Sample Introduction Email

Dear Financial Aid Professional:

The U. S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid offers training to 

schools participating in the Title IV student aid programs. The training covers all aspects 

of the administration of these programs. FSA’s External Training Branch is conducting 

a survey to learn how to best meet your institutional Title IV training needs and 

expectations. 

The Training Satisfaction Survey contains 15 (or fewer) questions and should take no 

longer than 5-7 minutes to complete. Please fill in the blanks. If you want to provide a 

response not already listed, a space is provided at the end of most questions for “other.” 

There is also a space at the end of the survey to make any additional comments regarding 

your training needs. 

Please feel free to send the web site link for this survey to other individuals at your 

institution who are involved in processing Title IV student aid.

Please complete and return your survey by (30 days from launch date). This site will 

remain active until then.

Thank you for your assistance in our efforts to make our training programs more relevant 

to your needs and to improve the integrity of the FSA programs.
Please note that the formatting of these surveys will change when 

deployed either as a result of Forms scanning requirements or by 

virtue of the web based tools used to deploy the survey. The content 

of the questions and answers will not change. 

Survey # 1 Sample

Training Satisfaction Survey

# Strongly 

Agree

Somewhat 

Agree 

Neither 

Agree 

nor 

Disagree

Somewhat 

Disagree 

Strongly 

Disagree

Issue

1 Trainer (Insert name) explained content 

clearly.

1.1 Trainer (Insert name) explained content 

clearly.

1.2 Trainer (Insert name) explained content

clearly.

1.3 Trainer (Insert name) explained content

clearly.

2 Trainer (Insert name) demonstrated 

knowledge of content.

2.1 Trainer (Insert name) demonstrated 

knowledge of content.

2.2 Trainer (Insert name) demonstrated

knowledge of content. 

2.3 Trainer (Insert name) demonstrated

knowledge of content.

3 Trainer (Insert name) delivered content in 

an engaging way.

3.1 Trainer (Insert name) delivered content in 

an engaging way.

3.2 Trainer (Insert name) delivered content in

an engaging way.
3.3 Trainer (Insert name) delivered content in

an engaging way.

4 Trainer (Insert name) was responsive to 

questions?

4.1 Trainer (Insert name) was responsive to 

questions?

4.2 Trainer (Insert name) was responsive to 

questions?

4.3 Trainer (Insert name) was responsive to 

questions?

5 Trainer (Insert name) made complex 

concepts understandable.

5.1 Trainer (Insert name) made complex 

concepts understandable.

5.2 Trainer (Insert name) made complex

concepts understandable.

5.3 Trainer (Insert name) made complex 

concepts understandable.

6 Materials were clear.

 

7 Materials were useful in understanding 

the training.

8 Information provided will help me as I 

perform my job duties.

9 Number of case studies/scenarios was

appropriate for this training.

10 Case studies/scenarios were useful in 

illustrating the subject.

11 There was enough time included in the 

training for questions.

12 Time spent on questions was useful.
13. Please elaborate on any of responses of “Somewhat Disagree” or “Strongly 

Disagree.”

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14. Please provide any other comments you have on this training.

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15. Our trainers welcome any specific feedback about their performance today. In the 

space below, please feel free to offer your comments. Be sure to identify which 

trainer your comments apply to, if there was more than one!

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Training Needs Longitudinal Survey 2009- 2010

1. Which best describes your primary responsibilities? 

1. Financial Aid Director or Higher

2. Financial Aid Associate / Assistant Director

3. Financial Aid Counselor / Advisor

4. Financial Aid System Administrator

5. Financial Aid Expert in one program area

6. Financial Aid Clerical / Data Entry Professional

7. Business Office / Bursar Administrator

8. Lender / Guarantor Professional

9. Other, Please Specify

2. How many years of experience do you have in processing Title IV student aid 

programs? 

1. Less than 1 year

2. 1 to 2 years

3. 2 to 5 years

4. 6 to 10 years

5. 10 and over

3. Are your academic programs measured in credit hours or clock hours? 

1. Credit hours with standard terms

2. Credit hours with non-standard terms

3. Clock hours

4. Both Credit and Clock hours

4. Are the majority of your academic programs undergraduate or graduate level? 

1. Undergraduate

2. Graduate

5. In which of the following Title IV student aid programs does your school participate? 

(Select all that apply) 

1. Federal Pell Grant

2. Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

3. National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART Grant)
4. Federal SEOG

5. Federal Work-Study

6. Federal Perkins Loan Program

7. Stafford Loan (Direct Loan Program)

8. Stafford Loan (FFEL Program)

9. PLUS Loan (Direct Loan Program)

10. PLUS Loan(FFEL Program)

6. Do you supervise other full-time financial aid staff?

 Yes

 No

This is a skip logic question. Those answering yes will be directed to answer Question 11. 

Those answering no will not have the extra question. 

7. Which type of training delivery do you prefer?

Assign the most preferred delivery method a rank of 1, the second most critical a rank 

of 2, etc.. Continue to select and rank from the list until you have ranked all methods. 

Do not duplicate rankings.

1. Video-conference

2. Federal Trainer on-line (Webinar)

3. Federal and non-Federal trainer in-person

4. Federal trainer in-person

5. Self-instructional modules on-line

6. Self-instructional modules on CD-ROM

7. Other (Please specify in Additional Comments section)

8. What is the best location for you to attend FSA training?

Assign the most preferred location a rank of 1, the second most preferred a rank of 2, 

etc.. Continue to select and rank from the list until you have ranked all topics. Do not 

duplicate rankings.

1. FSA's Regional Training Facility

2. On-line (Webinar)

3. Institution in your state

4. State association meeting

5. Other (Please specify in the additional comments field)
9. Please identify the reason(s) listed below that limit your participation in FSAsponsored training? (Select all that apply.) 

1. Distance to training site 

2. Training provided at inconvenient time 

3. FSA did not cover topics relevant to your needs 

4. Travel cost Insufficient coverage in office

5. Did not know training was being offered 

6. N/A. I didn't experience limitations

10. Below are listed all of the training topics we've offered in the last 18 months. From 

the list select and rank your top 10 topics.

Your rankings should reflect those topics you believe are critical and necessary to 

ensure your success in administering the Title IV programs.

Assign the most critical and necessary topic the rank of 1, the second most critical a 

rank of 2, etc.. Continue to select and rank from the list until you have your tenth 

topic ranked as 10. Do not duplicate rankings.

1. Fiscal responsibilities and cash management

2. R2T4 and withdrawals

3. Completing the FAFSA

4. Need analysis/COA/PJ 

5. Verification/conflicting information

6. Satisfactory Academic Progress

7. Processing students in non-traditional programs

8. Program Participation Agreements

9. Awarding Title IV aid

10. Disbursing Title IV aid

11. Electronic participation in Title IV (NSLDS, FAA Access to CPS Online, etc)

12. Developing/maintaining policies and procedures

13. Federal Grant awarding/disbursing (PELL/FSEOG/TEACH/SMART/ACG)

14. Consumer information requirements

15. Direct Loan participation

16. FFELP participation

17. Student Eligibility

18. Default Management

19. Campus-based Program Administration (FWS, Perkins, FSEOG)

20. Other Topic not listed (please list below)

11. You indicated you supervise other full-time financial aid staff. 
As a manager/supervisor, please select and rank from the following training topics the 

"Top 10" that you believe are critical and necessary to provide "your" staff members the 

best opportunity for success in administering the Title IV programs.

Assign the most critical and necessary topic the rank of 1, the second most critical a rank 

of 2, etc.. Continue to select and rank from the list until you have your tenth event ranked 

as 10. Do not duplicate rankings.

1. Fiscal responsibilities and cash management

2. R2T4 and withdrawals

3. Completing the FAFSA

4. Need analysis/COA/PJ 

5. Verification/conflicting information

6. Satisfactory Academic Progress

7. Processing students in non-traditional programs

8. Program Participation Agreements

9. Awarding Title IV aid

10. Disbursing Title IV aid

11. Electronic participation in Title IV (NSLDS, FAA Access to CPS Online, etc)

12. Developing/maintaining policies and procedures

13. Federal Grant awarding/disbursing (PELL/FSEOG/TEACH/SMART/ACG)

14. Consumer information requirements

15. Direct Loan participation

16. FFELP participation

17. Student Eligibility

18. Default Management

19. Campus-based Program Administration (FWS, Perkins, FSEOG)

20. Other Topic not listed (please list below)

12. In the remaining space, please provide any other comments or suggestions for 

training topics and delivery of training.

This is an open ended response question. 
Survey #3 Content Depth

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB226U53TTL4Y

Paperwork Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a 

collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The 

valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1845-0045 v. 36. The time 

required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 5-7 minutes per 

response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the 

data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any 

comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for 

improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 

20202-4700. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual 

submission of this form, write directly to: Mark Gerhard/Training and Information 

Services Division, U.S. Department of Education, 50 UN Plaza Room 8503, San Francisco, 

CA 94102.