 Welcome to the FAA Zone
At your fingertips, Financial Aid Administrators, Business Officers, and other school personnel have access to a centralized source of information and financial aid guidance concerning ISAC's programs, processes, and resources.
FAA Message Board
The FAA Message Board is updated each week. New messages for the week are identified by the  Items under the More section, located toward the bottom of the page, provide links to information on topics that were recently listed on this Message Board.
A January 12, 2009 electronic announcement from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) indicates that ED plans to begin sending 2009-10 Renewal Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) reminder notifications to students on January 15th, and will continue to do so through February 16th. Details regarding the 2009-10 renewal application process, including links to supporting documentation, are provided in the electronic announcement.
ISAC has available - in various locations throughout the College Zone Web site - two brochures created by the National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs, Inc. (NCHELP) which discuss private/alternative student loans. The brochures, A Guide to Responsible Borrowing and Understanding the Cost of Borrowing, can be printed, duplicated and distributed to families considering borrowing options for college.
In observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, ISAC offices will be closed on Monday, January 19th, reopening on Tuesday, January 20th. Access collegezone.com anytime, or send an e-mail message to a School Services Representative for questions or inquiries.
Remind your students that they should beware of scams (including attempts at identity theft or fraud). Information about financial aid scams is available at the Federal Trade Commission's Scholarship Scams Web site. Suspected identity theft or fraud can be reported by calling the federal Office of Inspector General hotline at 800.MISUSED (647.8733). A MISUSED Web resource is also available.
A January 12th electronic announcement from the U.S. Department of Education provides an updated version of the September 15th listing of colleges that have been approved as "TEACH Grant Eligible Institutions" for the
2008-09 academic year.
A third round of 2008-09 Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program awarding took place on
January 5, 2009. Award notifications have been mailed to eligible students and new eligible award information is available to colleges online at My Zone. Further details are provided in a January 8th e-Message.
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has released Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) GEN 08-12/FP 08-10, containing a summary of the provisions of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA). The DCL encourages using the summary in conjunction with the text of the law itself, when implementing the HEOA, which was enacted on August 14, 2008. Regulations necessary to implement certain provisions of the HEOA will be issued through the Negotiated Rulemaking process, tentatively scheduled to take place during sessions held February through April, 2009.
Mapping Your Future, a public service nonprofit organization offering free services to families preparing for college, has issued a Press Release highlighting how they are helping students, families and schools during tough economic times. Among Mapping Your Future's services are college planning, career selection, financial aid and money management. ISAC is a Mapping Your Future Sponsor.
The 2009-10 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) cycle, including FAFSA on the Web, Corrections on the Web and FAA Access to CPS Online, began on January 1, 2009. The Central Processing System (CPS) has begun processing 2009-10 FAFSA data. Details regarding the application cycle are provided within the 2009-10 FAFSA Completion section of the e-Library.
Check out the College Awareness & Preparation (CAP) page for information regarding resources that are available to help your students complete the financial aid process. Several events, including FAFSA completion seminars, will take place across the State of Illinois through March. Encourage students to attend the event that best fits their schedule.
2008-09 fall term payment claims for the Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program are due on or before
January 15, 2009. Details regarding the payment process are provided at the IVG Payment section of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area.
More
2009-10 State Scholar Announcements
List of ISAC's Participating Lenders
State & Federal Aid Estimator
FAFSA Completion Information
Important Reminders calendar
Most Recent ISAC Update:
December 2008
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