Federal Updates

ED Issues Final Rules
In the November 1, 2002, Federal Register, ED issued the Final Rules that resulted from the spring 2002 Negotiated Rulemaking sessions.

ED Promotes Use of FAFSA Pre-Application Worksheet
In an October 22, 2002, electronic announcement, ED's Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) encourages schools to educate applicants who will complete the FAFSA on the Web next year about the availability of the 2003-2004 FAFSA on the Web Pre-Application Worksheet. Specifically, FSA states that since the questions on the 2003-2004 online FAFSA will not follow the exact same order as the 2003-2004 paper FAFSA, it is very important that applicants use the Pre-Application Worksheet instead of a paper FAFSA to prepare to complete the FAFSA on the Web.

IFAP Gets a Face-Lift
On October 28, 2002, ED's Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) unveiled a redesigned Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) website (http://www.ifap.ed.gov), providing easier access to the vast array of FSA publications that IFAP provides the financial aid community.

Trends and Issues

Edufacts™—October 2002
According to the latest information from the U.S. Census Bureau in Financing the Future—Postsecondary Students, Costs and Financial Aid: 1996-97, about 70 percent of full-time students under age 25 were claimed as dependents on their parents' income tax returns. Even though they may be claimed as dependents on someone else's tax returns, many students foot the bill for higher education themselves.

MYF Chat to Feature Career Planning Assistance
Students planning for the future, adults getting ready for career changes, and parents helping children with career choices will benefit from an upcoming interactive Chat on Mapping Your Future (MYF) (www.mapping-your-future.org)—a college, career, and financial aid website.

Common Manual

Common Manual Updates
Information on recent updates to the Common Manual.

Quick Links

• Edufacts™—October 2002

This, That, and the Other...

A new report finds that students with greater family and work responsibilities tend to participate in distance education programs at higher rates than those with fewer family and work responsibilities. The report, A Profile of Participation in Distance Education: 1999-2000, was released by ED's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

In addition to student demographics, the report also examines the different types of technology used in distance education and how students rate their satisfaction with distance education courses and traditional courses held on campus.

For the full report, visit the NCES website at http://nces.ed.gov/
pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2003154.

Take a look at Adventures In Education, TG's Public Awareness website.