, Get the Latest Financial Aid News in HEAG's Summer Newsletter

News & Insights

Hello Krystyna,

It's been a challenging year for financial aid offices due to the delays caused by the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form -- and it's not over yet. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education announced that the upcoming FAFSA form for the 2025-2026 cycle will not be open to students until December 1, about two months later than usual. If your institution is facing challenges, or needs help during this challenging time, please contact us. Our seasoned consultants have the experience to seamlessly integrate with your staff and take on any type of financial aid work or special projects.

-The HEAG Team

A stopwatch with a blue background and the following text in white: Time to Prepare

Getting Ahead on the FISAP: 10 Steps Financial Aid Directors Can Take to Prepare Now

As experienced financial aid directors might already know, the online Fiscal Operations Report for 2023–24 and the Application to Participate for 2025–26 (FISAP) is available on the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) website on August 1 and is due on October 1, 2024. While the deadline might seem distant, beginning your preparations early is crucial. Here’s why starting now can save you time and stress down the line.

Keep reading for 10 steps you can take now to get ahead on the FISAP.

A desk with computers and the word Outsourcing

Full Financial Aid Support & Outsourcing

Let us become your financial aid office

Today’s financial aid offices are busier than ever. With numerous regulations and deadlines, financial aid administration can be overwhelming and filled with challenges. Many of our clients turn to us to provide full financial aid outsourcing services. We handle everything from the back-end operations to front-facing customer service for students and their families. Our consultants are highly trained and handle all aspects of compliance while providing timely responses and top-notch customer service.

Interested in outsourcing your institution's financial aid services? Keep reading to learn more and contact us for more information.

Learn More

Addressing Conflicting Information: Federal Student Aid Provides Clarity

graphs, a calculator, a pen, a notebook and a yellow arrow with the following text in black: Collecting Data

Federal Student Aid’s (FSA) June 17, 2024, Electronic Announcement clarifies issues around conflicting information that have not needed to be addressed before the 2024-2025 award year and the simplified FAFSA®. However, before we go there, let’s review treatment of conflicting information in a broader sense.

Keep reading for a quick review of conflicting information and the clarifications provided by FSA.

Consultant Spotlight

How long have you been with HEAG?

I started working with HEAG in the fall of 2022.

What was your first job?

As a kid, I wanted to be a software programmer. In high school I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to work at a tech startup in California as a computer technician at the age of 16.

What do you enjoy most about your current role with HEAG?

I enjoy taking on new projects and having the flexibility to work from home.

When you’re not consulting, what other hobbies/interests do you have?

I like watching films and doing anything that is creative.

Jay Burgess

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am very curious about how things work and why. I love looking at processes and making them better. This passion drives me in everything that I do. I hold a Master of Education, a Master of Data Science, and an MBA, and I am currently working on a PhD in Innovation. At HEAG, I handle financial aid projects and serve as a solutions architect. I also enjoy meeting new people, traveling, and having new experiences.

What are some of the FA tasks you have performed and excelled at?

I excel at identifying broken processes or processes that are not performing optimally and developing solutions or using systems to enhance them.

What advice would you give to a school looking to bring in an FA consultant?

First of all, a school needs to be willing to understand that there are experts other than themselves who can help them improve their processes. We are experts at identifying gaps and finding the right solution(s) to improve a school’s financial aid operations.

What makes HEAG unique or special compared to your work experiences elsewhere?

This is my first time working for a consulting company in higher education, so it is different from other work I have done. I get to help colleges and universities become better at what they do.

What is something few people know about you?

I used to DJ.

617.928.1975 I www.heag.us I info@HEAG.us