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Volume 15, Number 5
January - March, 2006
Welcome to the January - March 2006 ISAC Communiqué – the electronic edition of your Communiqué, which is a quarterly compilation of e-Messages sent through College Zone’s e-Messaging service throughout January, February and March. While this e-Messaging service is currently being offered in addition to the printed ISAC Communiqué newsletters, it will soon replace both printed newsletters and special e-mail lists as ISAC’s primary means of communicating information to you.
The articles in this electronic Communiqué have been organized according to the Counselor Zone subscription groups to which the messages were distributed via College Zone’s e-Messaging service.
Questions?
Questions regarding information in this electronic Communiqué can be directed to School Services at 866.247.2172 or at schoolservices@isac.org. On occasion, you may be directed to a specific contact person or area; when this occurs, we will provide the appropriate information in the individual article or message.
Multiple Subscription Groups
Promotional Kit/Computer Give-away
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on February 22, 2006.
We want every high school student in Illinois to know about all the terrific career and college planning tools the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) has to offer, including collegezone.com's newest interactive component, IllinoisMentor. As our partner in the educational pursuits of students, we're asking for your help getting our message to students. Order a free College Zone Promotional Kit and your school will be entered to win two free Dell computers.
Throughout the remainder of February, and all of March, ISAC is sponsoring a drawing to give away 24 Dell computers. Twelve winning schools will receive two computers, one for student use at your school and one to be given away to a student from your school, for the student's home use. There will be one winning school from each of 12 geographic regions throughout the state. The winners will be announced in April 2006.
A box with a bright green label has probably already arrived at your school. Be sure to read all of the materials it contains to learn the details about your chances to win two computers by simply ordering a free College Zone Promotional Kit!
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Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Important Dates
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on February 16, 2006.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your college-bound students and their families.
All below links launch pages located at collegezone.com.
College Awareness & Preparation (CAP) Resources Available for College-Bound Students
Remind your college-bound seniors to check out the College Awareness & Preparation (CAP) page for information regarding resources that are available to help families complete the financial aid process. Several events, including FAFSA completion seminars, are taking place across the State of Illinois between now and early March.
CAP is a comprehensive effort of the Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (ILASFAA), Inc., the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) and ISAC. Formerly known as Financial Aid Admission/Awareness Month (FAAM), CAP strives to fulfill its mission through a series of workshops, seminars and statewide support with partners from all sectors of education in the State of Illinois.
"Program News" Even Easier to Access at collegezone.com
In order to streamline accessing the latest updates regarding ISAC-administered gift assistance programs, we've made some revisions to the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area. Now, when you select a program from this area's left-margin menu, the front page for that program will include the "Program News" section (the "Program News" section can also be accessed by clicking on the red header of the right-margin menu for each program). And, to assist you in keeping track of recent updates, a new "Last Updated On" entry will be added as each program's front page is updated from this point forward.
A "Program Overview" option in the right-margin menu will provide the information that formerly appeared on each program's front page.
Note that, due to these revisions, some links to ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area pages that were included in prior e-Messages may no longer be valid.
February Important Reminders Calendar Available
The February "Important Reminders" calendar is available via the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs front page, offering at-a-glance reminders of operational dates concerning the gift assistance programs - such as those listed below.
February 20th – Presidents' Day
In observance of Presidents' Day, ISAC offices will be closed on Monday, February 20th and will reopen on Tuesday, February 21st.
The College Zone Web site is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - even when the ISAC offices are closed. Also, questions or inquiries may be submitted at any time by sending an e-mail message to ISAC's School Services Department. With the exception of holidays, ISAC staff will review and respond to messages during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT).
A complete listing of 2006 holidays on which ISAC staff will be unavailable is provided at the ISAC Events Calendar.
March 1st - 2006-07 SETTW, MTI Scholarship, and IFTC Program Applications Due
Remind your college-bound seniors who plan to teach in Illinois after completing their degree that March 1, 2006 is the priority consideration deadline to apply for the 2006-07 Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW), Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship, and Illinois Future Teacher Corps (IFTC) (for college juniors and above) programs. Applications for each of these programs (the downloadable paper application for the SETTW Program, and the online interactive application for the IFTC and MTI Scholarship programs) can be accessed via College Zone.
March 21st – Mapping Your Future Chat Event
The next Mapping Your Future online Chat Event, Applying to and Paying for College (Including Student Loans), is scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m. (CT) on Tuesday, March 21, 2006. Watch for more information to be posted at the Counselor Message Board as this date approaches. Also, remember that the calendar of upcoming Chat Events through August 2006 is available at the Outreach Activities page.
March 31st - Deadline to Order Listing of 2006-07 State Scholar Finalists
Mailing labels (in ZIP Code order) of 2006-07 State Scholar finalists are available from ISAC, at cost, to Illinois high school counselors, Regional Superintendents, and colleges. Through March 31, 2006, Illinois colleges may also order the listing of names of State Scholars for recruitment purposes. Details and order forms for the 2006-07 State Scholars mailing labels and listing of names are available at the Ordering Lists or Mailing Labels page within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area.
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"FAFSA" Expert Tranings Scheduled for First Week of February - Register Today!
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on January 19, 2006.
As we announced during our 2005 Fall Update Sessions, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will be hosting a series of "FAFSA Expert" trainings throughout the state during the first week of February. The sessions are designed to go beyond the basic line-by-line walkthrough of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and delve into the more complex tax, asset, eligibility, and need analysis questions. In-depth case studies will be used to illustrate the many nuances of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Formula, and all participants will be provided with a set of comprehensive reference materials created for use at Financial Aid Nights, FAFSA Completion Workshops, and throughout the school year.
Even the most experienced professionals may find questions such as the following difficult to answer:
- What is the income 'cut-off' for receiving financial aid?
- Is it true that families with savings can't get financial aid?
- Do I have to report my retirement savings as assets?
- How do I complete the parent section if I am in foster care?
- Where do I list College Illinois! on the FAFSA?
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2006-07 FAFSA, Mapping Your Future Chat Event and Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on January 5, 2006.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your college-bound students and their families.
College Awareness & Preparation (CAP) Resources Available for 2006-07 FAFSA Cycle
The 2006-07 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) cycle, including FAFSA on the Web, Renewal FAFSA on the Web, and Corrections on the Web, began on January 1, 2006. The Central Processing System (CPS) began processing 2006-07 FAFSA data on January 2nd. Details regarding the 2006-07 application cycle are provided within the Applying for Financial Aid section of the e-Library.
Check out the College Awareness & Preparation (CAP) page at collegezone.com for information regarding resources that are available to help your college-bound students complete the financial aid process. Several events, including FAFSA completion seminars, will take place across the State of Illinois between now and early March. Encourage families to attend the event that best fits their schedule.
CAP is a comprehensive effort of the Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (ILASFAA), Inc., the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) and ISAC. Formerly known as Financial Aid Admission/Awareness Month (FAAM), CAP strives to fulfill its mission through a series of workshops, seminars and statewide support with partners from all sectors of education in the State of Illinois.
Important Reminders Calendar Available
An "Important Reminders" calendar can now be accessed via the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs front page at collegezone.com. Each month's calendar will offer at-a-glance reminders of important operational dates concerning the gift assistance programs, serving as a supplement to the individual "Program News" pages for each program. The current calendar includes operational dates for January 2006.
January 16th – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, ISAC offices will be closed on Monday, January 16th and will reopen on Tuesday, January 17th.
The College Zone Web site is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - even when the ISAC offices are closed. Also, questions or inquiries may be submitted at any time by sending an e-mail message to an ISAC's School Services Department. With the exception of holidays, ISAC staff will review and respond to messages during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT).
A complete listing of 2006 holidays on which ISAC staff will be unavailable is provided at the ISAC Events Calendar.
January 17th – Mapping Your Future Chat Event
On Tuesday, January 17, 2006, Mapping Your Future will offer a "Financial Aid and the FAFSA" chat from 6 to 7 p.m. (CT). The chat is designed to help students obtain information about applying for financial aid.
During this "Financial Aid and the FAFSA" Chat Event, participants will learn about:
- completing the FAFSA;
- determining eligibility for federal student aid;
- calculating financial need; and
- calculating an expected family contribution.
At the time of the event, you can access Mapping Your Future by selecting "Mapping Your Future" from the "Counselor Quick Links" menu that appears along the right margin of the Counselor Zone front page.
Students can use the link on the right side of the Student Zone front page.
Mapping Your Future can also be accessed directly at mapping-your-future.org.
The calendar of upcoming Chat Events - which includes the chat schedule through August 2006 - is in the Outreach Activities section of College Zone, which can be accessed in the center of the College Zone home page. Remember, also, that a poster (in .pdf format) listing 2005-06 Chat Events is available at the Mapping Your Future Web site. You may wish to consider printing (on 8½" x 11" paper, in color or black & white) and displaying this poster, which can be accessed via Mapping Your Future's "Middle and High School Counselor" and "Live Chat Events" pages, in areas of your school that can be easily viewed by students seeking information about the college process.
Archived Questions and Answers from earlier chats can be accessed by visiting the section entitled "Chat Transcripts" at mapping-your-future.org/services/chatnight.htm.
The above is based on information from a Mapping Your Future E-Update. Mapping Your Future is a national collaborative public service project of the financial aid industry, including ISAC - bringing together the expertise of the industry to provide free college, career, financial aid, and financial literacy services for schools, students, and families.
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High School Counselors/Teachers
Governor Blagojevich Proposes Tax Credit for Residents Enrolled in Illinois Colleges
Sent to High School Counselors/Teachers on January 19, 2006.
In his 2006 State of the State address, Governor Rod Blagojevich proposed a $1,000 annual tax credit for freshmen and sophomores who live in Illinois and maintain a "B" average while attending a public or private college in Illinois. The Governor's Office has requested that ISAC forward information to you about the College Tuition Tax Credit.
Elliot Regenstein of the Governor's Office has asked that he be contacted with any questions or comments about the initiative. His contact information is as follows:
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ISAC Communiqué
New ISAC Communiqué Available at College Zone
Sent on January 3, 2006
The latest “electronic-only” edition of the ISAC Communiqué is now available for your review within the ISAC Publications section of College Zone's e-Library. This electronic version of ISAC's newsletter is a quarterly compilation of information provided to Counselor Zone partners via College Zone's e-Messaging service during the months of October, November and December.
Topics covered in this electronic Communiqué include:
- 2006-07 Teacher Program Applications Available - Due On or Before March 1, 2006
- IllinoisMentor at collegezone.com
- Important Dates and Reminders: Updates, Training & Chat Events and Holiday Schedule
- ATTENTION: Replacement HSSP Announcement Rosters for Potential State Scholar Finalists
- Fall Update Sessions - Register Now
- New ISAC Communiqué Available at College Zone (October - December 2005)
Electronic newsletters are available at the beginning of each quarter (January, April, July, and October), and are the compilation of information announced via an e-Message to any of the Counselor Zone subscription groups during the previous quarter.
The text of the most recent printed ISAC Communiqué (Volume 15, Number – February 13, 2006) is also available for your review within the ISAC Publications section of College Zone's e-Library.
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