Kim,
You process is an excellent way to catch your graudates; however, how do you handle your students that drop or worse just stop coming to class. It is important that these students receive the necessary exit counseling to insure they are aware of their rights and responsibilites under the TIV loan programs.
Best wishes in your continued online educational pursuits in FA.
Chyrl Ayers
FINACIAL AID SET UP EXIT INTERVIEW A MONTH IN ADVANCE, WE ASK THE TEACHER WHEN WILL IT BE AN APPROPIATE TIME TO MEET WITH THEIR STUDENTS AS A CLASS. THE FINANCIAL AID DEPARTMENT THEN POST SIGNS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL NOTIFYING THE STUDENT OF THE DATE AND TIME OF THE EXIT INTERVIEW. THE STUDENT THAT ARE ABSENT FROM SCHOOL ON THE DATE OF THE EXIT INTERVIEW ARE RESCHEDULED.
Sharita, Very good internal process. Completing an Exit interview on students graduating or withdrawing from school can mean the difference in the student knowing what is expected of them in regards to the repaying of their student loans. Thanks, David McGuffee
David McGuffee
Our students have to complete exit counseling as well to graduate but I would love some ideas on how to implement web sessions with the group sessions. We only have 2 staff members for our Financial Aid department so I am curious as to how other schools get students to complete web sessions.
Melissa, Students are able to take exit counseling online. The web-site is NSLDS.gov. Your school can also sign up to receive regular reports with the names of students who have completed online counseling. If your school documents that the student completed ED's online counseling session, you have satisfied the requirements for this counseling. This by far is the easiest way to ensure all your students have completed the process.
Regards,
David McGuffee
Yes! At our school, we make it a requirement of the curriculum...if a student does not show for their exit loan counseling, they are not allowed to attend their graduation, and can not receive their diploma.
JoAnne,
Most financial aid professionals have methods to insure their graduates complete exit counseling; however, the ones we all worry about are the ones that disappear. Do you utilize any special techniques to insure your drops receive their exit counseling? I am sure the group would be interested in any methods you implore to assist with this type of student.
Sincerely,
Chyrl Ayers
this is a great idea. Why not initiate a congratulatory party with exit counseling. At my previous position we had a student laon specialist that would see all diploma grads at day of pinning, alwasy got 10)% there. Lienar is always a challange but having somethign to congratulate them with helps.
Rhonda,
As aid administrators it is necessary to look for new ways to get students into the process and complete. It is always more difficult when working with students that just stop attending; however, exit counseling is so important to ensure that a student has information necessary to satisfy any loan debt that they incurred.
Sincerely,
Chyrl Ayers
I've held group exit interviews in the past, but found it to be unsuccessful, as well. I’ve corrected my process by sending out an Exit notification two months prior to students’ graduation date and two additional notifications are sent, as the deadline to complete their exit counseling approaches. Attached to the notification letter is also the instruction to complete their exit counseling online via http://www.nslds.ed.gov/nslds_SA. Student who fail to complete their exit interviews by the deadline are placed on graduation and transcript hold.
DENISE,
Your process seems to be solid and properly execute to ensure that students have ample opportunity to meet the requirements. I think mos of us find ourselves most successful with graduates; however, the students that disappear from class are the most difficult.
Sincerely,
Chyrl Ayers
I work in a private college and we set aside time during one of our class hours to go in and have a group exit interview. This allows the students the opportunity to ask questions and get all the information needed about their loans. We do not give the students advanced notice about the exit interview because some students think that it is not important and they do not show for the class period, which affects their attendance as well. This usually lasts about an hour because our class sizes are fairly small. Some classes may be larger and need more time. We have graduates every 10 weeks and this is a system that works for us.
Our exit counseling is mandatory as well in order to receive their transcripts and diploma. It allows us to keep track of each student and why they have not returned these documents to us. We then have a private counsel with students who did not attend the group session.
Samantha,
your process seems to be solid and properly executed to ensure students have ample opportunity to meet the requirements when they graduate. The students that disappear from class and unofficially withdraw are the ones that are the most difficult to work with.
Regards,
David McGuffee
We do exit counseling during one of their classes. The education team has made the exit counseling part of that course. It is for a professional development course. It makes it easy for ust to do the exit counseling session and have a good show rate as well. When students miss that session, we hand them a package for them to complete and turn back in to us or schedule an appointment for them to meet with us one on one. We also don't allow students to receive their graduation paperwork until their exit counseling has been turned in.
Wendy,
This forum has received numerous comments from other students on methods they utilize to ensure that graduates are receiving their exit counseling; however, most struggle with the students that just cease attending. This type of student can be difficult to reach with materials. Do you have any suggestions for the group on how to get these students to respond to exit counseling?
Sincerely,
Chyrl Ayers
Rod,
We are seeing a low success rate in our group exit counselings as well. Group sessions are the most effective way to complete counseling, but I find that it is more personal to exit one on one. I fortunately have the staff to conduct this; but I know others may not.
This is a great idea Alicia! If we get into a crunch time we may adopt this practice. Currently we are not interupting the classroom; but it may assist so we are not scrambling to get students into our office.
YES, IT IS DIFFICULT WE HAVE FOUND THAT IF WE REQUIRE THEM TO COMPLETE THIS ON LINE PRIOR TO RECEIVING THEIR CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION THIS ALLEVIATES MANY OF THE HEADACHES
ANGELA,
Good suggestion. This process is definitely a measure to be taken to ensure completion of the Exit Counseling. As Aid Administrators we have to be looking for ways to improve the process daily.
Sincerely,
Chyrl Ayers
