Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Minnesota Association of Financial Aid Administrators Fall Conference 2008 November 20 th, 2008

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Agenda Overview of Program Legislative Update Current Applications and Awards Review of Online Process –Student –School Questions

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Overview To provide postsecondary financial assistance to eligible students who complete qualifying secondary school coursework. Complete Application requirements –Student Application (Online or Paper) –Complete Official High School Transcript –Other Documentation, if applicable AP/IB Test Scores or College Transcripts Deadline – Must have applied within 30 days of the beginning of the term in order to receive first disbursement in that term –Does not have to have complete application or acknowledge award before the deadline Deadline – Can apply and use scholarship any time within 4 years immediately following high school graduation

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Overview Student Eligibility –Minnesota Resident for state financial aid purposes –Completed a FAFSA for the financial aid year –Graduated from a Minnesota High School –Enrolled at an eligible Minnesota Institution for at least 3 credits –Have a family adjusted gross income of less than $75,000 in the last complete calendar year prior to the academic year of that the student receives the scholarship as reported on the FAFSA Dependent Student: Parent AGI Independent Student: Student/Spouse AGI –Take and receive at least a grade of C in each of the courses, unless otherwise stated, in one of four Rigorous Programs of Study used in the administration of the Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Overview Award Process –Eligible students will be awarded $1,200 for qualifying expenses to be disbursed in two equal payments of $600 The first payment to be made within the first term of enrollment The second payment will be made in the second term of enrollment if student successfully completes the first term –Successful completion of the first term means: a student has completed all of the courses in the term with a letter grade (A-F or Pass/Fail and no Ws); or a student has completed the term with a term (not cumulative) GPA of 2.0 or higher –Successful completion of the first term information is provided by the institution online at the end of the first term

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Overview Award Acknowledgment –Eligible students will be sent a letter notifying them of their eligibility –It will request them to complete an Acknowledgment Form online or by paper to indicate in which term they would like the first disbursement and to which institution Letter will provide student with unique username and password to complete form online –Eligible student is informed of the option to decline the scholarship and request it in the future, as long as it is within four years immediately following high school graduation –Eligible student is also informed that if scholarship is requested at a later date in a different financial aid year, the Office will review the income reported on the FAFSA to ensure that income requirements are still met

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Legislative Update Statute was revised to clarify that a student must have graduated from a Minnesota High School Statute was also changed to state that a student must be enrolled for at least three credits per term (or the equivalent)

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Applications and Awards Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Summary Report (Handout) –Highlights 3,544 Applications Received 951 Pending Applications (Incomplete) 2,053 Eligible Students 1,609 Students Received Scholarship for Fall 2008

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Review of Online Process Student Application –Students can apply online at –Student receives confirmation letter after application is submitted –Requests student to submit additional documentation Complete Official High School Transcript (with grad date) AP/IB Test Scores or College Transcripts, if applicable Minnesota State Scholarship Programs - Online Tools Guide (Handout) –Screen shots of student applications

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Review of Online Process Institutional Access –View list of eligible students who have acknowledged award –Confirm Eligibility for First or Second Disbursements Institutions must confirm student is attending or expected to attend in the particular term If institution does not make corrections to ISIR/DDS records for all students regardless of grant eligibility, need to confirm income eligibility –Confirm First Term Completion Status Institution must confirm if students successfully completed the first term they received the scholarship in order for students to receive second disbursement –View Payment Rosters Minnesota State Scholarship Programs - Online Tools Guide –Screen shots of processes available

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Review of Online Process Notification to Institutions –Periodic s when eligible students are awaiting eligibility confirmation –Periodic s when eligible students are awaiting confirmation of first term completion – s when payments have been made and Payment Roster has been updated

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Review of Online Process Future Enhancements –Automatic to college when there are students awaiting eligibility confirmation and term completion status –Enhanced sorting ability for institutions List of eligible students Payment Rosters –Ability for schools to see students that have listed their institution as first institution on FAFSA and their application status

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Questions??

Minnesota Achieve Scholarship Program Contact Information Megan FitzGibbonSandy Bowes Manager of Scholarship ProgramsState Scholarship Programs Staff 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite Energy Park Dr. #350 Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108St. Paul, MN (651) (651) (800) (651) (FAX)