Adam Essex | Awareness and Outreach Activities

Federal Student Aid

U.S. Department of Education

FSA Resources for Counselors

FinancialAidToolkit.ed.gov

2

Four primary content areas:

•Learn About Financial Aid

•Conduct Outreach

•Get Training

•Search Tools and Resources

Using the FinancialAidToolkit

3

Go to “Search Tools and Resources” tab•Use filter search•Browse all•Subscribe to RSS feed

Resources include:•Social Media

•Videos

•Infographics

•Public Service Announcements

•Publications

•Other Resources

Publication Samples

4

Ordering Publications• Fact sheet on Toolkit:

“How to Order Federal Student Aid Publications”

• Know Your OPEID• Visit FSAPubs.gov

5

Ideas for Articles and E-mails

• “Conduct Outreach” section of Toolkit• Subpage: “Articles and

E-mails”• Find ideas for topics• “Steal” our wording

6

Sample Tweets and Facebook Posts

7

Tips on Using FSA Content

8

Tip 1: Use our YouTube Videos

9

TIP: Add videos to relevant FAQ sections of your site

Tip 1: Use our YouTube Videos

10

Ideas

•Embed them on your website

•Include them in your “Financial Aid Night” Presentations

•Get them displayed on campus monitors

•Request that your school’s main social media accounts post them during peak seasons

•Include in relevant e-mail communications with students

•Screenshot video frames to use as photos

•Run shorter videos on campus T.V.

Tip 2: Use our Infographics

11

Tip 2: Use our Infographics

12

Ideas

•Print them: Hang them up in your office, include in admissions and award letter mailings, etc.

•Embed them on your website

•Include them in your “Financial Aid Night” Presentations

•Get them displayed on campus monitors

•Request that your school’s main social media accounts post them during peak seasons

•Include in relevant e-mail communications with students

www.facebook.com/FederalStudentAid

www.twitter.com/fafsa

www.youtube.com/FederalStudentAid

13

FSA’s Social Media Guidance: StudentAid.gov/social

Tip 3: Share our Social Media Content

Tip 3: Share our Social Media Content

14

TIP: Share content that we’ve posted

TIP: Reuse content we’ve shared

TIP: Share our blog posts

Tip 3: Share our Social Media Content

15

TIP: Use (and customize!) our images

TIP: Don’t have your own social

media accounts? Encourage your school’s main

account to share

TIP: Promote #AskFAFSA Office Hours

Tip 3: Share our Social Media Content

16

Ideas

•Retweet our tweets, share our Facebook posts and YouTube videos

•Steal our content. (We’re giving you permission!)

•Share our blog posts, infographics, & videos

•Promote #AskFAFSA Office Hours

•Use and customize our images

Tip 4: Utilize Toolkit Resources

17

Tip 4: Utilize Toolkit Resources

18

Ideas

•Use our content to develop your social media calendar

• Financial aid office doesn’t have social media? Send to admissions & school social media managers!

•Run a social media campaign using our resources

•Use our images, infographics, and videos to beef up your social media content

Tip 5: Read the FSA Blog

19

TIP: Promote #AskFAFSA Office Hours

• Will launch early 2015

• Plan to post about twice per week

• Content will come from FSA staff, students, school counselors, and YOU!

The Federal Student Aid Blog!

Other FSA Resources

StudentAid.govClearinghouse of information for students and their families for information on preparing, planning and paying for college

StudentLoans.govInformation to help student loan borrowers manage their student loan balances

Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)

Assistance with FAFSA and other financial aid questions

Assistance provided in English and Spanish

20

QUESTIONS?

21