Maintained for Historical Purposes

This resource is being maintained for historical purposes only and is not currently applicable.

30% Verification Option

AwardYear: 1997-1998
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 have 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
Trundle 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"]]
Many federal aid administrators have requested interpretation from
ED regarding the definitions of "applicant" and "applicant pool."
However, ED does not define these terms. Each school must
develop its definitions and apply them 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. When the school uses a narrow pool and
selects 30 percent, the students the school verifies must come from
the pool designated and not from a broader pool.

[[School must establish and consistently apply standard policy]]
Schools also must develop their own policies for determining the
number of applications that constitutes 30 percent of their school's
total applications. Schools must consistently adhere to, and apply,
these policies, ensuring that selected applications are properly
verified, regardless of the 30% Verification Option.