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News & Insights

Greetings!

Whether your institution is starting the year off without students on campus and moving forward with remote classes, bringing students back and holding a mix of remote and in-person classes, or delaying the start of the fall term, this year will begin like no other school year. Financial aid offices throughout the country are grappling with all of the changes -- from working remotely to adhering to new safety protocols when on campus.

As you head into the fall term, keep in mind that HEAG consultants are available to answer your questions and help with any unexpected issues that may arise. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need assistance.

-The HEAG Team

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Building a Better Award Letter

It’s that time of year – fall tuition bills have been or will shortly be mailed to students. In response, it is likely your office will receive more than one call from a student or parent who had no idea how much would need to be paid for the student to matriculate. How can that be when award letters were sent months ago? In their recent study, Decoding the Cost of College: The Case for Transparent Financial Aid Award Letters, New America and UAspire explain the challenges that families face when trying to understand the information provided by colleges.

The Need for FAFSA Simplification

The current FAFSA completion rate is 61%, up from 57% in 2019. Over the last decade, there have been significant improvements in the FAFSA application, however, the process remains a barrier to higher education, particularly for low-income and first-generation college students. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) recently made 13 recommendations for simplifying the FAFSA. Keep reading to learn more.

Consultant Spotlight

How long have you been with HEAG?

I started working with HEAG a few months ago. I’m working on my second project with the firm and getting ready to start a third.

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

I really enjoy working with HEAG’s Vice President of Compliance and Quality Assurance, Karyn Wright-More. No matter how much experience you have as a consultant, different consulting firms do things differently and you need to learn from each experience. Karyn is not just involved; she is someone who will help me grow professionally. She is a tremendous asset to HEAG and always finds the right way to approach a difficult problem and the best way to present a solution to a client.

What was your first job?

I ran a snowball stand in Ponchatoula, Louisiana where I grew up. I spent my days in a small box-like stand that smelled like cotton candy and my hands were always stained from the dye I added to the ice.

What is something few people know about you?

I can say my alphabet backwards.

Laurie Buck

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born and raised in Louisiana. I began working in financial aid as a work-study student in college and have been in the business for more than 30 years. My experience covers everything from work study advisor to vice chancellor. I started consulting about 10 years ago and love what I do. I have a strong passion for financial aid and higher education. I do the best job I can and even though I have a lot of experience, I am always cognizant about what I can learn from other people. My favorite thing about financial aid is being able to make a difference. It’s great to help someone achieve an education, especially someone who didn’t think they could afford a degree.

What are some of the general tasks you have performed and excelled at as an FA consultant?

I excel at jumping in when there is an issue or obstacle to overcome. I’m often brought in when there is a problem and help the financial aid office clean up an area of concern or rebuild a process that is not working. Gaining the trust of staff is very important when consulting. I work to build rapport with them so they don’t see me as the bad guy but as someone who can help them make improvements. Compliance and Business Process Reviews are other areas where I do well – it’s rewarding to dig in and get it all straightened out.

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

HEAG has impressive resources, which is a key differentiator in the consulting world. In consulting, you typically get a group of people who are good at processing or a group of people who are good at interim staffing, not a group who excels in both areas. HEAG has deep bench strength in all areas of financial aid, from Title IV compliance and remote staffing to file review and verification, office evaluations and technology solutions. If a school needs help in any aspect of financial aid, HEAG has the resources to provide these services.

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

First, do your homework. Research the individuals in the consulting group by looking beyond their website. Check out their experience and recommendations on LinkedIn and find out where they have worked, for how long, and what type of work they have done. It’s important to make sure a consultant’s experience has not been overstated. Next, trust the consultant that has been brought in to help. It can be hard to put your ego aside, but keep in mind that consultants are there to help you and your school. They will spend the time to dig deeply into any concerns, issues, processes, etc., because that is what they are there to do. It’s important to uncover any issues so they can work with you on a solution that will put your institution in a good position if the Department of Education comes calling.

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

I am a huge dog lover. My husband and I live in Colorado with our three dogs – a lab and two miniature dachshunds.

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