Doing Financial Aid Nights and Presentations Kristin Bhaumik, University of Michigan Ingrid Clover, MI Student Aid, Michigan Department of Treasury Kevin Singer, Hope College Doing Financial Aid Nights and Presentations Msfaa summer conference 2018 Crystal mountain resort

What’s in your program? Different types of financial aid Grants and Scholarships, Work Study, Loans Reading an award letter Understanding free money, earned money, borrowed money Affordability and loans Balancing degree earned, debt, and income State aid programs TIP, MCS, MTG Program Content §  Different types of financial aid §  How to read an award letter §  How affordable are those loans §  State Aid programs ·       TIP ·       MCS ·       MTG ·       FFF

Program Planning MI Student Aid Statewide Regional One-Stops Criteria for selecting events Event promotion: Websites Social Media Outreach to HS counselors, college advisors, and college access stakeholders Statewide Regional One-Stops o   Rubric for selecting events o   Helping to promote events §  Website §  Social media §  Outreach to counselors and college advisers

What common items should be presented at FA Nights? Why are you there? Application/FAFSA Overview of Federal/State Programs What families can expect in the financial aid process Other avenues for financial aid What common items should be presented at FA Nights? Why are you there?  Admissions/Recruitment purpose?  Service to the community? Application/FAFSA Overview of Federal/State Programs What families can expect post-application from the Aid Office(s)? Where else can families look for aid (academic from institutions, scholarships from local community organizations, etc).

NASFAA Presentation: Why you may not want to use it Time management Attention management How much is “too much” for an event like yours? Why you shouldn’t use the full NASFAA presentation Keeping time and attention into perspective (1 hour presentation max, time for Q/As, etc). Considering how much may be “too much” What can you provide that will provide families with the help that they need...without overwhelming them?

Be a Resource Post-Presentation In what ways can you provide ongoing assistance to families and counseling staff with additional questions? Provide contact information. If you have indicated you will follow up with an answer…please follow up! Post-Presentation Assistance to families and counseling staff Offering your contact information

Referrals to Other Resources There is a large network of support to refer families to. Local college access and financial aid partners. Trusted publications, websites, and social media Text messaging for 12th graders through MI Student Aid

The new “FA Night”: FAFSA Filing Events When is an information presentation appropriate? When is a FAFSA filing event appropriate? When is it appropriate to do a combination of the two? Moving to the new “FA Night” (FAFSA Filing Event) When is it appropriate to do a presentation? When is it appropriate to do a FAFSA Filing event (similar to College Goal Sunday)? When is it appropriate to do a combination of the two?

Miscellaneous Just the Facts A comprehensive history…interesting, but not needed. Consider expectations from families attending Be fully engaged Q&A – the large group and the individuals General Items regarding presentations Just the facts Offering an agenda -- sneak preview A comprehensive history...not needed. What families are looking for by attending. Being fully engaged. Large Group Q&A Session Being prepared to allow for one-on-one Q&A time Especially if a large group question can not be answered...or if it would be more appropriate to offer information one on one.

Additional Outreach: Options and Opportunities Ask your professional network for help. Consider virtual outreach – videos, online content, etc. Be creative identifying target populations and event opportunities. Tag along…with admissions, academic advisors, anyone!

FA Nights and the Early FAFSA Pre-Early FAFSA – Busy in January Now – events begin in September/October March 1 – the State deadline How does the FA Night best coincide with Early FAFSA? Before - January Offered these nights compacted during January Now - October These nights can be offered during October-November-December timeframe All considering the March 1st suggested FAFSA Deadline in the State.

Do your homework Do you visit your feeder schools? What is the average graduating class at a HS where you are holding an event? Are you also being asked to wear a recruitment hat during the event? What information has admissions or the counselors already shared with the audience? Additional Items to know: Average graduating class @ HS -- how many attend In-State?  Out-State? Private? 4 Year Public? CC? What are the “common” private colleges that HS feeds to saying -- complete FAFSA by March 1?  ASAP?

Be Creative Our typical audience is at a high school, but consider other event opportunities as well. Community Organizations Libraries Investment firms and credit unions Local media Additional Items to know: Typically held at/through high schools -- but consider other options: Community Organizations Libraries Investment Firms Local Media Shows Typically accept upon a passive invitation...but what connections do you already have that would be appropriate in this regard?

Questions? What are some of your best practices and/or programs? How do you entice people to attend your events/how do you market your events? What are some challenges you face?

Contact us: Krissy Bhaumik – kbhaumik@umich.edu Associate Director, Office of Financial Aid University of Michigan Ingrid Clover – cloveri@Michigan.gov Department Analyst, MI Student Aid Michigan Department of Treasury Kevin Singer – singer@hope.edu Assistant Director, Office of Financial Aid Hope College