In this issue:
General News | Featured Tool | College Planning | Who's Who | Financial Aid
Scholarships & Other Aid Opportunities | Financial Literacy | Student Loan Management | Calendar
General News
Thankful for our Partners
A special message from OCAP’s executive director, Rick Edington
The OCAP team works hard to help ensure that postsecondary education is accessible in Oklahoma, to encourage student aspiration, and to educate families about preparing, planning and paying for education after high school. As we move into the holiday season, we want to express our deep appreciation for the many educational partners who share our mission to help all Oklahoma students overcome barriers to college access and completion, become financially literate and manage student loan repayment successfully.
Moving forward into 2012, OCAP will continue to work side-by-side with secondary, postsecondary and community-based educators, counselors, trainers and mentors to:
- Serve as a source of credible information, essential services and instructional materials that demonstrate the value of higher education, financial literacy and debt management.
- Unite and amplify college access activities in Oklahoma to reach as many underserved families as possible.
- Assist K-12 schools, higher education campuses and community partners in developing or expanding financial education services.
- Engage businesses and community partners as higher education ambassadors and providers of personal finance and debt management education for employees and service populations.
- Empower campuses with services and tools that further strengthen student loan default prevention efforts.
At our annual conference last week, we saw these important partnerships and connections in action. Nearly 200 service providers – including middle and high school counselors, TRiO program professionals, campus financial aid and student services administrators, career technology center staff, lending institutions, social service providers and community organizations – gathered to exchange information, resources and ideas that support college readiness, student success during the collegiate experience, and the transition from college to the workforce.
Together, we’re making a difference in the lives of students and families across this state. At Thanksgiving and always, we’re truly thankful for our relationships with each of you!
Default Prevention Business Expert Group
As students continue to rely heavily on student loans to finance a college education, it takes a team effort to help them navigate the loan repayment process. That’s why on Oct. 6, OCAP held the first meeting of our Default Prevention Business Expert Group. Members from various school sectors were invited to discuss a wide range of topics, including:
- default prevention opportunities, challenges and tools, including OCAP’s Default Prevention School Tool (DPST), publications and dedicated Facebook page, Student Loan Repayment Scoop (Facebook.com/RepaymentScoop); (external class)
- cohort default rates;
- entrance and exit counseling alternatives; and
- average student indebtedness.
During the meeting, the workgroup discussed characteristics of delinquent borrowers, common repayment behaviors, and how providing repayment tools and services in a timelier manner could help more borrowers successfully repay. When asked what they’d change about the student loan industry, members’ consistent responses were to limit the amount of loan funds students can borrow and to offer financial education and debt management resources that fully explain repayment options, interest calculation, deferments and forbearances.
Several suggestions were offered by participating members, including a recommendation that OCAP host a DPST user group meeting to explore how various schools are using the tool to reach out to delinquent borrowers. Our default prevention team will contact DPST users to determine the best time to schedule a meeting.
The advisory workgroup is passionate about finding the most efficient and effective ways to counsel borrowers about the pitfalls of delinquency and default. We thank them for volunteering their time and sharing their expertise to help make a difference for Oklahoma borrowers!
OCAP’s Default Prevention Business Expert Group
- Rosalind Martin, Metro Technology Center
- Andrew Hammontree, Francis Tuttle Technology Center
- Jehan Parekh, University of Oklahoma
- Jerome Wichert, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
- Sheila McGill, Langston University
- Tamara Smith, Langston University
- Kandi Molder, Oklahoma Wesleyan University
- Brian Overling, Oklahoma City University
- Janice Stepp, Vatterott College
- Barbara Effinger, Oklahoma Health Academy
- Joanne G. Tayrien, Tulsa Community College
- Marilyn Schwarz , Murray State College
- Trent Horstkoetter, Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City
- Steven Daffer, Rose State College
- Myrna Cross, Western Oklahoma State College
Save Time and Money (and Sanity) this Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is about celebrating with family and friends and reflecting on the joys in your life, but preparing and delivering the feast can be draining for the host, making it less enjoyable and harder to focus on the things we’re thankful for.
We asked OCAP staffers what they do to reduce their stress level on Thanksgiving and during the remainder of the holiday season. Try these tips to save time, spend less, and keep your cool.
- Do anything that can be done ahead of time in advance. Your oven will be very busy on the big day, so bake cookies, cakes and pies a day or two before.
Matt McCreary, Policy Analyst
- Ask children to get crafty. Task kids to make your holiday décor. Making placemats or centerpieces will keep kids entertained and little hands busy, and they’ll feel like they’re contributing to the festivities.
Lacy Myers, Multimedia Coordinator
- Make a little less. Unless you’re literally feeding an army, you probably don’t need 10 side dishes and
three kinds of cranberry sauce. Pick the most crowd-pleasing recipes and stick to those; it will save you money, effort and fridge space for excessive leftovers.
Mary Heid, Director for Policy, Compliance, & Training - Embrace your crock-pot. Roasts, stews, veggies and so much more can be prepared in a slow cooker. Not only is this an easy, low-energy cooking method, it also frees you up to do other things. Who wants to be stuck in the kitchen all day?
Melissa Crawford, OKMM Outreach Coordinator
- Use disposable tableware and serving pieces. After a big, wonderful meal, no one wants to wash a bunch of dishes. Stylish, sturdy, eco-friendly options are available in all sizes and for this busy mom, a quick clean-up is worth the minimal expense. Watch for coupons in the weeks leading up to the holidays to get a price break, too!
Angela Caddell, Director for Communications, Financial Education & Outreach
- Delegate! You don’t have to do it all yourself. Assign specific tasks like setting the table, serving drinks and making the desserts and stuffing. If everyone pitches in, everyone can enjoy Thanksgiving and no one will be completely wiped out at the end of the day.
Penny Gandy, Outreach Services Manager - Buy a pre-made turkey. If you don’t enjoy the process of cooking the big bird, save time and energy by purchasing one that’s ready to go. Pre-cooked turkeys of various sizes are readily available – probably through your local grocery store – and the price per pound is usually reasonable in comparison to frozen turkeys.
Kelli Kelnar, Outreach Services Specialist
From the OCAP family to yours, Happy Turkey Day!
Featured Tool
UCanGo2's College Planning Checklists
Counselors and teachers, are you working with seniors who are preparing for college now? Are you helping a group of 6th graders brainstorm career options that match their interests? No matter what grade your students are in, it’s never too early for them to start planning for college. The Oklahoma College Assistance Program (OCAP) can help!
Did you know that UCanGo2 offers college planning checklists for grades six through 12? These valuable tools are a great way to inform your students of action steps they can take now to prepare for education after high school.
Download and print our checklists for freshmen (PDF), sophomores (PDF), juniors (PDF) and seniors (PDF), or click the ‘Request Publications’ button on the Resources page at UCanGo2.org (external class) to order a classroom set.
UCanGo2 introduced new tools for middle school counselors this year, and we’ve developed ‘must-do’ flyers that provide early planning tips for middle school students, including a 9th grade ‘coming soon’ checklist for 8th graders who are gearing up for that key transition. Download and print our checklists for 6th (PDF), 7th (PDF), 8th (PDF) or 9th graders (PDF), or click the ‘Request Publications’ button on the Resources page at UCanGo2.org (external class) to order a classroom set.
OCAP can provide up to 250 copies of each checklist per school, per year as inventory allows. Additionally,counselors who haven’t received a 2011-12 UCanGo2 High School Counselor Toolkit or Middle School Counselor Toolkit can visit the Counselor page at UCanGo2.org (external class) to submit a request for a free kit.
We hope you find these resources helpful in your work with students and parents. Contact us at ucango2@ocap.org to let us know how we can better serve you!
College Planning
Save the Date: NT4CM Training for Counselors
It’s almost the end of the year, and you know what that means….FAFSA completion is just around the corner. Save the date for a NT4CM (National Training for Counselors and Mentors) workshop in January, which will focus specifically on information and tools for teaching students and parents how to avoid common mistakes and successfully complete the FAFSA.
Mark your calendars to join us for a free, half-day workshop in Tulsa on Jan. 19 or in Oklahoma City on Jan. 26. More details and registration will be available later this month. Don’t miss this chance to learn about materials you can use to get the families you serve on the FAFSA track quickly in 2012!
College Fair Season: It’s a Wrap!
It’s official … the 2011 College Fair season is over. While some of us at OCAP are glad to be back in the saddle at the office, we’re also celebrating another great season and looking forward to seeing even more students enroll in college for the 2012-13 year!
During September and October, college fairs were held at high schools, conference centers and 
college campuses all over Oklahoma. Thousands of students and parents had the opportunity to visit with representatives from various colleges and military organizations. OCAP was represented at nearly every fair, and as a result, two of our most popular publications - Are You Looking for Money? (PDF) and Are You Ready for College? (PDF) - are now in the hands of thousands of college-bound juniors and seniors.
If your students weren’t able to attend a college fair, no problem! OCAP’s outreach team is available to come to your school or community event to present information about planning, preparing and paying for college. To set up a visit, contact the outreach team today at 405.234.4239, 866.443.7420 (toll free) or outreach@ucango2.org. All of our publications and instructional materials are also available for free download in the Resources section at our website, UCanGo2.org. (external class)
To participate in the college fair circuit through the Oklahoma College Day/Night Coordination Committee, contact Nate Todd at Cameron University at 580.581.5760 or ntodd@cameron.edu.
Net Price Calculators Now Required
By Oct. 29, 2011, all Title IV higher education institutions were required to implement a Net Price Calculator on their websites to help families calculate the estimated cost of a degree program for a full-time, first-degree undergraduate student. Calculations are based on program selection and other personal information input by the user.
The Net Price Calculator requirement was enacted by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. A 2011 presentation made by Department of Education officials at a National Association of School Financial Aid Administrators’ conference, The New Institutional Net Price Calculator Requirement in HEOA (PPT), offers more information.
Who's Who
Do You Know Melissa White?
Meet Melissa White, Executive Director of Counseling/ACE for the Oklahoma State Department of Education. We contacted Melissa to get the scoop on her personal and professional life.
When did you start working for the State Department of Education, and what did you do prior to your current role?
I started working at the State Department of Education in the middle of September of this year. Before that, I was an elementary school counselor at Lakehoma Elementary in Mustang. I also previously worked in a juvenile level E group home/Residential Treatment Center in Norman. I have continuously worked with my LPC and maintained a small case load of children, and I administer a GED course for Oklahoma City Community College in the evenings. I graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a Master of Education in Community Counseling from the University of Oklahoma in 2004. I’m currently pursuing a Doctor of Education degree.
What are your professional goals?
Several of my goals this year are to provide information to all school counselors about professional development opportunities in our field. I also hope to establish working relationships with all areas of education. I want to play an active role in our school counselors association and other associations that influence school counselors, and have constant communication with our career technology centers, colleges, charter schools, and all elementary/middle/high schools across our state.
What do see as an important mission in your new role?
To provide leadership to improve guidance and counseling services for students across the state. I’m here to assist counselors, administrators and parents with Achieving Classroom Excellence (ACE) graduation requirements, Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission, Oklahoma Commission on Educational Opportunities for Military Children and any other counselor-related issues.
My school counseling philosophy is a deep desire to contribute to the well-being of children through the development of their academic, social, personal, and career success. I believe that we’re all going through our life journey together and we’re here to help each other navigate that journey to our highest potential.
What are your personal hobbies and interests?
I’m actively raising my three daughters; two seven year olds in first grade and one five year old in pre-kindergarten. They play soccer and basketball, so my free time is usually spent at games, practices or birthday parties for all of their friends. Our family does enjoy vacations or going to the lake for the weekend.
We enjoyed learning more about you, Melissa. Welcome aboard, and good luck in your new position!
Financial Aid
OCAP Provides Workshop for OASFAA Training Event
On Friday, Nov. 4, financial aid administrators from across the state gathered for OASFAA Decentralized Training in Broken Arrow. Nearly 100 professionals attended the all-day training held on Northeastern State University’s Broken Arrow campus.
The morning was spent learning about Satisfactory Academic Progress. That afternoon, OCAP’s own Mary Heid, Director for Policy, Compliance and Training and Liz Brandon, Training Coordinator, presented a workshop focused on emotional intelligence, which is the ability to recognize and control your behaviors, emotions and reactions.
Participants were given the opportunity to explore their emotional responses through interactive games and roleplaying. They also learned ways to manage conflict and improve self-awareness. The OCAP workshop was a fun and thought-provoking way to end the OASFAA training event and begin the weekend.
OCAP appreciates all the workshop attendees and their willingness to participate. See you next spring!
Confirmation Required for SAIG ID
Here’s a reminder for our campus financial aid partners … the Department of Education (ED) recently announced that every organization enrolled in the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) must review and validate its assigned TG numbers by Dec. 16, 2011. This is an active confirmation to verify that your current accounts are needed and to delete the accounts that are no longer needed. See ED’s e-nnouncement (external class) for more information.
What's New on IFAP?
Dear Colleague Letters
Gainful Employment Electronic Announcements (GEEA)
- Oct. 25 – GEEA #27 - Reminder of Gainful Employment Reporting Date of Nov. 15, 2011 (external link)
- Oct. 13 – GEEA #26 - Updated NSLDS Gainful Employment Submittal Template(external link)
General
- Nov. 7 – Notice of Establishment of Negotiated Rulemaking Committee (external link)
- Nov. 3 – Errata and Updates - Volume 3 - Calculating Awards & Packaging [2011-12 Federal Student Aid Handbook] (external link)
- Oct. 26 – Model Financial Aid Offer Forms - OPE Works with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (external link)
- Oct. 13 – 2011-12 FSA Handbook, Volume 5 - Overawards, Overpayments, and Withdrawal Calculations (external link)
- Oct. 7 – Operational Implementation Guidance - Implementation of Federal Student Aid System and Software Updates on October 23, 2011 for New SSA Guidelines (external link)
Loans
- Oct. 26 – Special Direct Consolidation Loan Information - Short-Term Consolidation Opportunity Offered from January - June 30, 2012 (external link)
- Oct. 7 – Voluntary Flexible Agreement Proposals (external link)
- Oct. 3 – Loan Servicing Information - MOHELA Joins Federal Loan Servicer Team (external link)
Common Manual Update
The latest version of the Integrated Common Manual is available on the Common Manual website. (external class) As always, if you have questions about the manual, contact our Policy, Compliance and Training department at 405.234.4432, 800.247.0420 (toll free) or pct@ocap.org.
Scholarships and Other Aid Opportunities
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (external link) offers scholarships to help students of Hispanic heritage obtain a college degree. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000 and are awarded on a competitive basis. Graduating high school seniors and community college, undergraduate and graduate students who meet certain heritage, citizenship, and academic requirements are eligible to apply.
The deadline to submit an application is December 15, 2011. Visit the scholarship Web page (external link) for more information about the program, including a full list of eligibility requirements. Locate more scholarship programs on our Scholarship Opportunities page.
Financial Literacy
Avoid a Holiday Debt Hangover
For many, the gift of giving is just as great as the gift of receiving. Giving allows us the opportunity to focus on those we love, consider their likes and dislikes and express our affection for them. However, in a tight economy, gift-giving often invokes more feelings of stress than joy, especially when the bills show up in January. Luckily, some of the most meaningful gifts don’t cost a thing.
The gift of service. Identify and meet a need. Help your loved ones by running errands, babysitting or helping with household projects like painting or moving. The gift of your time is worth far more than any knick-knack.
The gift of gratitude. Embrace the written word and send a letter expressing the things you appreciate and adore about someone. Write it in a journal, on pretty notepaper or on a photo mat and then frame it to give as a lovely keepsake.
The gift of creativity. Employ your artistic talents by creating a collage, an original drawing or penning a short story or poem. One-of-a-kind artwork is a unique gift that will mean the world to the recipient.
The gift of knowledge. If you’re a talented cook or seamstress, share that talent. Taking the time to teach someone a skill is a great way to bond and enjoy each other’s company.
The gift of time. Make time to visit someone you don’t see very often or who can’t get out of the house as much as they’d like. Make them dinner, watch a movie or find another creative way to keep them company.
The old saying still rings true - it’s the thought that counts. No matter which gift you choose, one that’s personal, memorable and given from the heart will always be the one that means the most. Here’s to a joyful, stress-free holiday season!
Student Loan Management
Forbearance: Is It the Right Option for Student Borrowers?
Balancing a budget can be especially challenging when unexpected expenses demand immediate attention and threaten to derail student loan repayment. Borrowers facing unexpected circumstances can retake control by requesting forbearance.
Forbearance is one of several repayment options that allow borrowers to make smaller monthly payments or suspend payments for a short period of time. Here are some important facts about loan forbearance:
- Forbearances can be granted in intervals of up to 12 months at a time for up to three years. Borrowers should contact their loan holder to discuss eligibility requirements.
Note: The loan holder isn’t required to grant forbearances, but will work with borrowers who are facing financial difficulty. Borrowers should continue making their student loan payments until the forbearance is granted.
- Interest will be charged on all loans during the forbearance period and added to the principal amount of the loan when payments resume. If at all possible, borrowers should pay the accrued interest while the loan is in forbearance.
- Borrowers should only use forbearance when no other repayment options are available. If possible, it’s best to consider a deferment first, as the federal government pays the accrued interest on subsidized loans during periods of deferment.
Student loan repayment options like forbearance and deferment are designed to provide payment relief during life’s financial challenges and help borrowers successfully manage student loan repayment and avoid delinquency and default. We encourage borrowers to stay in touch with their loan holder and OCAP’s default prevention team so they can explore all available options when successful repayment is in jeopardy.
Borrowers can contact our Default Prevention department at 405.234.4352, 800.358.5460 (toll free) or wecanhelp@ocap.org. They can also check out our website, OCAP.org, and visit our Facebook page, Student Loan Repayment Scoop (Facebook.com/RepaymentScoop), (external class) for more information.
Calendar
- 2011-12 State System Academic Calendar (PDF)
- Nelnet’s Webinar Wednesday series (external link)
- Nov. 12: OSU-IT Scholarship & Financial Aid Workshop, Weatherford
- Nov. 14: OSRHE Counselor Retreat, Stroud
- Nov. 14: Parent Academy Workshop, Metro Technology Center (5 to 8 p.m.)
- Nov. 14 - 16: SWASFAA Bootcamp, Tulsa
- Nov. 15: Gainful Employment Reporting Deadline
- Nov. 16 - 18: SWASFAA Conference, Tulsa
- Nov. 29 - Dec. 1: Federal Student Aid Conference, (external link) Las Vegas
- Jan. 11: Mapping Your Future FAFSA Training Webinar (external link)
- May 7 - 11: FSA Title IV Fundamentals Training, (external link) Dallas