Welcome to the Counselor Zone

At your fingertips, High School Counselors/Personnel, College Admission Counselors, library and community agency staff have access to a centralized source of information concerning college planning, paying for school, and career planning information for students and their parents, as well as information concerning ISAC's programs, processes, and resources.

Counselor Message Board

The Counselor Message Board is updated each week. New messages for the week are identified by the symbol. Items under the More section, located toward the bottom of the page, provide links to information on topics that were recently listed on this Message Board.

 Access to the College Zone Web site will be unavailable due to system maintenance between midnight and 3 a.m. (CT), Sunday, November 8th.  Access is expected to be restored no later than 3 a.m.

 A November 4th electronic announcement from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) indicates that the 2010-11 Student Web Application Products Process Guide - which contains information about enhancements and other changes being made at the FAFSA4caster, FAFSA on the Web, and Federal Student Aid PIN Web sites - is available online.

Remind families that enrollment for the College Illinois!® 529 Prepaid Tuition Program began on November 1, 2009 and remains open throughout the year. With College Illinois!, contract holders receive tuition and fee benefits as stated in the contract, regardless of fluctuations in the market. Because contract prices will increase each month, the sooner contracts are purchased, the more money families will save. College Illinois! SmartChoice pricing offers three distinct plans, putting parents and children on an educational path that best fits their needs and budget. Visit the College Illinois! Web site to learn more about the program.

College Zone's College Cost Calculator, which provides an estimate of how much college may cost when a student is ready to attend, has been updated to reflect annual costs for the 2009-10 academic year.

In observance of the Veterans Day holiday, ISAC offices will be closed on Wednesday, November 11th, reopening on Thursday, November 12th. Access collegezone.com anytime, or send an e-mail message to a School Services Representative for questions or inquiries.

Remind your college-bound seniors (and their parents) that the fall is a good time to apply for a Personal Identification Number (PIN), to be used in January when applying for college financial aid.

ISAC's Professional Development Opportunities (being held in October, November, December, January and February) are approved for Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDU) as authorized by the Illinois State Board of Education and for Professional Counselor/Clinical Counselor Continuing Education (CE) credit as authorized by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations. Details regarding the professional development opportunities series - including locations, dates, and online registration - are provided in a September 29th e-Message.

More

State Legislative Update

2009-10 ISAC Administrative Rules

Outreach Calendar/Events

U.S. Department of Education's Federal Aid First

Federal Student Aid's FAFSA4caster

FAFSA Completion Information