GSFC 411 e-newsletter [Jan. 2012]

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Student Access Loan Program Update
As you probably know, GSFC implemented the Student Access Loan Program earlier this year. This program was passed into law in 2008 and fully funded by the General Assembly and Governor for the first time in 2011.
Find out more

Atlanta National College Fair
The Atlanta National College Fair will be held on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA from 12:00p.m. 4:00p.m.
Find out more

Transcript Exchange Update
The high school Transcript Exchange process for 2012 Preliminary HOPE GPA calculation is well underway. So far, the processing has gone well and is ahead of last year.
Find out more

GSFC Customer Survey
At GSFC, we are committed to providing quality customer service to you and the students of Georgia. Each year we ask you to complete a survey based on the services offered and your experiences when working with us.
Find out more

Student Aid Services Division welcomes new manager! - On February 1,
Ms. Pennie Strong will join the Student Aid Services Division at GSFC as the Operations Manager. Find out more
Board of Commissioners - The Georgia Student Finance Commission, the Georgia
Student Finance Authority and the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation board will hold its next meeting, Friday, February 3rd at the offices of GSFC in Tucker. View Agenda
RELATED LINKS Board of Regents | Technical College System of Georgia | Mapping Your Future
Department of Education | Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges

Student Access Loan Program Update
As you probably know, GSFC implemented the Student Access Loan Program earlier this year. This program was passed into law in 2008 and fully funded by the General Assembly and Governor for the first time in 2011. Lawmakers funded the program so that students who had a gap in his or her college financing would be able to use this last resort loan to help meet their need.
There have been two application cycles to date. Combined, we received more than 8,800 applications requesting $65 million in funding at 95 schools. So far schools have approved SAL loans for 2,451 students attending 75 different schools for nearly $15 million. The first cycle is closed and the second is underway. At the present time, we don't anticipate opening a third cycle.
While the program is targeted at students who have a gap in their college financing, it is not necessarily targeted at students with what is traditionally thought of as high need. However, results so far have shown that 72% of all the SAL borrowers are also eligible for Pell Grants. Further, 52% of the recipients had a "zero" Expected Family Contribution or EFC meaning, they were considers students of high financial need. Also of interest is that about 30% of all SAL recipients were also eligible for HOPE Scholarships.
All participating schools have done a tremendous job administering the program this year. We would also like to thank and acknowledge the hard work of our own IT staff, Loan Services, Loan Origination and those who have stepped up and made this program run smoothly. For SFY 2013, the Governor has recommended that the SAL program again be funded in the amount of $20 million. More details about next year cycle to come.

JANUARY 2012 ARTICLES
Student Access Loan Program Update Atlanta National College Fair Transcript Exchange Update GSFC Customer Survey New Student Aid Manager
GSFC411 ARCHIVE
August 2011 July 2011 February 2011 December 2010 August 2010 More
RELATED LINKS
GAcollege411 Partner Update Compliance Corner Archive
Board of Regents
Technical College System of Georgia Mapping Your Future Department of Education Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges

Georgia Student Finance Commission 2082 East Exchange Place Tucker, Georgia 30084 (770) 724-9000 or 1-800-505-GSFC (4732) FAX (770) 724-9089
GAcollege411.org - www.gsfc.org

Atlanta National College Fair
The Atlanta National College Fair will be held on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA from 12:00p.m. - 4:00p.m. Sponsored by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and hosted by the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC), this event is free and open to the public.
Complete information about this National College Fair can be found online: Atlanta National College Fair
As the process of applying to and selecting a college becomes more and more competitive and complex, students and parents need all the help and information they can get. Attending a college fair is the best way to gather information about colleges and universities. The national college fair program provides valuable resources for students and parents attempting to navigate the college-admission process.
The fair allows students and parents to meet one-on-one with admission representatives from a wide range of national and international, public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities. Participants will learn about admission requirements, financial aid, course offerings, and campus environment, as well as other information pertinent to the college-selection process. At the fair's counseling center, students and parents can discuss their individual needs with college experts.
"The resources and opportunities that the National College Fairs provide for students and their families are invaluable," said Greg Ferguson, NACAC Director of National College Fairs Programs and Services, "and admission professionals have been delighted by the caliber of students attending our programs."
Now in its 40th year, the National College Fair program annually helps more than 500,000 students and families nationwide explore their options for higher education, making it one of the most visible college recruitment tools in the country. In addition to the National College Fairs program, NACAC also holds Performing and Visual Arts College Fairs. These fairs are held during the fall and are designed to serve students with particular interest in the fine arts. NACAC currently sponsors National College Fairs and Performing and Visual Arts College fairs in 73 locations across the country. For a complete schedule, visit www.nationalcollegefairs.org.
Students can now register prior to attending these events. This makes navigating the fair and collecting information from multiple colleges and universities much easier for students. By registering, students can print a bar coded confirmation to be used on-site at the fair as an electronic ID. Register online at www.gotomyncf.com.
More Information
More information about the Atlanta National College Fair, including directions to the fair, a list of colleges exhibiting at the fair, and tips for preparing for the fair, is available on the NACAC Web site at Atlanta National College Fair, by emailing collegefairs@nacacnet.org or by calling 800/822-6285.
About NACAC
NACAC is an Arlington, VA-based education association of more than 11,000 primary and secondary school counselors, independent counselors, college admission and financial aid officers, enrollment managers, and organizations that work with students as they make the transition from high school to postsecondary education. Founded in 1937, the association is committed to maintaining high standards that foster ethical and social responsibility among those involved in the transition process, as outlined in the NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practice. This program is also an approved program by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. For more information, visit www.nacacnet.org.

JANUARY 2012 ARTICLES
Student Access Loan Program Update Atlanta National College Fair Transcript Exchange Update GSFC Customer Survey New Student Aid Manager
GSFC411 ARCHIVE
August 2011 July 2011 February 2011 December 2010 August 2010 More
RELATED LINKS
GAcollege411 Partner Update Compliance Corner Archive
Board of Regents
Technical College System of Georgia Mapping Your Future Department of Education Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges

Georgia Student Finance Commission 2082 East Exchange Place Tucker, Georgia 30084 (770) 724-9000 or 1-800-505-GSFC (4732) FAX (770) 724-9089
GAcollege411.org - www.gsfc.org

Transcript Exchange Update
The high school Transcript Exchange process for 2012 Preliminary HOPE GPA calculation is well underway. So far, the processing has gone well and is ahead of last year. Transcript processing for Preliminary HOPE GPA and GPA Verification will continue through the end of February.
At this time, out of 762 high schools and an estimated 105,000 senior students:
439 schools uploaded transcripts and received GPA calculations 127 schools verified their GPA results 75,711 senior students were uploaded and calculated 19,169 senior students GPA calculations were verified by their school
There is still time for the schools that have not completed all the steps through verification, to do so. The number of senior students uploaded, calculated, and verified looks like it will exceed any previous year for Preliminary HOPE submissions. The list of all these eligible senior students has been and will continue to be available to all post secondary schools in the state through the SURFER system. Senior students continue to have access to their Preliminary HOPE GPAs through their secure My411 Account on GAcollege411.
The HOPE Progress Report for ninth through eleventh grade students is also available. The service will allow students, parents and counselors to monitor a students' progress towards HOPE eligibility as early as the ninth grade.
The 2012 Final HOPE GPA process will begin in early May, with a deadline for submission and verification of all results by June 30, 2012.

JANUARY 2012 ARTICLES
Student Access Loan Program Update Atlanta National College Fair Transcript Exchange Update GSFC Customer Survey New Student Aid Manager
GSFC411 ARCHIVE
August 2011 July 2011 February 2011 December 2010 August 2010 More
RELATED LINKS
GAcollege411 Partner Update Compliance Corner Archive
Board of Regents
Technical College System of Georgia Mapping Your Future Department of Education Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges

Georgia Student Finance Commission 2082 East Exchange Place Tucker, Georgia 30084 (770) 724-9000 or 1-800-505-GSFC (4732) FAX (770) 724-9089
GAcollege411.org - www.gsfc.org

GSFC Customer Survey
At Georgia Student Finance Commission, we are committed to providing quality customer service to you and the students of Georgia. Each year we ask you to complete a survey based on the services offered and your experiences when working with us. Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey, your feedback is appreciated.
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS
2011 Customer Confidence - School Counselor Survey
GSFC staff responds in a timely manner - 89% always or most of the time GSFC staff clearly communicates changes and improvements - 90.6% always or most of the time GSFC overall customer service - 90.9% excellent or good
2011 Customer Confidence - Financial Aid Officers Survey
GSFC staff provides consistent and accurate information - 96.5% always or most of the time GSFC staff is knowledgeable of products and services - 94.8% always or most of the time GSFC overall customer service - 98% excellent or good
2011 Customer Confidence Admissions Officers
GSFC staff responds in a timely manner - 96.9% always or most of the time GSFC staff clearly communicates changes and improvements - 94% always or most of the time GSFC overall customer service - 90.6% excellent or good

JANUARY 2012 ARTICLES
Student Access Loan Program Update Atlanta National College Fair Transcript Exchange Update GSFC Customer Survey New Student Aid Manager
GSFC411 ARCHIVE
August 2011 July 2011 February 2011 December 2010 August 2010 More
RELATED LINKS
GAcollege411 Partner Update Compliance Corner Archive
Board of Regents
Technical College System of Georgia Mapping Your Future Department of Education Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges

Georgia Student Finance Commission 2082 East Exchange Place Tucker, Georgia 30084 (770) 724-9000 or 1-800-505-GSFC (4732) FAX (770) 724-9089
GAcollege411.org - www.gsfc.org

Student Aid Services Division Welcomes New Manager!
On February 1, Ms. Pennie Strong will join the Student Aid Services Division at GSFC as the Operations Manager. Pennie will manage the student aid programs call center and originations and disbursements staff. Once acclimated, she will be able to assist with SURFER, GSFAPPS, and other scholarship and grant processing issues. The Division is excited to have her join the team!

JANUARY 2012 ARTICLES
Student Access Loan Program Update Atlanta National College Fair Transcript Exchange Update GSFC Customer Survey New Student Aid Manager
GSFC411 ARCHIVE
August 2011 July 2011 February 2011 December 2010 August 2010 More
RELATED LINKS
GAcollege411 Partner Update Compliance Corner Archive
Board of Regents
Technical College System of Georgia Mapping Your Future Department of Education Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges

Georgia Student Finance Commission 2082 East Exchange Place Tucker, Georgia 30084 (770) 724-9000 or 1-800-505-GSFC (4732) FAX (770) 724-9089
GAcollege411.org - www.gsfc.org