This is a reprint of an electronic message sent to potentially MAP-eligible,
non-suspended students on April 12 & 13, 2012.

Student Message Header

Dear Student,

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) has received the information you reported on the 2012-13 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA you submitted serves as your application for both federal financial aid and Illinois’ Monetary Award Program (MAP). MAP provides assistance to eligible students demonstrating financial need and is administered by ISAC and funded by the State of Illinois. As one of those students who may be eligible, we thought you would be interested in learning what’s being proposed for MAP funding for the upcoming year and how it could impact the availability of MAP to other students like you who need help to make college a reality.

Each year, the number of MAP awards ISAC is able to provide depends on a number of factors, including program funding levels that are determined by state legislators and the governor when they approve the annual state budget. For the 2012-13 academic year, significant differences exist in the proposed budgets for MAP. In the governor's proposed budget, MAP funding would be about $437 million, an increase over this year's final total of about $420 million. This would provide MAP grants for approximately 175,000 Illinois students. However, the House of Representatives has passed budget resolutions that cap overall spending at lower levels than the Governor's budget and could potentially result in a 15% decrease in MAP funding, to about $366 million, which would allow us to only serve about 135,000 students.

If the final MAP funding for this year is reduced, the program will serve fewer students in 2012-13 than it is serving this year. (The program currently serves only about half of all eligible applicants.) Depending on the severity of any cuts, they could also result in reductions in the award amounts for students who do receive MAP.

What can you do?

First, begin to plan now in case grant sizes are reduced. Use the resources available to you on our website to identify funding options that can help you make up the gap if your MAP grant is smaller than originally estimated.
Second, students from around the state have scheduled a rally in support of MAP for 10:00 a.m. on April 19th at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. If you are concerned about the potential impact of reduced funding on Illinois' neediest students, you may wish to join them. Information about the event and about MAP’s impact on higher education access is available at ISAC’s website.
Finally, if you would like to encourage your legislators to make MAP funding a budget priority, you can find their contact information at the Illinois General Assembly’s website, www.ilga.gov. Click on the “Legislator Lookup” link at the lower right side of the home page if you need to find out who represents you, or simply click on “Members” and the names of your State Senator and Representative to find their contact information in Springfield.

Please do not respond to this message. Contact us to submit questions about the programs and services administered by ISAC.

Student & Parent Services

Illinois Student Assistance Commission

A state agency, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) provides educational funding via numerous programs such as the Monetary Award Program (MAP), the Illinois Veteran Grant and College Illinois! Prepaid Tuition Program in addition to outreach to underserved populations through the ISACorps. Students and families have free access to a wealth of financial aid and college planning information at ISAC's family of websites available at www.isac.org.