Author Description

The College Scholarship Service guide to implementing financial aid data processing systems is presented, based on conferences that promoted information exchange between data processing and financial aid administrators. The following topics are addressed: long-range planning, the rationale and organizational basis for financial aid, specific financial aid programs, functions of a system and system modules, relationships between the aid office and other offices on the campus that are important in the development of financial aid office data processing systems, and converting from a paper operation. The functions of a financial aid office can be grouped into six modules that are duplicated in most offices whether they use a manual or an automated system: application tracking, a need analysis, packaging, award notification, disbursement and fiscal management, and research and reporting. Four essential characteristics for an automated financial aid system are comprehensive data files, multiyear operations, flexibility, documentation. Decisions must be made regarding the following: mini versus maxi, online versus batch, and package versus in-house development. Additionally, guidelines for developing a financial aid data processing system are presented. Interfaces between the aid office and the admissions, registrar's, business, and other offices are addressed, and the following financial aid programs are examined: Basic Educational Opportunity Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, National Direct Student Loans, College Work-Study, Federally Insured/Guaranteed Student Loans, other federal programs, state scholarship and grant programs, and institutional private aid programs. (SW)