2011-12 FAFSA Available

Dear After School Matters Instructors and Liaisons:

Please spread the word to all current year seniors!

2011-12 FAFSA Available, and
Upcoming Important Dates 

The content of this message may also be viewed online at the College Zone Web site.

Note: Underlined text within the below message indicates a link to additional information within College Zone or on another site. To activate a link, simply left-click once on the underlined text.
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 2011-12 FAFSA Cycle
The 2011-12 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) cycle, including FAFSA on the Web, opened on January 1, 2011. The Central Processing System (CPS) began processing 2011-12 FAFSA data on Monday, January 3. Details regarding the 2011-12 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 from now through 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.

State Scholar Program Appeals, and Availability of Mailing Labels

January 28, 2011 is the deadline by which student appeals regarding the 2011-12 State Scholar Program must be received at ISAC. After January 28, schools may order a set of mailing labels of State Scholar Finalists for recruitment purposes. Orders for mailing labels must be received at ISAC on or before March 31, 2011. Remember that a listing of all 2011-12 State Scholars - displayed alphabetically by high school, within each school's county - is available within the 8th-12th Grades area of the Student Zone at collegezone.com. This online listing replaces both the Announcement Rosters for State Scholar Finalists that were mailed to high schools, and the printed listings that were available for order, in previous years.

Coming Soon: ISAC's New Web Presence

Beginning around the end of January, ISAC will be rolling out a newly designed website and a new web address (which will be announced as the launch draws closer). The new site is being implemented using a phased-in approach, and sections will be added on an ongoing basis as the roll-out continues through the first half of 2011. Once fully implemented, the redesigned website is intended to be a unified destination with access to all of ISAC's individual websites, as well as our many affiliated sites. Further details are provided in a December 14 e-Message.

ISAC Professional Development Opportunities - Register Today!

Online registration is available for Series 2 ("Expert Guide" and "FAFSA Expert Training") and Series 3 ("Financial Aid Packaging" and "The University Billing Cycle") of ISAC's Professional Development Opportunities. These half-day workshops are intended to connect you to a network of professionals, like yourself, who can support each other in helping students and families through the process of planning for, applying to, and paying for college. The sessions are approved for Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDU) as authorized by the Illinois State Board of Education, and also for Professional Counselor/Clinical Counselor Continuing Education (CE) credit as authorized by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations.

March 1: 2011-12 IFTC, MTI Scholarship and Illinois SETTW Application Deadlines

Remind your college-bound seniors who plan to pursue a career in teaching that March 1, 2011 is the priority application consideration date for the 2011-12 Illinois Future Teacher Corps (IFTC), Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship, and Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) programs. Students may access these applications via the Applications page of the Student Zone. Complete applications received after this date will be considered only if funding remains after all timely complete applicants have been awarded.

Holiday Schedules

January 17: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday, ISAC offices will be closed on Monday, January 17 and will reopen on Tuesday, January 18.

February 11: Lincoln's Birthday
In observance of Lincoln's Birthday, ISAC offices will be closed on Friday, February 11 and will reopen on Monday, February 14.

February 21: Presidents' Day

Due to the Presidents' Day holiday, ISAC offices will be closed on Monday, February 21 and will reopen on Tuesday, February 22.

For Assistance

Remember that you can access collegezone.com anytime, or send an e-mail message to ISAC's School Services Department (schoolservices@isac.org).