Higher Education Assistance Group
News & Insights
Greetings!

This year’s college admissions scandal involving celebrities, college coaches and students, as well as the recent news about the financial aid loophole that has wealthy families transferring custody of their children to get need-based financial aid, has topped media headlines nationwide. The result is more scrutiny of college admissions criteria, the cost of college and, ultimately, the financial aid process.

As you navigate the fallout from these events and work through a busy season processing aid for incoming students, HEAG consultants are available to answer your questions and help with any unexpected issues that may arise. We wish you all the best during the 2019-2020 processing year, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need assistance.

-The HEAG Team
10 Steps to a (Nearly) Painless FISAP
It’s August in the financial aid office. Stacks of applications still need to be read, loans need to be processed and phones are ringing off the hook as students try to figure out how to pay their fall bill. Let’s add one more thing to your to-do list: The Fiscal Operations and Application to Participate, also known as FISAP, is due on October 1st. You always want to wait until the fall rush dies down to start but that results in undo stress and many late nights in the office. Keep reading for some steps you can take now to be better prepared to file your FISAP.
FISAP
Know What's Coming for Verification in the 2020-21 Award Year
Can you believe it? For many of you, the fall start is just beginning and before you realize the census date passed you by, the 2020-21 FAFSA year will be open for business.

The new award year will bring some major changes to the line items of locating tax information from either the IRS Transcript or the 1040 form. The most jarring change is where the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) line will be located, moving all the way to Line 7 from Line 37 where it was located last year. There will also be some math involved with the taxes paid portion. Keep reading for a handy chart that lists where items will be located on the 2018 federal tax return.
FAFSA
Consultant Spotlight
Michael Campbell
How long have you been with HEAG? 
I started working with HEAG in May 2019.

What do you enjoy most about your current role with HEAG?
I enjoy the variety of tasks I get to be involved in. I may not know all the answers, but my training and background allow me to develop appropriate solutions for schools no matter what the issue. I’ve been fortunate to help a number of schools and that is very rewarding.

What is something few people know about you?
NASFAA U now offers a Certified Financial Administrator Program that I helped develop. I worked with NASFAA to develop the expectations for the certification as well as the exam questions. Outside of work, I am an amateur tuba player and play in a community band.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’ve worked in financial aid for 25 years. I spent the first 15 years in the traditional, not-for-profit sector in the Chicago area. After that I moved to Ohio and have since done a variety of work in financial aid, including in the for-profit sector. Prior to joining HEAG, I had some consulting opportunities where I was able to help colleges correct a variety of issues that arose during the financial aid process. This exposed me to a number of different ways of doing things while using a variety of student systems and helped me develop a wide breadth of experience. In 2013, I worked with a small, online school that underwent an FSA program review. I was able to help the school complete the review with only a small liability after the Final Program Review Determination. I also started taking classes with NASFAA U. The organization offers 17 different credentials and I have completed all of them. The courses really expanded my industry knowledge about the scope of issues that can arise in all sections of financial aid. Over time, my experience has turned me into a “compliance guy.” I’ve helped more than two dozen schools with various compliance issues. Currently, through HEAG, I am working as an Interim Financial Aid Director in New York, handling the day-to-day oversight of the financial aid office and resolving a number of appeals.

What are some of the general tasks you have performed and excelled at as an FA consultant? 
I do a lot work with entering students and their families, often at the problem resolution phase. It’s very gratifying because they have often experienced issues throughout the process, and hopefully I am able to resolve the situation. On the compliance side, I have helped schools identify changes to various rules and helped them implement the appropriate steps to comply with the changes.

What makes HEAG unique or special compared to your work experiences elsewhere?
It is one of the larger, more established professional financial aid consultant groups and I am honored to be one of their consultants. HEAG has been around for many years and serves a broad range of schools across the country.

What advice would you give to a school looking to bring in an FA consultant?   
Try to identify your pain points and needs as best as possible; consultants can be expensive. Don’t hire a consultant if there is anyone on your staff who can handle the issue. On the flip side, if you need help or a certain area of expertise, consulting is a great avenue to pursue – you are not making a long-term commitment and you are bringing in someone who has the experience to help you. If you hire a consultant, be sure to listen to their advice and give their recommendations serious consideration. It’s not unusual for me to work with an institution on an issue that a prior consultant identified several years ago but which the college never addressed. 
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