Financial Aid
Application Process
The PSR Perspective
Workforce Solutions, February 20, 2013
Purpose
The purpose of this course is to introduce
the new financial aid application process
and define the roles and responsibilities of
the PSR/Career Office and the Call Centers.
2
Objectives
• Describe the process for submitting a new
financial aid application and receiving a
determination of award.
• Explain how to request a voucher for
subsequent semesters.
• List staff responsible for each task in the
financial aid application process.
• Identify all deadlines, in number of business
days, for customers and staff in the process.
3
Role
PSR
4
Call Center
• Develop relationship
• Determine eligibility for
with customers
• Guide and help them
through the process
• Help develop goals and
a plan to reach them
• Guide them along the
path and help overcome
challenges
financial aid
• Collect documentation
from the customer
• Data enter eligibility and
awards in TWIST and
FAMS
• Contact FAPO
Workforce Solutions Reference
• WS Issuance 12-19 Managing
Financial Aid – How Staff Work
Together, December 21, 2012
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I heard you could
help me pay for
school.
We do offer
scholarships.
Are you interested
in applying for one?
Financial Aid Application | Customer
• Complete the financial aid application (be
sure to help).
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Determine Youth Barrier | PSR
• Basic literacy
deficient
• Pregnant or
parenting
• Homeless
• Dropout
• Offender
• Runaway
8
• Needs help to complete
education or get and keep
a job:
–
–
–
–
14-15
Behind grade level
Habitually truant
Dependent member of a
single parent family
– Failed TAKS/STAR
– Lacks work history
– Needs extra help
Financial Aid Application| PSR
• Tell customer:
– A Customer Service Representative may call
within two (2) business days
– What happens if approved or denied
– There are limits on scholarships
– Funds may not be available (explain scholarship
registry and waitlist)
• Do not sign the application.
• Provide Financial Aid Customer Information
sheet.
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Data Entry| PSR
• Enter TWIST Data
– Intake Common
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identity
Contacts
Characteristics-predictive characteristics only
Education, if you know
Employment, if you know
Optional Questions
– Counselor note
– Employment plan
10
Financial Aid Application | Career Office
– Create pre-commitment in FAMS the same day:
• $6,000 scholarship
• $3,000 other
– Transmit financial aid application and any
supporting documents to Call Center.
– Add a counselor note with the subject line “FA
App Submitted.”
Note: TWIST Employment Plan and FAMS pre-commitment not
needed for FA for child care
11
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF
THE PRE-COMMITMENT?
12
Pre-commitment
A record created in the Financial Aid
Management System (FAMS) that holds funds
for a customer while she completes the
application process.
Assessment / Child Care
• Quick conversation
• What else can Workforce Solutions do
• Not immediately eligible
– Office staff puts on wait list in TWIST and give
the customer the Placed on wait list letter
– Call Center notifies customer she has been
placed on the wait list if they add the customer
to the waitlist
– Call Center notifies customer when funds are
available
14
Assessment | Other than Child Care
• Employment goals
• How financial aid will help
• Overall goal and plan
• School and program (if applicable)
• Personal management
• Followup requirements
15
Financial Aid Application/ Call Center
• Contact customer within 24 hours
– Request for documents
• Enter a counselor note
– Conversation
– Documents requested
– Deadlines
• Process application
– Within 5 days after the application is complete
– Contact customer for cost information
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Vendor Cost | Call Center
• TWIST Data Entry
– Counselor note: Costs received, conversations
with customer re: costs
– ITA
• FAMS Entries
– Track financial aid limits by category
– Update commitments with vendor and cost
information
– Mark commitment “Need Now”
– Notify Career Office and PSR when voucher is
ready for customer
17
Cost Discrepancies | Call Center/FAPO
Eligible Training Provider System (ETPS)
vs.
Cost Obligation Form
• Handled by Call Center and FAPO
• Customer must request difference
• PSR verify change in ETPS
• email Call Center
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ETPS
• Access:
–
–
–
–
WrkSolutions.com
Financial Aid
Training and Education
How Will You Pay for Education and Training?
https://services.twc.state.tx.us/PROVIDERCERT/di
spatcher?link=HREF&pageid=PUBLIC_SWL
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Application Approved | Call Center
• Notify PSR
– Email
• Award letter attached
• Voucher ready
• Child Care
– Notify customer
• TWIST
– Program Detail
– Counselor note
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Application Approved| PSR
• Prepare voucher.
• Notify customer the voucher is ready.
• Give customer Award Letter and review.
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Application Approved| PSR (cont’d)
• Discuss agreement
– Contact us when school starts
– Report
•
•
•
•
Grades and progress
Course changes
Attendance – transportation assistance
Progress (how often)
– Maintain a “C” average
– Can only change major once
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Application Approved | PSR (cont.)
• Have customer sign Award letter:
– File in electronic file
– Give customer a copy
• Give the customer the prepared voucher.
• Remind her to contact us when school starts.
• Have her contact us for additional semester
vouchers.
• Record changes during the semester in
counselor notes.
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Application Approved| Data Entry | PSR
• Update TWIST
– Employment Plan
– Contact information
– Counselor notes
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School Starts | PSR
• Verify school start.
• Open required TWIST services if you are with NCI or
Rescare.
• Training Service:
– Start date: date school starts
– Planned end date: date program ends
• Create counselor note:
– Note customer received service
– Subject line examples: Training Start Confirmed
or Training Not Started.
• If you are with Interfaith, the Call Center will open
Services.
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School Starts| Call Center
• Runs “Mark Shipped” report weekly.
• Verifies customer started school in TWIST:
– Counselor notes, and/or
– Training Service
• FAMS:
– Shows service as received – “Mark Shipped”
– Cancels commitments, as needed
– Contacts PSR with questions
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New Voucher | PSR
• Use Active/Inactive lists to track customers
with changing services.
• Contact customer needing new vouchers.
• Update Employment Plan.
• Enter counselor notes:
–
–
–
–
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Continued financial aid needed
No additional aid needed
Changes in aid, path
Not meeting Responsibility Agreement
New Voucher| Call Center
• Track commitments with future dates.
• Review TWIST records for customer need
• Email PSR with questions.
• Mark commitment “Need Now.”
• Cancel future commitments, as necessary:
– Notify PSR and CO Manager
– Send denial letter
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Application Denied| Call Center
• Send customer denial letter with reason and
appeal form.
• Write a counselor note stating the letter and
appeal form were sent and the reason(s) for
the denial.
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Financial Aid Application for Child Care |
Career Office
• Child Care
– Enter the customer on the waitlist through
TWIST
– Attendance
• Email Call Center
• Counselor Note
• Call Center will contact in 2 days
– Denied
• Appeal
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Child Care | Call Center
• Notify customer entered on waitlist.
• Notify customer funds available.
• Adjust attendance when needed.
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Funds Not Available
• Follows process for service to a new
customer applying for financial aid.
– Call Center enters customer on the scholarship
registry
• Sends “Entered on Scholarship Registry” letter
33
Do
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PSR
Call Center
Build customer relationship
Determine Eligibility
Get to know the customer
Call customer for documents
and clarification
Help the customer through the
process
Enter Counselor Notes in TWIST
Help customer choose a school
Communicate with the PSR
Enter services (once Program Detail
is created)
Enter TWIST Program Detail
Give customer vouchers
Enter FAMS Commitment
Enter counselor notes
Communicate with FAPO
FAPO
Work with vendors
Work with Call Center
Don’t
PSR
Call vendors
Try to determine eligibility
Call Center
FAPO
Call vendors
Call customers
Help fix the Cost Obligation form
Give customer vouchers
Commit or promise money
Enter TWIST Program Detail
Call FAPO
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Delay process
Call PSRs