| AwardYear: 1996-1997 ChapterNumber: 1 ChapterTitle: Basic Requirements Section: 30% Verification Option PageNumber: Generally, you must verify all applications the CPS selects for verification; however, ED does not require a school to verify more than 30 percent of its total number of applicants for federal student assistance. If more than 30 percent has been selected for verification, you may CHOOSE to verify all the selected applications, but ED does not require it. NOTE: APPLICATIONS YOUR SCHOOL SELECTS AND APPLICATIONS WITH CONFLICTING INFORMATION (SEE PAGE 2) DO NOT COUNT TOWARD THE 30-PERCENT LEVEL. If the total number of selected applications is less than 30 percent of your total number of applicants for federal student aid, you must verify all selected applications. The 30% Verification Option is better explained with a few examples, shown below. FOR EXAMPLE EXAMPLE ONE Reeves Institute has a total of 1,000 applicants for federal student assistance. During processing, the CPS selected 475 of those applications for verification. The school selects 100 other applications, based on its own criteria. A total of 575 applications was selected, but only 475 were edit- selected, and only these count toward the 30 percent. However, this number still exceeds 30 percent of the school's total applicants for federal student assistance (300), so the school may cease verifying once it has verified 300 of the edit-selected applications. EXAMPLE TWO Sobel Tech has a total of 1,000 applicants for federal student assistance. During processing, the CPS selected 289 of those applications for verification. The school must verify all 289 because that number does not exceed 30 percent of the institution's total applicants for federal student assistance. (The school is not required to verify any additional applications; the 30% Verification Option is NOT a quota.) EXAMPLE THREE Van Dam College has a total of 1,000 applicants for federal student assistance. During processing, the CPS selected 300 of those applications for verification. Also, the school identified 40 additional applications as having conflicting information. A total of 300 applications from the school has been selected. Additionally, the school must reconcile the conflicting information of 40 other students. (Because the resolution of conflicting data is separate from verification, these 40 applications do not count toward the 30-percent level.) The school must verify all 300 applications, as this number does not exceed 30 percent of its total applicants for federal student assistance. The school must also resolve each of the 40 cases of conflicting data. [[Defining "applicant"]] ED does not define the term "applicant" for purposes of the 30% Verification Option. Each school must develop a definition and apply it consistently. An applicant may be defined as any student who applies for federal financial aid or, more narrowly, as a student who is eligible to receive an award. Further, schools could define the total number of applicants for federal student assistance as the total number of applications received (regardless of whether the students are enrolled), as the total number of applications received from enrolled students, or as the total number of applications received from enrolled students who are eligible to receive an award. [[Schools must establish and consistently apply standard policy]] Because of the variables involved, ED does not provide guidelines or suggestions in this area. Schools must develop their own definitions of "applicant," as well as policies for determining the number of applications that constitutes 30 percent of total applications. Schools must consistently adhere to, and apply, the definitions and policies established. Schools must ensure that selected applications will be properly verified, whether or not the school invokes the 30% Verification Option. |