ISAC Student PortalISAC Communiqué
Volume 35, Number 1C
July 2025
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| ISAC Communiqué |
Welcome to the July 2025 ISAC Communiqué, which is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout July.
The articles in this electronic Communiqué have been organized according to the Counselor subscription groups to which the messages were distributed.
Questions?
Questions regarding information in this electronic Communiqué can be directed to School Services at 866.247.2172 or at [email protected]. On occasion, you may be directed to a specific contact person or area; when this occurs, we will provide the appropriate information in the individual article or message.
Secure Your Spot – CCE Conference
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admissions Counselors, Community Organizations, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, and Public Libraries on July 9, 2025.
Register Now!
July 17, 2025 ● Tinley Park Convention Center
Community is an important element of a student’s learning because learning is not only an intellectual process but also a matter of belonging. Connection is the lifeblood of our relationships and communities, and communities are a vehicle for tapping into each other’s resources for mutual support and care. The phrase "we are greater than the sum of our parts" signifies that a group or a system achieves something more valuable or effective when its components work together synergistically than they would individually. It highlights the power of collaboration and the emergence of new possibilities and opportunities beyond what isolated efforts can afford. Please join us at the 2025 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference – a terrific place of knowledge sharing, relationship building, and collaboration to build community throughout our education ecosystem.
- Preliminary Agenda – While the agenda for the conference is still being finalized, you can view a preliminary agenda of interest sessions on the conference website. The agenda contains the conference schedule as it stands currently, and as such is subject to change.
- Registration – Registration is $40.00, and only credit card payments are accepted via Eventbrite. Space is limited and fills up quickly – Register Now!
More information about the conference is available on the conference website. Please share the information in this e-Message with colleagues in your organization and others in your network.
2025 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois Department of Employment Security
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
Submit Financial Aid Application Admin Waivers
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on July 7, 2025.
As a reminder, Illinois law requires all Illinois public high school seniors to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, or a Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form (waiver) to graduate. However, if a student cannot complete any of the above, a school administrator may grant a waiver on the student's behalf. Admin waivers are intended to be a last resort and only after the school has exhausted all means to reach the student. School-granted waivers for 2025 high school graduates must be recorded in the ISAC GAP Access portal no later than July 31, 2025 for compliance. GAP Access makes this process simple by allowing administrators to grant an admin waiver by checking a box for individual students. Detailed instructions can be found on page 11 of the Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative – Access and Agreement User Guide.
This means that no student should be denied the ability to graduate this year for not meeting this requirement. Any graduating student who has not completed the FAFSA, Alternative Application, or Nonparticipation Form should be granted an admin waiver.
If you have any questions or need assistance navigating GAP Access, don't hesitate to contact School Services at 866.247.2172 or by email at [email protected].
Register Today – CCE Conference
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admissions Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations, and Public Libraries on July 1, 2025.
Register Now!
July 17, 2025 ● Tinley Park Convention Center
Before heading out for the long holiday weekend, be sure you've secured your spot at the 2025 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference – so you can enjoy knowing you won't be missing out on the state's premier college access and success and career development event. Seats are going fast – get yours before we're sold out! You belong at the CCE conference, along with colleagues from across the state and from different sectors. As we come together in shared responsibility, we can better support students by engaging in meaningful dialogue, sharing best practices, and building a network of mutual aid to address the challenges of now and to prepare for the future. The conference provides a time and place that can spark creativity and collaboration leading to groundbreaking ideas that as individuals we might not be able to achieve. Don't miss this opportunity to foster stronger bonds for our education and career ecosystem, as well as uplift each other and our communities, by registering today.
- Preliminary Agenda – While the agenda for the conference is still being finalized, you can view a preliminary agenda of interest sessions on the conference website. The agenda contains the conference schedule as it stands currently, and as such is subject to change.
- Registration – Registration is $40.00, and only credit card payments are accepted via Eventbrite. Space is limited and fills up quickly – Register Now!
More information about the conference is available on the conference website. Please share the information in this e-Message with colleagues in your organization and others in your network.
2025 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois Department of Employment Security
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
June 2025 ISAC Communiqué
Sent on July 1, 2025.
The June 2025 edition of the ISAC Communiqué is now available for your review, and may be accessed via the Partner e-Messages & Newsletters section of the e-Library for Partners at isac.org. This electronic version of ISAC's newsletter is a compilation of information provided to Counselor partners via ISAC's e-Messaging service over the past month.
Topics covered in the June 2025 ISAC Communiqué include:
- ISAC Program FY26 Funding: Budget Bills Approved
(sent June 23, 2025) - CCE Conference Keynote Announced
(sent June 23, 2025) - CCE Conference Preliminary Agenda Available
(sent June 16, 2025) - Space Is Filling Up – Register for CCE Conference
(sent June 9, 2025) - 2025-26 MAP Suspense: For Applications Received After June 5
(sent June 2, 2025) - May 2025 ISAC Communiqué
(sent June 2, 2025)
Encourage Your Colleagues to Sign Up for e-Messaging
ISAC's e-Messaging service is our primary means of communicating information to Counselor partners.
Encourage your colleagues who have not done so to subscribe through the Counselors e-Messaging sign-up page at isac.org today, so that they won't miss future announcements or updates from ISAC.
