Publication Date: October 25, 2004
Author: General Manager, Student Aid Awareness and Applicant Services Channel
Summary: Ordering Bulk Quantities of 2005-06 Application Materials
Posted on 10-25-2004
FROM: General Manager, Student Aid Awareness and Applicant Services Channel
SUBJECT: Ordering Bulk Quantities of 2005-06 Application Materials
Dear Partner:
Thank you for continuing to encourage your students to "Go Online with the U.S. Department of Education," particularly with the online versions of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA on the Web shortens processing time, reduces errors and contains step-by-step instructions for completing the form.
Watch for an upcoming announcement on IFAP, which will describe the changes we are making to the 2005-06 online FAFSA.
How to Order English and Spanish 2005-06 FAFSAs
You can order English and Spanish paper versions of the 2005-06 FAFSA now by going to our online Bulk Publication Ordering System (BPOS). You can access the system from our Schools Portal web site at www.fsa4schools.ed.gov and selecting "Publications and How to Order" from the links on the left side of the main page. Please note that you will need to provide your 8-digit OPEID number when placing your order.
How to Determine Quantity
Due to the dramatic increase in the number of students applying electronically for financial aid, we are again printing smaller quantities of paper FAFSAs for the upcoming year. Therefore, we are asking you to voluntarily reduce the number of 2005-06 FAFSAs you order. We encourage you to order only what you need to serve your students.
When you place your order of 2005-06 FAFSAs from BPOS, we will automatically compare your order to your initial 2004-05 order.
- If your 2005-06 order is less than last year we will process your request and send you the full number of FAFSAs you ordered.
- If your initial order is equal to or greater than last year, a message will appear on the ordering form asking you to consider reducing your order. At that time, you can either proceed with your current order or you can reduce it.
To help you evaluate the demand at your school for paper FAFSAs for the upcoming year, we encourage you to look at data about the number of paper and electronic 2004-05 FAFSAs processed for your school. This information is highlighted in the FSA Headlines area of the Schools Portal at www.fsa4schools.ed.gov.
When to Expect Delivery
We expect to begin distribution of the 2005-06 FAFSAs in early November 2004. We will ship the FAFSAs as quantities arrive from the printer, sequenced by the dates that orders were placed (rather than geographic regions). You will be able to check the BPOS web site to see when your order was shipped. Once it is shipped, please allow six business days for delivery.
What is the FAFSA on the Web Pre-Application Worksheet?
The 2005-06 FAFSA on the Web Pre-Application Worksheet is for students who plan to use the Web to apply for financial aid. As you know, some students complete a paper FAFSA to prepare for filling out the online FAFSA. However, because the 2005-06 version of FAFSA on the Web allows some students who qualify for an automatic zero Expected Family Contribution or the Simplified Needs Test (SNT) the option of skipping certain questions, the order of questions on the online FAFSA will not follow the same order as the 2005-06 paper FAFSA. Therefore, it is very important to tell Web filers to use the Pre-Application Worksheet instead of a paper FAFSA. Please adjust your request for paper FAFSAs downward in light of this.
FSA will soon be posting a printable version of the Pre-Application Worksheet on IFAP at http://ifap.ed.gov and on Student Aid on the Web at www.studentaid.ed.gov. We encourage you to print copies of the Worksheet from the IFAP web site and distribute them to your students, or direct your students to Student Aid on the Web, where they can print a copy. The 2005-06 Pre-Application Worksheet will also be available on FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov in late November 2004.
What else is available?
- The Student Guide: A booklet that gives comprehensive information on our student assistance programs, application procedures, eligibility requirements, etc. It is aimed at college students and parents. This publication is available in English and Spanish.
- Repaying Your Student Loans: A publication that provides a detailed explanation of how borrowers can manage their student loan debt. The booklet explains how repayment works and summarizes the various loan repayment plans to ease debt burden. In addition to discussions of deferment, forbearance, and consolidation, Repaying Your Student Loans shows detailed charts of typical payments under the loan programs, and offers a budget worksheet to help borrowers learn to spend and manage their money wisely. This publication is available in English and Spanish.
- Need Money for College?: A tri-fold that publicizes and explains the benefits of FSA's newest online tool for students and parents: Student Aid on the Web (www.studentaid.ed.gov). Student Aid on the Web integrates information from disparate places around the Internet, and from various publications, into one online location. The information on the web site is categorized into six tabs- Preparing, Choosing, Applying, Funding, Attending and Repaying- essentially mirroring the student "life cycle." Student Aid on the Web has literally hundreds of pages of student-centered information on the topics within the six tabs, as well as dozens of hyperlinks to "Best of the Web" information on financial aid, attending school, finding employment and repaying student loans.
- Federal Student Aid Bookmark: The bookmark will be a welcome reference tool for both financial aid professionals and students alike. The bookmark displays the URL for Student Aid on the Web as well as a reminder of the two steps for obtaining federal student aid: 1) Register for a PIN, 2) Fill out the FAFSA. The bookmark also tells students they can visit Student Aid on the Web for additional information and assistance.
Again, thank you for your invaluable contribution to our common goal--to help put America through school.