Federal Updates

Current special allowance rates: quarter ending June 30, 2007
Special allowance rates for the quarter ending June 30, 2007, are now available.

TG Updates

TG offers webinars for latest AdvanTG Web™ and TG Loans By Web™ enhancements
TG works continuously to improve its products and to better meet the needs of its customers. The latest example of its efforts will come online July 21, when TG releases enhanced versions of AdvanTG Web and TG Loans By Web. This release offers an important new ability to schools: it allows them to show more transparency in their lender list selection process.

Use TG's bilingual resources to help Spanish-speaking students
TG is helping more Spanish-speaking college students with a set of English and Spanish resources, including an English-Spanish Glossary. These resources serve to encourage potential Hispanic college students and to ease their path to a higher education.

Update your students on the latest loan interest rates with TG's new poster
On July 1, 2007, new interest rates on Federal Stafford and PLUS loans came into effect. TG offers an interest rate poster that displays the new variable and fixed interest rates for the Stafford and PLUS loans. The poster is a simple and convenient solution to informing borrowers of the important interest rate changes.

Trends and Issues

NASFAA President Dallas Martin announces retirement
After 32 years of serving as president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), Dallas Martin has announced his plan to retire on December 15th of this year.

Skill builders: Tame the paper beast
We live in an electronic age; however paper is here to stay. Even though you may be organized enough to keep your business card information in your system and your electronic documents neatly organized in folders on your hard drive, everyone can benefit from some tips on handling the "holdout" paper from a bygone era.

Question of the week
A borrower is currently serving in a military operation in Iraq. Can a family member or friend request a deferment on the borrower's behalf?

This, That, and the Other...

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has released its annual Condition of Education report — the Condition of Education 2007. The report summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data. It presents 48 indicators on the status and condition of education and a special analysis on high school course-taking. The indicators represent a consensus of professional judgment on the most significant national measures of the condition and progress of education for which accurate data are available. The 2007 print edition includes 48 indicators in five main areas: participation in education; learner outcomes; student effort and educational progress; the contexts of elementary and secondary education; and the contexts of postsecondary education.

To view and download or print a PDF file of the report, visit the NCES website at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007064.