Creating a solid SAP policy can seem an overwhelming process. When should you measure? What terminology do you use? Should you have an appeal process? These questions are just a few of the components administrators have to consider when writing a policy. Then there’s communicating your comprehensive policy to your students. When and how do
Here are a few tips to quickly improve the readability of your website: Keep it concise. When your content is highly readable, your audience is able to quickly digest the information you share with them. Focus on the essence of the message and cut out any unnecessary information. Break up content. Eye-tracking studies indicate that users fixate
One of the common themes among schools that administer a work-study program is the difficulty of balancing both the student and the supervisor sides of the program. When schools are responsible for overseeing student eligibility, hiring, AND earning processes, there are often many internal departments involved. While sharing the workload is necessary, training and communicating
I can hear my father’s voice in my head: “Get a job while you’re in college. I paid off my whole year’s tuition with the earnings from my summer job!” I felt inspired at the time, but it was not long before I realized how much times had changed and reality hit me hard. I
As the month of April approaches, now is a great time to begin considering your plans for Financial Literacy Month and how you will be promoting these concepts during the month. There are many ways to get creative. One approach is to plan one event each week during this month to continue to keep the
One of the personal satisfactions in working in financial aid is the ability to directly impact a person’s life. Whether it’s being a mentor, advising a student about how to find money to pay for school, or providing someone with tips on how to manage their money, all of us can attest to the difference
Are you concerned that your students are not reading their SAP emails? With just a little effort, you may be able to increase how many students read and comprehend this content. Here are some suggestions to enhance your communications to these students to change outcomes. Create a subject line they’ll read. Don’t bore your students
Communicating effectively involves not only speaking well, but also listening well. Below are a few tips on how to listen more effectively to improve your ability to better communicate: Be attentive: Facing the speaker and maintaining eye contact are ways to show you are paying attention to what is being said. By attending to what the other
How important is student enrollment to your school? For certain institutions, it’s life or death. For others, it’s a recent phenomenon due to current economic trends. Regardless, it’s in your President’s wheelhouse and would be a benefit to be on your radar as well. Recent reports show that students cite financial difficulties as the primary reason
Tired of your students complaining of TLDR (too long; didn’t read) syndrome? Financial aid professionals well understand the frustration of trying to engage short attention spans, while also covering all of the pertinent information. The problem is that there is usually just too much pertinent information! So how do you find the balance between catching