ISAC Student PortalISAC Communiqué
Volume 32, Number 1C
July 2022
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| ISAC Communiqué |
Welcome to the July 2022 electronic 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 ISAC.schoolservices@illinois.gov. 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.
Ready to View – CCE Conference Recordings
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on July 15, 2022.
Session Recordings and Presentations Available
On behalf of the Conference Planning Committee, we want to thank the nearly 1,200 attendees and session speakers who participated in the 2022 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference to examine and discuss issues related to this year's conference theme: Moving Forward Together. Interest session recordings and most presentation files from the virtual conference are now available on the 2022 CCE conference website. Please regularly visit the site, because we will add additional presentation materials as they are received.
While we miss the in-person interactions that have grown to be a key part of the conference, we are pleased that we were still able to come together online to share information and resources from state and national experts that can help you in your work in supporting student success. The conference provided an opportunity for stakeholders to explore the short and long-term outcomes of our policies, programs, and structures as we strive to meet the needs of all learners and to help them contribute to stronger communities and a more inclusive workforce and economy. The conference also supports the state's Goal 2025 – to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high quality degrees and postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
2022 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 State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- Generations Serving Generations
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
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
State Scholar Processing Has Begun
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on July 14, 2022.
Unless otherwise noted, all links in this message may be accessed via the Counselors area at isac.org.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is providing the following information to notify high schools that processing for the State Scholar Program (SSP), for Illinois students who will be college freshmen during the 2023-24 academic year, has begun.
You may either scroll through the remainder of this message, or click on the appropriate link(s) to go directly to a specific section:
| ISAC Accepting Sixth Semester Data |
| Early Announcement Option |
| Watch for Further Updates |
ISAC Accepting Sixth Semester Data
The sixth semester data used to determine State Scholars must be submitted via the SSP system. Although you are submitting the sixth semester data now, we will not "process" the student data until early fall.
- For information regarding how to register for GAP Access, visit the Required Sixth Semester Data page within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs section.
- Already registered for GAP Access? Now is the perfect time to verify that the principal and SSP contact information listed for your high school in the SSP system is current. If any updates need to be made, please contact ISAC's School Services Department.
- Remember that two-factor authentication is required for both School User and Administrator accounts every time a user logs in to the GAP Access portal. Refer to the GAP Access Two-Factor Authentication User Guide for instructions.
High schools are encouraged to submit their data as soon as they are able to do so.
Sixth semester is defined as the third semester prior to graduation, which is typically the end of a student's junior year (excluding summer term). The following procedures remain in effect for this year's cycle:
- if a school ranks, unweighted rankings should be provided;
- if a school does not rank, unweighted grade point averages (GPAs) must be provided;
- weighted rankings and GPAs cannot be accepted; and,
- schools are required to submit data for the entire class and to include any applicable disqualification codes.
High schools may choose from two options when submitting the required sixth semester data:
Option One: Batches (via Excel Spreadsheets) – AVAILABLE NOW
- Create an Excel spreadsheet with your students' sixth semester data. All data files must be formatted according to the specifications provided by ISAC.
- Formatting specifications for the Excel spreadsheet, along with a SSP File Upload User Guide, may be accessed via the Methods to Submit Sixth Semester Data area of the Required Sixth Semester Data page within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs section.
- A sample template is available by selecting the "Guidelines and Samples" tab from the SSP: File Upload screen in the SSP system.
- When the Excel spreadsheet is ready to submit, log in to the GAP Access portal to access the SSP system, and then follow the on-screen prompts to upload your file to ISAC.
- Once the file has been uploaded, the file validation process will begin.
- The validation process will take several minutes (5 minutes minimum), so allow enough time and then click the "Refresh" button to check if the validation is complete.
- After validation has completed, the file will have one of two statuses: "Validated" (no errors); or, "Validation Errors Found" (with errors).
- If the file status is "Validated," no further action is required.
- If the file status is "Validation Errors Found," the errors must be corrected before any students on the file can be considered for State Scholar designation. Instructions for correcting errors are provided in the SSP File Upload User Guide.
- Note that file validation is different from data processing. Validation simply verifies that all records in the file are complete (no missing fields) and formatted correctly. You will be notified later in the year when the data processing cycle, during which State Scholars are named, begins.
Option Two: Online Process – ANTICIPATED FOR EARLY- TO MID-SEPTEMBER
- Once this function is available, student sixth semester data may be provided online via the SSP system. The student list is provided based on students who took one of the standardized tests (ACT or SAT).
The early announcement option continues to be offered this processing cycle. After an announcement schedule has been determined, early announcements – which allow eligible students to be designated as State Scholars prior to the final round of announcements for the academic year – will begin later this year. A follow-up e-Message will be sent once the first round of early announcements has been scheduled (anticipated for early- to mid-September).
- Scholars at high schools choosing to take advantage of early announcements may have more opportunities to list this honorary designation on applications for college admission and merit-based scholarships.
- High schools will choose whether to include their eligible students for consideration in the early processing cycle.
- Checking the "Run Selection" box (located on the "State Scholar Program: Search By School: Results" screen of the SSP system) allows the high school's students to be included for consideration in the next round of 2023-24 State Scholar announcements.
- The "Run Selection" checkbox will become available to check after ISAC has processed the high school's Excel spreadsheet and resolved any discrepancies.
- An e-mail will be sent to the high school's Primary Administrator (principal) and the School Contact (as listed in the SSP system's "State Scholar Program: Search By School: Results" screen) to indicate when the "Run Selection" box is available to check.
- Before checking the box, be sure to review all submitted student data for accuracy.
- Students whose high schools submit sixth semester data, but are not included for consideration in an early announcement round (i.e., the "Run Selection" box is not checked), will be considered for State Scholar designation when the last announcement round takes place later in the academic year (anticipated for the fall).
Watch for additional updates – including availability of the online option to provide/review individual records, and scheduling of the first round of early announcements – via the standard communication methods (i.e., the Counselor Message Board, the State Scholar Program News section, and ISAC's e-Messaging service). Processing updates will also be communicated via a yellow highlighted box that appears on the "State Scholar Program: Search By School: Results" screen.
Join ISAC for free Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Webinars
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on July 12, 2022.
you might be eligible for a loan forgiveness program!
Less than four months remain for federal student loan borrowers to take advantage of the temporary changes to the PSLF Program. These changes end on October 31, 2022, don't miss out!
Session Description:
Public service employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness through the PSLF program. The PSLF program allows Federal Student Loan borrowers to apply for forgiveness if they are employed full-time by a government, 501(c)(3) organization, or public-serving nonprofit, and meet other requirements.
If you want to learn more about PSLF, and the new temporary changes, or if you have applied for PSLF and been denied, this is the session for you. In this session, we will discuss the existing PSLF program and the new Limited Waiver for PSLF that will allow borrowers to receive credit for payments that previously did not qualify for PSLF. The Limited Waiver ends October 31, 2022, don't miss out!
July Webinar Dates:
Wednesday, July 20, 2-3 p.m. (CT)
Tuesday, July 26, 12-1 p.m. (CT)
Friday, July 29, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (CT)
Learn more and register: https://www.isac.org/pslf. For questions on the webinars, contact the Professional Development team at isac.pslf@illinois.gov.
Still Time to Register – 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 11, 2022.
Moving Forward Together
While the conference starts this morning at 10 a.m., it's not too late to register now to join colleagues for a full week of sessions on important topics, trends, and emerging issues about student college access and success and career readiness, including these three plenary sessions:
- Monday, July 11th (10 a.m.) – Conference Kick Off and State Agency Panel: Moving Forward Together in Support of Students
- Wednesday, July 13th (1 p.m.) – What's Next? Reshaping College Going Student Supports and Services Due to the Pandemic
- Friday, July 15th (10:30 a.m.) – Beyond the Pandemic: Learning Renewal and More Initiatives Supporting Our Students
After you register you can set up your Whova conference platform account to build your own conference agenda and engage with other attendees via community board topics, Speed Networking Table sessions, and other interactive features. If you've already registered, we encourage you to download the Whova mobile app. You can learn more on how to use Whova to attend the event, interact with other participants, and join the live streams, which will be delivered via Webex, by reviewing the Whova Attendee User Guide.
Register now and join stakeholders from across the state to share and learn how we can work together better in helping students achieve success and our state reach its Goal 2025.
2022 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 State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- Generations Serving Generations
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
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
Get Ready! CCE Conference Starts Next Week
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on July 6, 2022.
Moving Forward Together
If you have not already registered for the conference, register now to join colleagues working to help students access postsecondary education, ensure degree or credential attainment, and support career readiness. You can learn more about the conference at the conference website.
If you are already registered, be sure to log into the Whova conference platform before the conference starts and set up your account to engage with other attendees and make participating in the conference as smooth as possible. Review the full conference agenda and session descriptions ahead of time so you can build your personal schedule with the "My Agenda" feature and schedule your sessions on your calendar. While reviewing the sessions with speakers who will motivate and inspire you, be sure to add the three plenary sessions to your schedule:
- Monday, July 11th – Conference Kick Off and State Agency Panel: Moving Forward Together in Support of Students
- Wednesday, July 13th – What's Next? Reshaping College Going Student Supports and Services Due to the Pandemic
- Friday, July 15th – Beyond the Pandemic: Learning Renewal and More Initiatives Supporting Our Students
In addition to accessing the conference through the desktop/laptop platform, we encourage you to download the Whova mobile app. You can learn more on how to use Whova to attend the event, interact with other participants, and join the live streams, which will be delivered via Webex, by reviewing the Whova Attendee User Guide.
Register now so you don't miss out on this important college access and success and career readiness conference. We look forward to engaging with you online!
Please share this e-Message with your colleagues so they can register, too. There is no registration fee. More information about the conference is available on the conference website.
2022 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 State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- Generations Serving Generations
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
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 2022 ISAC Communiqué
Sent on July 1, 2022.
The June 2022 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 2022 ISAC Communiqué include:
- Why Delay? Register Today!
(sent June 28, 2022) - Wondering About Switching from Paper to Electronic Transcripts?
(sent June 16, 2022) - Register Today – 2022 CCE Conference: Moving Forward Together
(sent June 13, 2022) - Join ISAC for Free Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Webinars
(sent June 7, 2022) - Register Now for the 2022 CCE Conference!
(sent June 2, 2022) - May 2022 ISAC Communiqué
(sent June 1, 2022)
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.
