January 25, 2011 - Edition 588 TG
Shoptalk

Industry Update

Changes announced to NSLDS cohort default rate process
On January 12, 2011, ED announced new enhancements to the NSLDS cohort default rate process.

2011 poverty guidelines released
The Department of Health and Human Services has updated the United States federal poverty guidelines in the Federal Register dated January 20, 2011.

TG Report

TG Annual Training Conference to feature flexible scheduling, varied industry topics
This year's conference, "Solid Foundation for Student Success," has been tailored to provide value to a broad audience, including financial aid professionals, student services professionals, and high school and financial counselors. Sessions will cover a variety of topics, such as default aversion, financial literacy, and policy and regulation.

TG trainers to present sessions on IBR and office management at SASFAA Conference
Join TG experts for several training sessions at the upcoming Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SASFAA) Conference to be held February 13-16 in Jacksonville, Florida.

TG's TFAIC offers another resource to students during Financial Aid Awareness Month
During February, students and families across Texas will be preparing and submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For those with questions about the process, the Texas Financial Aid Information Center (TFAIC) offers help.

Policy Report

Ask the policy expert — Program Integrity Issues
Q.: Does a school have any discretion in determining the disbursement schedule for a Pell grant-eligible student's Title IV credit balance?

Smart Solutions
Help your new and continuing students stay on track to applying for financial aid and planning for college with Adventures In Education's "Financial Aid Calendar."
News Briefs

Students of every age grapple with how best to learn a subject. Does it help to study in pairs or groups? How about concept mapping where the learner diagrams central ideas and then adds branches that describe attributes of those ideas? A recent study published in the journal Science suggests that perhaps the best way to learn is the simplest — taking a test right after reading about the topic. Think of the verbal sections of the SAT or GRE. According to the study, students in these situations are engaged in a simple retrieval of information from memory. In fact, in the very act of trying to recall something, the student makes it easier to retrieve that data later. Read more about how test-taking can boost learning.