ISAC Student PortalISAC Communiqué
Volume 34, Number 6C
December 2024
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| ISAC Communiqué |
Welcome to the December 2024 ISAC Communiqué, which is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout December.
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.
Become Certified in Financial Aid!
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 December 17, 2024.
Join us for our Financial Aid Certification (FAC) series to support students through the financial aid process! The series includes a detailed breakdown of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), the information required to complete the FAFSA or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, and tips for students to better understand financial aid offers. Upon completion of the training, participants will be equipped to assist students and families in the financial aid process from beginning to end.
This virtual series will consist of 5 sessions taking place from Monday, January 27 through Friday, January 31, 2025. Participants who attend all five sessions will receive a link to the post-series assessment for the opportunity to receive a financial aid certificate from ISAC. Participants who score at least an 80% or higher on the assessment, will receive an ISAC-issued certificate within 2-3 weeks after the training.
The Financial Aid Process1/27/25Learn about the financial aid process from start to finish |
The FAFSA Line-By-Line1/28/25Learn more about how to apply for the FAFSA |
Verification &
1/29/25 |
Working with Special Student Populations1/30/25Learn how to support unique student populations through the financial aid process. |
Packaging and Financial Aid Offers1/31/25Learn about the process of receiving and analyzing financial aid offers (award letters). |
Register Here |
Professional development hours and continuing education credits will be available for each session to those who attend and complete an evaluation.
For more information regarding future offerings, visit our Professional Development Offering webpage.
Do You Send Paper Transcripts? Make the Switch to Electronic, It's Easy!
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, and Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants on December 11, 2024.
What are you waiting for?
The ISAC Transcript Exchange is available at no cost at all
Illinois public and private high schools!
Join ISAC for a webinar to hear about this great opportunity!
The ISAC Transcript Exchange, powered by Parchment, provides the opportunity for high school students to request their transcripts and other credentials be sent electronically to the college(s) of their choice, the Common App, and other organizations requesting transcripts (e.g., scholarship providers and third-party verifications).
The ISAC Transcript Exchange – Parchment Preview
Join us on Wednesday, January 22, from 10-10:45 a.m. (CT) to learn about the ISAC Transcript Exchange, including how to navigate the student and administrator dashboards and gain efficiencies by switching from paper to electronic transcripts. Attendees will hear directly from a School Counselor on how the ISAC Transcript Exchange has made a difference at their school and for their students.You will also have the opportunity to get any questions answered directly by a Parchment representative.
To register, visit the Professional Development Offerings page
For questions on ISAC's Transcript Exchange, contact [email protected].
Note: ISAC will not be offering Continuing Education or Professional Development hours for this webinar.
2025-26 FAFSA, Alternative Application, and Important Dates
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 December 6, 2024.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your college-bound students.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at ISAC's website (isac.org).
You may either scroll through the remainder of this message, or click on the appropriate link(s) to go directly to a specific section:
2025-26 (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026)
2024-25 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025)
General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)
2025-26 FAFSA and Alternative Application
The 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) cycle – including availability of the online FAFSA for all students – has opened, and the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) is processing applications. Students (and any contributors, if applicable) who successfully submitted the 2025-26 FAFSA form during the fall 2024 beta testing period do not need to resubmit it.
Details regarding the 2025-26 application cycle may be accessed via the Applying for Financial Aid section of the e-Library for Partners.
The 2025-26 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) is also available (in English and Spanish). Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.
Encourage your college-bound students to check out the Financial Aid Planning area for information regarding resources that are available to help students complete the financial aid process.
Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative
All Illinois public high school students are required to complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. Please see ISAC's Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative and Financial Aid Application Completion Performance Metrics pages, as well as a December 3 e-Message, for more information.
Students and/or parents who choose to not complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application may complete the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form online via ISAC's Student Portal. A student and/or parent will need a Student Portal account to complete and sign the Nonparticipation Form.
Federal Student Aid Webinar on December 10
Join Federal Student Aid staff on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, for a webinar designed to guide students (independent and dependent), parents and college/career professionals through submitting the 2025–26 FAFSA form. Help spread the word that online registration is now available for this free event.
ISAC Webinar on December 13
Join ISAC staff on Friday, December 13, 2024 (11-11:45 a.m. CT) for an overview of the Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative. This free resource helps high schools identify students who have and have not completed a financial aid application. Learn how to view your Class of 2025 financial aid application completion data and opt-out form submissions, as well as tips for troubleshooting common issues. Register today by visiting the Upcoming Professional Development Offerings page.
MAP Processing Cycle
As was previously announced, at its September 19, 2024 meeting, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved a start-up formula for 2025-26 academic year Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants, with a maximum award of $8,400. Additional details regarding the formula are provided in a September 23 e-Message.
By June 30, 2025: High School Juniors Take College Assessment Exams for 2026-27 State Scholar Consideration
Eligibility for the State Scholar Program is based, in part, on a student's highest qualifying ACT or SAT score. For students who are currently (or will soon be) high school juniors, only exams taken between August 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025 qualify for consideration in the State Scholar announcements that will be made during their senior year (i.e., high school juniors, who will be college freshmen during the 2026-27 academic year, will be named Scholars during the fall of 2025).
High school juniors who are potential candidates will need to take one of the accepted exams during the specified timeframe to be considered for State Scholar designation, even though Illinois' public institutions are now prohibited from requiring the submission of student test scores as part of the admissions process.
Further details are provided for students at the State Scholar Program page of our website.
February 28: Appeal Deadline for 2025-26 State Scholars
As announced in a November 21 e-Message, more than 16,500 qualified Illinois high school students were designated as 2025-26 State Scholars.
Available again this year is a digital Illinois State Scholar badge issued by ISAC, which State Scholars can display on their online profiles and social media accounts, as well as share with high school counselors, prospective colleges, employers, family members and others. Further details are provided in the congratulatory letters sent to State Scholars throughout the fall of 2024.
Appeals regarding the announcement of 2025-26 State Scholars must be received at ISAC by February 28, 2025.
Register for 2025 Success Network Conference
Registration is now open for the 12th annual College Success Network conference – Building the Future We Want: Increasing Equitable Postsecondary Attainment – being held on February 25, 2025, at I Hotel & Illinois Conference Center in Champaign. Further details, including access to online registration, are provided in a November 15 e-Message.
December 15: IACAC High School Counselor Challenge Application Deadline
A November 20 e-Message announces that the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) is again sponsoring three high school counselors in Illinois to attend the IACAC annual conference (which is taking place in East Peoria from April 23-25, 2025). The High School Counselor Challenge application deadline is Sunday, December 15, 2024. For more information and to apply, visit IACAC's High School Counselor Challenge page. Direct questions to IACAC at [email protected].
April 17: Next Commission Meeting
The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Further details, including a listing of tentative agenda items, will be available prior to the meeting via the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area.
Visit the Commission Meeting Schedule page for information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2025.
Holiday Schedules
ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:
- Wednesday, December 25, 2024 – Christmas Day
- Wednesday, January 1, 2025 – New Year's Day
- Monday, January 20, 2025 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Wednesday, February 12, 2025 – Lincoln's Birthday
- Monday, February 17, 2025 – Presidents' Day
Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.
For Assistance
Access the Counselors area anytime, or send an e-mail message to School Services. With the exception of days when ISAC staff members are unavailable, we will review and respond to messages during regular business hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).
Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on December 3, 2024.
All Illinois public high school students are required to complete either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. Please see ISAC's Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative and Financial Aid Application Completion Performance Metrics pages for more information. As a reminder, the 2025-26 FAFSA is now available. ISAC will share more information on the release of the 2025-26 Alternative Application as soon as it becomes available, via the Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.
Students and/or parents who choose to not complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application may complete the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form online via ISAC's Student Portal. A student and/or parent will need a Student Portal account to complete and sign the Nonparticipation Form.
Federal Student Aid Webinar on December 10
Join Federal Student Aid staff on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, for a webinar designed to guide students (independent and dependent), parents and college/career professionals through submitting the 2025–26 FAFSA form. Help spread the word that online registration is now available for this free event.
ISAC Webinar on December 13
Join ISAC staff on Friday, December 13, 2024 (11-11:45 a.m. CT) for an overview of the Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative. This free resource helps high schools identify students who have and have not completed a financial aid application. Learn how to view your Class of 2025 financial aid application completion data and opt-out form submissions, as well as tips for troubleshooting common issues. Register today by visiting the Upcoming Professional Development Offerings page.
November 2024 ISAC Communiqué
Sent on December 2, 2024.
The November 2024 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 November 2024 ISAC Communiqué include:
- 2025-26 State Scholars Announced
(sent November 21, 2024) - Invitation to Elevate Equity: Illinois
(sent November 20, 2024) - Apply Now for an Incredible Opportunity!
(sent November 20, 2024) - Reminder to Join ISAC for Our In-Person PaCE Training
(sent November 18, 2024) - Registration Open for 12th Annual Success Network Conference – Register Today!
(sent November 15, 2024) - Season Two of "First Up" Podcast Series Launches
(sent November 8, 2024) - Last Call to Register for ISAC's NEW Curriculum Training on the Middle School PaCE Framework!
(sent November 4, 2024) - October 2024 ISAC Communiqué
(sent November 1, 2024)
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.
