Application Processing Update Michele Brown, Applicant Products and Customer Service Jody Sears, Application Processing Division U.S. Department of Education

2 Agenda Highlights Early Awareness Spanish Initiatives SAR Redesign Print Distribution Changes Real-Time PIN Simplification, Enhancements and Improving Accuracy of Applicant Data –FOTW –Renewals –Corrections –FAA Access –CPS Processing Updates

3 Early Awareness Goals of FAFSA4caster –Provide general information relative to student financial aid –Foster early awareness and create familiarity with the aid application process and form –Serve as an early analysis tool informing of college affordability –Reduce the time required to submit the “official” financial aid application in students’ senior year and beyond

4 FAFSA4caster Early Awareness

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10 Early Awareness

11 Spanish Initiatives FOTW re-designed to work as a stand-alone Spanish language Web site Spanish language outputs, notifications and survey have been added

12 Spanish Initiatives

13 Spanish Initiatives

14 Spanish Initiatives

15 SAR Redesign Goals of SAR redesign –Streamline the text and provide results of the application process –Provide EFC –Verification selection –Next steps, including issue resolution

16 SAR Redesign Front page simplified by creating two main sections –Application Status –Federal Student Aid Eligibility Students informed if they have been selected for verification

17 SAR Redesign Comments on page 3 re- formatted to create a checklist identifying tasks that students must complete

18 Application Processing Statistics Through Week 44 For % of FAFSAs were filed electronically 4% of FAFSAs filed on paper

19 FAFSA Print and Distribution Strategy To date, Federal Student Aid printed and distributed over 12 million paper FAFSAs The strategy for is to increase the application options for students

20 FAFSA Print and Distribution Strategy FAFSA on the Web –FOTW worksheet –Available for order through FSAPubs –Available for download on FOTW PDF FAFSA Paper FAFSA –Available to students through FSAIC Paper FAFSA –Available by special request to schools and delivery partners through FSAPubs

21 Real-Time PIN Top issues for FED-AID –I lost my PIN –I need to get a duplicate PIN –How do I retrieve my PIN? –Do my parents need a PIN?

22 Real-Time PIN Our customers wanted- –To receive their PIN instantly –Ability to create a meaningful PIN during the application process –Avoid delays in the application process

23 PIN Home Page

24 FAFSA Simplification Enhanced skip logic –Reduced the number of questions and Web pages that display Enhanced parent data transfer –Improved parent data transfer function for multiple children Enhanced user experience –Reordered and reworded questions for better flow and clarity

25 FAFSA Enhancements

26 Improving the Accuracy of Applicant Data CPS processing enhancements added to improve the accuracy of applicant data –Edit changes –CPS match changes –ISIR changes –NSLDS elements

REAL-TIME PIN APPLICATION PROCESS

28 Real-Time PIN PIN Web Site

29 Real-Time PIN PIN Web Site

30 Real-Time PIN PIN Web Site

31 Real-Time PIN PIN Web Site

32 Real-Time PIN PIN Web Site PINs will be generated and available to immediately sign the FAFSA –Prior to a successful SSA match, the PIN will have limited functionality –After a successful SSA match, the PIN will have full functionality –If SSA match fails, PIN will not be usable until the match reject is resolved

FAFSA SIMPLIFICATION, ENHANCEMENTS AND IMPROVING ACCURACY OF APPLICANT DATA

34 FAFSA Simplification Skip Logic

35 FAFSA Simplification Skip Logic

36 FAFSA Simplification Skip Logic

37 FAFSA Simplification Improved User Experience Re-worded some questions and responses to improve clarity

38 Now allows 10 School Codes FAFSA Simplification Improved User Experience

39 FAFSA Simplification Improved User Experience Improved the Parental information transfer function FAFSA Renewal FAFSA

40 FAFSA Simplification Signature Process

41 FAFSA Simplification Signature Process

42 FAFSA Simplification Signature Process

43 FAFSA Simplification Submission Confirmation

RENEWAL PROCESS

45 Renewal Process

46 Renewal Process For , the following records will be renewal eligible: –Records with Dependency Override set –Records with Professional Judgment (FAA Adjustment) set

47 Renewal Process Records submitted on the web will be checked for a Dependency Override in the previous year –If dependent, message will refer the student to the FAA –Students who have become independent since the previous year will be allowed to complete FAFSA by providing student information only

48 Renewal Process For , the following values will not be carried forward –Means-tested federal benefits programs –Exemptions for parent and student For , the following values will be carried forward –Active Duty Military? –Are you Male? –Type of Aid Interested in Receiving?

49 Renewal Process Students will receive renewal reminders to complete their pre- filled FAFSAs in January and February – reminder notifications will contain a link to the FAFSA Web site –Paper reminder notifications will be sent to students without valid addresses

CORRECTION PROCESS

51 Correction Process New Old

52 Correction Process

FAA ACCESS TO CPS ONLINE

54 FAA Access to CPS Online Increased school code choices and housing choices to ten FAAs can access another student’s record from Application Entry and the Verification Tool FAAs will be able to access renewal applications using the students DRN

55 FAA Access to CPS Online Corrections Fourth column removed

56 FAA Access to CPS Online Corrections New pop-up message

57 ISIR Analysis Tool

58 ISIR Analysis Tool- New Feature Demonstration Site – NEW for Enhanced report feature to examine ISIR fields that impact EFC and Pell Grant Eligibility Available February 2008

IMPROVING ACCURACY OF APPLICANT DATA

60 Improving Accuracy CPS Edit Changes New Reject 4: non-verifiable reject (FAA-only override) if Marital Status Date is greater than the date the application was signed New Reject 20: non-verifiable reject (FAA-only override) for non-filers whose income exceeds the IRS requirements for filing a federal tax return

61 Improving Accuracy CPS Edit Changes Added a warning edit for applicants whose tax filing status is “Will File” and they are correcting one of the following fields: –AGI –Earned Income –Taxes Paid –Exemptions New edit will ask applicants to re- answer the tax return question

62 Improving Accuracy Match Changes Selective Service –SAR C Flag and comment will be suppressed when Student indicates veteran status and VA Match Flag equals 1 (Match) and Selective Service Match equals “N” (No Match) or “T” (Match conducted, student within 45 days of 18 th birthday)

63 ISIR Changes Unofficial EFC will be calculated for records with signature only rejects (14, 15 and/or 16) –Records will be rejected with no official EFC calculated –Signature Reject EFC field added to ISIR for use by state agencies and schools –Signature required to resolve reject –Unofficial EFC will not display on SAR –Unofficial EFC cannot be used to award or disburse aid

64 ISIR NSLDS Changes

65 ISIR NSLDS Changes ACG and National SMART Grant Data fields added

66 Participation Management System Changes Current assignment of TG numbers is being modified to allow for alpha characters in the 3 rd byte (e.g. TGA1234) Supply of existing unassigned TG numbers is dwindling-- –Currently at number TG45988 –We will run out of numbers at TG49999

67 Web Demo Sites Fafsademo.test.ed.gov –FOTW –FAA Access to CPS Online –ISIR Analysis Tool (available February, 2008) User Name: eddemo Password: fafsatest Available 12/2/2007

Application Processing Release Schedule August –Draft ISIR Record Layout posted to IFAP October –Summary of Changes for the Application Processing System –CPS Test System Users Guide –EDE Technical Reference

Application Processing Release Schedule November –ISIR Guide –SAR Comment Codes and Text –School Electronic Process Guide –Student Web Application Products Process Guide

Application Processing Release Schedule December –EFC Formula Guide January –FOTW available for (1/1) – CPS Processing starts up for (1/2) – EDExpress Release 1 becomes available

71 Other Application Processing Sessions of Note Resolving Database Match Results (SAR-C Codes) and CPS Rejects (Session #14) EDExpress (Session #15) Hands-on - FAA Access to CPS Online for New Users (Session #21) Hands-on Tour of R2T4 on the Web (Session #22)

72 Contact Information We appreciate your feedback and comments. We can be reached at: Michele Brown Phone: Jody Sears Phone: