.3 million SAR e-mails sent
- With addition of new field to 2003-04 paper FAFSA, number of PIN and SAR e-mails will increase dramatically

- Capstone

## The Paper FAFSAWorksheet C

- Clarification added to Worksheet C questions:
- Expanded “child support paid” question to include support paid as a result of a legal requirement
- Included more examples of “taxable earnings from need-based employment”
- Reworded “student grant and scholarship aid reported to the IRS” question to clarify what part of Americorps awards should be reported

- Capstone

## Ordering Paper FAFSAs

- Place orders through Schools Portal at “www.fsa4schools.ed.gov”
- Select Publications and How to Order link to BPOS
- Will need 8-digit OPEID
- Announcement with ordering instructions on IFAP in October 2002
- Due to continuing increase in electronic filing, please consider reducing orders of paper FAFSAs
- FSA will NOT automatically reduce orders!

- Capstone

## The Paper Renewal FAFSA

- Includes same changes made to paper FAFSA, including new e-mail address field
- Barcode with student’s Name ID added to bottom of each page of application

- Capstone

## The Paper Renewal FAFSA

- Check NSLDS to determine school code(s) in Step 6
- Only school codes for institutions that reported disbursements in 2002-03 will be printed
- If no disbursement data exists, will print all schools listed on 2002-03 record used to create Renewal FAFSA
- Pre-printed answers to income questions for students who qualified for Auto Zero EFC in 2002-03

- Capstone

## Paper Student Aid Report (SAR)

- 2003-04 SAR will be **YELLOW**
- SAR follows order of questions on paper
- 	FAFSA
- E-mail address numbered and correctable
- Student ID barcode added to correction pages
- DRN moved to bottom left hand corner to eliminate confusion with EFC
- Statement added to page 2 that student must notify FAA if drug conviction status changes

- Capstone

## SAR Information on the Web

- All students with PINs can view SAR information on the Web
- This applies to paper, Web, and EDExpress filers
- Go to fafsa.ed.gov home page, Section 3

- Capstone

## CPS ChangesDatabase Matches

- Will not implement Prisoner’s 					Match in 2003-04
- INS Match:
- Will hold records for up to 72 hours before sending ISIR, pending results of automated secondary confirmation
- Procedure will affect Processing Date

- Capstone

## Will begin postscreening Jan. 13, 2003
Will occur weekly
Reason codes –
Added capability to report up to 3 codes
Added new values:
11	=    No longer exceeds subsidized loan limit
12 	=    No longer exceeds combined loan limit
13	=    Change in discharge status

- Will occur weekly
- Reason codes –
- Added capability to report up to 3 codes
- Added new values:
- 11	=    No longer exceeds subsidized loan limit
- 12 	=    No longer exceeds combined loan limit
- 13	=    Change in discharge status

***CPS Changes******NSLDS Postscreening Match***

- Capstone

## CPS ChangesIRS Match

- Provision added to 1998 Higher Education Amendments authorizing ED to confirm with IRS FAFSA-reported AGI, taxes paid, exemptions, and tax filing status
- Treasury Department has determined that Internal Revenue Code (IRC) must be amended before match can be implemented
- ED, Treasury, and OMB submitted draft legislative language to Congress
- Passage during this session of Congress is uncertain

- Capstone

## CPS ChangesReject Edits

- In anticipation of possible IRS match, dependent students will be rejected (non-verifiable) if no parent SSN reported
- To avoid or eliminate reject, parent SSN must be provided
- If no parent SSN, must enter 000-00-0000
- Verifiable reject if dependent and parent SSNs are not in valid SSN range

- Capstone

## Modify current reject that applies when taxes paid amount equals AGI – 
Non-verifiable
Now includes students and parents whose taxes paid amounts are > AGI 
Modify existing warning edit so that students and parents whose taxes paid is equal or greater than 40% of AGI are rejected (verifiable)

- Non-verifiable
- Now includes students and parents whose taxes paid amounts are > AGI
- Modify existing warning edit so that students and parents whose taxes paid is equal or greater than 40% of AGI are rejected (verifiable)

***CPS Changes ******Reject Edits***

- Capstone

## 
New verifiable reject for students whose ‘Date of Birth’ does not match SSA
Modified current reject A (applicants who are 75 years or older) and reject B (applicants who are 16 years old or younger) –
Will not reject if reported DOB matches SSA’s records, and 
SSN match flag is ‘4’

- New verifiable reject for students whose ‘Date of Birth’ does not match SSA
- Modified current reject A (applicants who are 75 years or older) and reject B (applicants who are 16 years old or younger) –
- Will not reject if reported DOB matches SSA’s records, and
- SSN match flag is ‘4’

***CPS Changes******Reject Edits***

- Capstone

## CPS Changes 	Modified Verification Tracking Flag

- Modified Verification Tracking Flag on ISIR
- Higher number has higher priority
- Recommend using this field to prioritize applicants for selection      if you are using 30% verification     limit option

- Capstone

## FAA Access to CPS Online

- Newest Web application product for FAAs
- Implemented May 1, 2001
- Check status of batches
- View students’ SAR information
- On April 9, 2002, enhanced to allow FAAs to –
- Enter and submit FAFSA and Renewal FAFSA data
- Correct application data

- Capstone

## FAA Access to CPS Online2003-04 Enhancements

- Renamed product to make purpose clearer
- Reformatted and simplified application screens
- “Real-time” corrections feature added

- Capstone

## Important DatesRenewal Application Process

-  Announcement and Guide available on
- 	IFAP and FSADownload
-  Network message asking FAAs to remind	students to update permanent mailing 	address and e-mail address with CPS
-  10/7 – 10/31** **Schools can request that 	PINs be sent to students instead of paper 	Renewal FAFSAs, to remind them to 	reapply
-  11/7 – 12/20 CPS mails Renewal 	FAFSAs to students

- &

**Dec**

- Capstone

## Important DatesRenewal Application Process

- 11/7 – 12/20  PINs sent reminding students to reapply if --
- Used Web in 2002-03
- Indicated on 2002-03 FAFSA that they were a graduate or 5th year undergraduate student
- School requested PIN be sent instead of paper Renewal FAFSA

| Provided e-mail address on 02-03 FAFSA | Did NOT provide        e-mail address |
| --- | --- |
| PIN e-mail | PIN mailer |

***Renewal Reminders***

- Capstone

## Important DatesAnnouncements and Documents

***November:***
- Announcement on IFAP and FSAdownloand about:
- Application Processing System Changes
- EDExpress Changes
- Web Product Changes
- A Guide to ISIRs on IFAP
- Revised ISIR Layout in 2003-04 EDE Technical Reference
- Federal School Code List mailed

- Capstone

## Important DatesSystem Start Up 

***January 1, 2003:***
- FAFSA on the Web, Renewal FAFSA on the Web, Corrections on the Web available for applicants to use
- FAA Access to CPS Online available to FAAs
***January 2, 2003:***
- Central Processing System starts up!!!

- Capstone

**Notes:**
January 1, 2003:
FAFSA on the Web, Renewal FAFSA on the Web, Corrections on the Web available for applicants to use
FAA Access to CPS Online available to FAAs
January 2, 2003:
Central Processing System starts up!!!

## Looking ahead . . .

- ISIR in XML format for the 2004-05 application processing year

- Capstone

## Other Application Processing- Related Sessions  

***Session 1:***  Review of ISIR and EDE Technical Reference
***Session 2:*** FAFSA on the Web – We Aim to Please
***Session 3:***  FAA Access to CPS Online – Designed for Efficiency
***Session 4:***  The FSA PIN – The Key to Accessing Data Online
***Session 5:***  Student and School Application Output
***Session 9:***  CPS Edits, Verification, and QA Tool
***Session 53:***  Imaging and Data Capture – How FAFSAs are Processed
- Numerous ***EDExpress*** sessions, too!

- Capstone

## Feedback Is Appreciated!!

- We appreciate your feedback! Send your questions and suggestions to:
**	****	****Email: fafsaweb@ncs.com**
**	****	****Phone: 1-800-433-3243**

- Capstone