The National Student Clearinghouse Is Growing! Is your institution Reaping All of the Benefits? Dr. Jerry D. Smith Regional Director, South Central Region Alabama AIR April 3-4, 2008

Clearinghouse Background Created in 1993 as National Student Loan Clearinghouse -- an independent non-profit corporation. In 1999 name changed to National Student Clearinghouse to emphasize services existing beyond student loans. Managed by a 17-member Board, broadly representing higher education and financial aid providers. Advised by Clearinghouse Advisory Committee, a 15- member group of college and university Registrars, Financial Aid, Admissions and Institutional Research executives.

Mission Statement The mission of the National Student Clearinghouse is to facilitate the exchange and understanding of student enrollment, performance, and related information in support of the education community.

Local State/Fed Government Apartment Managers Legal Medical Professional Student Lenders & Loan Servicers Certification Programs 4-yr Colleges 2-yr Colleges NSC Tenant Screening Background Screening Firms Executive Search Firms Employers Graduate Law/Medical State Guarantee Agencies NSLDS Auto Finance Student Programs Credit Card Providers Auto Insurers The Big Picture Health Insurers High Schools

Core School Participation # Schools As of December 31, 2007 Clearinghouse member schools represent 91% of the nation’s college enrollment 3,120 Schools 2007

To provide verification of current student status to student lenders, loan servicers, guarantee agencies and the U.S. Department of Education Core Service Why report data to the Clearinghouse?

Why is enrollment data important? Compliance with Federal regulations Protection of student’s right to deferment of loan payment Notification of lenders when borrower has ceased to be enrolled at least half-time Determination of borrower’s grace period Correction of apparent delinquencies that could result in technical defaults

When are files sent? Required –First of term/Census date –Mid-term –End of term –Graduates (Not needed w/Degree Verify) Recommended –Summer Session –Early Registration Now recommending monthly

How does it work? The Clearinghouse has two databases: Student enrollments supplied by schools at least 3 times/term. Loan recipients supplied by lenders & guarantee agencies. Each week a match is run between the two databases. An enrollment status report is sent to the lenders and guarantee agencies.

How does it work? CH sets school SSCR schedule based on school submission schedule. SSCRs come to Clearinghouse instead of schools. Clearinghouse responds to NSLDS. SSCR Processing

How does it work? NSLDS reports to guarantee agencies. Guarantee agencies report to lenders and servicers. SSCR Processing

How does it work? CH reports to Direct Loan Servicer. CH reports directly to lenders, guarantors, and servicers. CH reports directly to participating Perkins & alternative/private loan holders. Direct Notifications

Benefits No charge to institutions. Clearinghouse does SSCRs. Schools send paper deferment forms to Clearinghouse for processing.

Current Major/CIP Code Institutional ID (multiple) Middle Name (if available) Class Standing (Freshman, Sophomore, etc.) High School Code (SAT/ACT Combined list) First Time/Full Time Student* Degree Seeking* Gender* Race/Ethnicity* Good Student Discount Institutional Address New Data Elements *Aggregate Reporting Only

New Benefit/Service A Clearinghouse Audit Assistance team has been formed to assist with federal audit issues and questions.

Additional Services Enrollment Verify Degree Verify Transcript Ordering Loan Locator Student Self Service Audit Resource Team No cost to institution

Additional Services Student Tracker -- Colleges Student Tracker -- Outreach (TRIO, McNair, Upward Bound) Student Tracker -- High Schools and/or Districts Fee based

How do I know my data are safe with the Clearinghouse? Privacy & Security

Electronic Security Measures Secure Web Site Access FTP and File Transfers PGP encryption Compliance Audits Security Audits No data on laptops

EnrollmentVerify Verification of current student status to health insurers, credit card companies, housing providers, and other providers of student-based services. Included in core service

EnrollmentVerify Participation # Schools 2,174 Schools As of December 31, 2007

DegreeVerify Verification of academic credentials to employers, background screening firms, executive recruiters and others.

Degree Verify Benefits Expanded service for alumni Combat credentials fraud Reduce staff interruptions Ease burden/cost for employers Potential source of revenue

Total DegreeVerify Participation # Schools More than 1,400 schools participate in DegreeVerify, representing 67% of all US college degrees As of December 31, 2007

How does it work? Send one-time historical degree file of all degrees awarded from database. Send periodic updates each term that degrees are awarded. Update old records as needed on- line (e.g. from paper, microfilm).

Degree Verification Data Collected SSN* Name* Birth Date* Degree Title* Date awarded* Major(s)* Minor(s) Division awarding degree Concentration(s) Specialization(s) Honors FERPA Block Indicator* Financial Block Indicator* *Required

Top 20 Commercial Verifiers As of December 31, CHOICEPOINT, INC 2.HIRERIGHT, INC. 3.VERIFICATIONS, INC. 4.STERLING TESTING SYSTEMS 5.FIRST ADVANTAGE 6.ADP SCREENING AND SELECTION SERVICES 7.KROLL BACKGROUND AMERICA 8.VERTICAL SCREEN, INC. 9.USIS - COMMERCIAL SERVICES DIVISION 10.GENERAL INFORMATION SERVICES, INC. 11.CARCO GROUP 12.ACXIOM INFORMATION SECURITY SERVICES 13.AMERICAN BACKGROUND, INC. 14.PRECHECK, INC 15.VERIFIED CREDENTIALS, INC 16.LEXISNEXIS RISK MANAGEMENT, INC. 17.INFOMART 18.VANELLA, INC. 19.YALE ASSOCIATES, INC. 20.A-CHECK AMERICA

Additional Features Free student self-service enrollment verifications. Receipt of degree/graduation data on Student Tracker inquiries. Free verification services for school human resources department. Degree Verify Schools are also entitled to…

Student Self Service Students can: View enrollment histories and enrollment verifications sent to student service providers. Print proof of enrollment certificates to provide to these organizations themselves View deferments sent to their lenders, as well as link to information on their student loans. Institutions simply insert a link from their secure student portal to our self-service Web site*. *Available to Degree Verify schools

Student Tracker Educational research and analysis tool that puts the Clearinghouse database at your fingertips.

Student Tracker Fee based Colleges:  10 cents times fall headcount enrollment, $300 minimum  Can be reduced by % TRIO/McNair/Upward Bound: $425 High School Districts: $425/high school

9/8/ StudentTracker A cost effective way to replace survey and anecdotal information with documented enrollment and degree data

9/8/ How StudentTracker Works 1. You submit a file of the student cohorts you want to study 2. We run your file against our national student record database 3. Matches are compiled in a StudentTracker report 4. We will you when your report is ready for you to retrieve from your Clearinghouse secure FTP account Instant queries for individual students can be performed via the Web

9/8/ StudentTracker Query Types Institutional Research Identify important enrollment trends and patterns Track concurrent enrollment of your students Determine cohort graduation rates Fulfill federal reporting requirements Verify and correct cohort default rates

9/8/ StudentTracker Query Types Admissions Learn who is competing with you for students Improve your ability to target, select and retain students Verify prior enrollments for transfer applicants Validate your graduate school placement rate

9/8/ StudentTracker Query Types Financial Aid Track graduated/transferred Perkins borrowers Verify parent/sibling enrollments Support mid year transfer monitoring process Determine who holds students’ loans (web)

 Are majors equally represented?  Are GPA’s evenly distributed?  Is there unequal gender representation?  What about ethnic groups? Providing Unit Data For those who transfer out:

 Are class standings evenly distributed?  Do socio-economic factors tell us anything?  Are non-residents transferring out of state?  Do transfer-outs graduate elsewhere? Providing Unit Data For those who transfer out:

Summary Report Contains totals of students enrolled by institution Unit Record File Contains individual student records (except FERPA blocked records) Response File The Clearinghouse returns...

University of Washington Fall ,523 offered admission 5,382 enrolled 6,141 went to other institutions Where did they go instead? Minority Applicants Morehouse Harvard Occidental Seattle University Howard University Computer Science Majors Tacoma Community College Washington State University University of California – San Diego Yakima Community College University of Colorado Carnegie Mellon Seattle University Bellevue Community College Tracking applicants who don’t enroll NSC data showed that no one college was their competitor

9/8/ Increase Matching Rate State System to a National System Transfer-Out Rate Measured transfer-out rate for 1996 cohort of first- time freshmen, comparing results using Maryland state data sharing arrangement and Clearinghouse 30.8% 10.8% 0%10%20%30%40% Aggregate NSC Data Only Unit Maryland State Data Only Prince George’s Community College

9/8/ Broome & Cayuga Community Colleges Using StudentTracker more than doubled number of transfer students accounted for by schools 115.8% increase 117.6% increase

9/8/ Cal State Long Beach

cohorts of applicants who applied to, but did not attend BYU. The match showed that 73% enrolled elsewhere N = 13,446 Research Example Brigham Young University Home

9/8/ There were 960 students concurrently enrolled at BYU and another institution during fall or winter semesters of different schools were represented. Brigham Young University

City Colleges of Chicago Reverse and Horizontal Transfers Transfer-In students: State and Institution Type N= % of enrollment had prior college experience. IL = Illinois OOS = Out of State

Western Michigan University 9/8/201448

StudentTracker Fees There are three options:  Pay an annual fee equal to their school's enrollment times 10¢, payable in advance (minimum fee is $300)  Reduce the fee by 50% (pay 5¢ times their school’s enrollment or a $150 minimum) by: Participating in DegreeVerify, EnrollmentVerify and Referring, OR Reporting additional data elements  Get StudentTracker for FREE by: Participating in DegreeVerify, EnrollmentVerify and Referring, AND Reporting additional data elements

Student Tracker Most common uses Non-enrolling applicants Discontinuations Graduates Prior college enrollments

StudentTracker Fee Reduction

Minimum Participation Requirements: Current Major/CIP Code Institutional ID Middle Name Class Standing New Data Elements

Transcript Ordering Allows your students to order transcripts via the Internet 24/7. Orders are sent electronically to your system (EDI or XML). Handles financial and other holds.

Transcript Ordering Complete log is maintained on Clearinghouse web site. Students receive notifications and can track transcript requests on-line.

Free New transcript sending/receiving features Free New Electronic Transfer Exchange: –Sending and receiving transcripts electronically EDI/Speede/XMl Server to server PDF format

Other transcript initiatives Banner interface to print transcripts Other software vendors to follow Electronic delivery to students and institutions

Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA) The VSA project is collaborative effort among the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), and the public higher education community The information is intended for students, families, policy-makers, campus faculty and staff, the general public, and other higher education stakeholders

Clearinghouse Contact Dr. Jerry D. Smith Fax