A cooperative effort of the Pennsylvania Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (PASFAA) and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).

Purpose: The purpose of the Fundamentals Training Workshop is to provide a short, training session at a basic level for new financial aid administrators with two years or less experience. This training workshop is designed to be an informal overview and questions will be welcomed throughout the program. For a more comprehensive training for new financial aid administrators, please register for the Don Raley Institute offered each June. 

The Fundamentals Training Workshop will be held at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College, PA. Classes will begin on Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 12:00 noon at Conference Room 106 and conclude at 5:30 p.m. Registrants should have lunch on Saturday before the training workshop, as lunch is not provided. On Sunday, October 12, classes will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Conference Room 106 and conclude at 12:30 p.m. This training workshop is scheduled prior to the beginning of the PASFAA Conference for your convenience.

Registration: The cost to attend is $55.00 per person. Fee includes registration, instructional materials and scheduled breaks; hotel and meal costs are the responsibility of the participant. Please be advised your hotel registration for the Fundamentals Training Workshop is separate from the PAFSAA Conference registration.  When you make your hotel reservations, you must mention you are from PASFAA, attending the Fundamentals Training Workshop to ensure you get a discounted rate. However, you will not stay in the same room for the conference and should expect to change rooms on Sunday.  All meals including lunch are on your own.  Materials for this training workshop will be available from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2008 at Conference Room 106.  Please complete the registration form online on or before September 26, 2008.  Classroom space is limited; enrollment will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.  No walk-ins will be allowed.

• A Realistic Approach to FERPA
• Bragging Rights and Responsibilities
• College Cost Reduction and Access Act
• FFELP Evaluation Process
• Private Loans and Ways To Recommend Lenders
• Effective Communication
• Enrollment In a Day
• Washington, DC Update
• New Things for Graduate Students
• Spring Training Agenda - East
• Spring Training Agenda - West
• TEACH GRANT/FAS UPDATE

PASFAA is pleased to announce a new partnership with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) and its Web-based training program, LearnStudentAid.org.

One of NASFAA’s primary missions is to provide training to financial aid administrators at all experience levels. Since September 2004, LearnStudentAid.org has been offering on-line courses for those who are new to the profession.

We recognize that many of you already benefit from state, regional, and other training. However, NASFAA’s LearnStudentAid.org fills the gap when there is no money in the budget to send someone away to training, and when someone new begins and there is no planned training in the state at that time.

This new benefit of state association membership will provide you with the opportunity to train online at prices that are 10% lower than the price of the same course package that is available to those who do not participate through a state partnership. If your institution is a NASFAA member, individuals will pay $216 for the four-course "Financial Aid Fundamentals" package (currently priced at $240). If the institution is not currently a NASFAA member, individuals will pay $306 (off the current non-member price of $340) for the four-course package.  These prices are good through June 30, 2008.

Benefits to You

• Courses begin the first of each month, so there is very little wait time for training. 
• There is no time out of the office required and no travel time or associated travel costs. 
• Training is reasonably priced, PLUS learners receive a discount on the full four-course package because they are a member of your state association. 
• Trainees get access to the NASFAA Web site and the NASFAA Encyclopedia for the duration of their training, whether or not their institution is a member of NASFAA.  
• Each participant is assigned an individual account and gets individual credit for completing the courses in the form of certificates of completion from NASFAA.  

How to Participate 

• Go to www.LearnStudentAid.org and review the courses available through the four-course “Financial Aid Fundamentals” package. These courses are:

• FA 101: Overview of the Student Financial Aid Programs
• FA 102: Application Processing
• FA 103: Cost of Attendance
• FA 104: Need Analysis

Please note that the reduced price is only available for the four-course package.

• Go to the LearnStudentAid Web page at (www.LearnStudentAid.org). Review “How to Enroll,” which includes a link to the LearnStudentAid.org registration form.
• Complete the LearnStudentAid.org registration form. Indicate whether your institution is a NASFAA member or not, enter the discount (coupon) code, and sign up for the four-course package.
• Submit your confirmation with payment information by fax or mail to NASFAA.
• Once you have registered, NASFAA will confirm your registration and send you by e-mail all the information you need to get started on the first day of online classes.

Good luck! If you have questions about registration or other matters relating directly to LearnStudentAid, contact LearnStudentAid@nasfaa.org.