ISAC Student PortalISAC Communiqué
Volume 34, Number 11C
May 2025
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| ISAC Communiqué |
Welcome to the May 2025 ISAC Communiqué, which is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout May.
The articles in this electronic Communiqué have been organized according to the Counselor subscription groups to which the messages were distributed.
Questions?
Questions regarding information in this electronic Communiqué can be directed to School Services at 866.247.2172 or at [email protected]. On occasion, you may be directed to a specific contact person or area; when this occurs, we will provide the appropriate information in the individual article or message.
Invitation to 2025 CCE Conference
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admissions Counselors, Community Organizations, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, and Public Libraries on May 29, 2025.
Registration Now Open!
July 17, 2025 ● Tinley Park Convention Center
You're invited to register now as we come together with purpose at the 2025 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference – How do we build community? In uncertain and changing times, hope becomes a vital anchor that enables people to navigate challenges with resilience and purpose and with a sense of belonging and community. This year we invite you to gather not only to explore new ideas and strategies, but also to actively build community that sparks inspiration and action. By engaging in meaningful dialogue and sharing best practices informed by experience, participants actively contribute to building a network of mutual support and understanding. Together, we can embody the powerful notion that hope is not just a feeling, but a shared commitment to shaping a brighter future for our students because we know education matters. As we examine this year's conference question in greater depth, we can also look at these questions:
- How can our community better understand and meet the needs of our students?
- How can we strengthen and expand our community?
- How can our community work together to marshal resources for our most vulnerable students?
Who Should Attend:
The annual conference is the state's preeminent college access and success and career readiness event and brings together stakeholders to help Illinois reach its Goal 2025 – to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high-quality degrees and postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025. A key strength of the conference is in bringing together a diverse audience from across the state to focus on educational opportunity and student success: college access practitioners; high school leaders, counselors, and case managers; college and university leaders and administrators; employers and workforce development professionals; and policymakers and elected officials interested in higher education and career readiness. The conference also serves as an opportunity for stakeholders to improve their practice of collaboration and collective leadership as we work toward the state's goal. We hope you will attend the conference as we stand together as a group of like-minded professionals committed to improving outcomes for all learners.
The conference agenda will be available in June. More information about the conference, the Tinley Park Convention Center, and hotel is available on the conference website.
2025 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois Department of Employment Security
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
Upcoming Important Dates from ISAC
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admissions Counselors, Community Organizations, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, and Public Libraries on May 14, 2025.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your college-bound students.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at ISAC's website (isac.org).
You may either scroll through the remainder of this message, or click on the appropriate link(s) to go directly to a specific section:
2026-27 (July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027)
2025-26 (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026)
General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)
Prepare for Upcoming State Scholar Processing Cycle (for determining 2026-27 State Scholars)
High schools will be notified via the usual communication methods (the State Scholar Program News area, the Counselor Message Board, and this e-Messaging service) once sixth semester data – which will be used to determine State Scholar eligibility for current high school juniors who will be college freshmen during the 2026-27 academic year, and will be named Scholars during the fall of 2025 – is being accepted.
As you begin preparing for the upcoming State Scholar processing cycle, remember that sixth semester data is accepted only via the State Scholar component of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs Access (GAP Access) portal. Information regarding how to register for GAP Access is provided via the Required Sixth Semester Data page within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs section.
School Contact Information and Managing GAP Access Usage
Please notify ISAC of any changes in your school's administration (i.e., new principal).
In keeping with the goal of securing all confidential data, the principal of each high school is designated as that school's GAP Access Primary Administrator. While we understand principals are not usually involved in the day to day processes, we do require the school principal to register for their own GAP Access account.
By June 30, 2025: High School Juniors Take College Assessment Exams for State Scholar Consideration
Eligibility for the State Scholar Program is based, in part, on a student's highest qualifying ACT or SAT score. High school juniors who are potential candidates will need to take one of the accepted exams during the specified timeframe to be considered for State Scholar designation, even though Illinois' public institutions are prohibited from requiring the submission of student test scores as part of the admissions process.
For current high school juniors, only exams taken between August 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025 qualify for consideration in the State Scholar announcements that will be made during their senior year (i.e., high school juniors, who will be college freshmen during the 2026-27 academic year, will be named Scholars during the fall of 2025). Further details are provided for students at the State Scholar Program page of our website.
FAFSA® and Alternative Application Remain Available
The 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) remains available online, and – if not already done – should be completed as soon as possible by students who will be attending college between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant, as well as several other forms of federal, state and institutional financial assistance.
In addition, the 2025-26 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) is also available (in English and Spanish). Qualifying students may file the Alternative Application – which is patterned after the FAFSA – to apply for the MAP grant. Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.
The e-Library's 2025-26 FAFSA Completion area is updated on a regular basis as details regarding the status of FAFSA processing are released.
College-bound students and their families, who may be seeking information about the financial aid application process, can be directed to the Financial Aid: Completing the FAFSA area of ISAC's website and the Federal Student Aid studentaid.gov website.
Professional Development Offerings
Be sure to regularly visit ISAC's Upcoming Professional Development Offerings page and register for in-person and virtual events that can aid you as you assist your college-bound seniors with the processes of applying for financial aid and preparing to start college in the fall.
Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative
All Illinois public high school students are required to complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. ISAC's Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative is a resource that can help high schools monitor their students' compliance with this mandate.
The Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative helps public and private high schools identify students who have completed a financial aid application or the financial aid application nonparticipation form (waiver). As announced in a February 6 e-Message, new 2025-26 match data is available on a daily basis.
First Generation Scholars Network
Encourage your graduating seniors who will be the first in their family to earn a college degree to join the First Generation Scholars Network to get support and resources from ISAC, their peers, and colleges across the state. Students heading to their first year of college this fall will find events and programs that provide tools, resources, mentoring, and connections that can help make the transition easier.
Online Resource Helps Students Find Leads for Summer Employment/Internships
Counselors are urged to promote the "Internship and Summer Jobs" online resource, which may be accessed via the Toolbox area of the ISAC Student Portal, to their students who may be seeking summer employment or internships.
Outreach Resources
Information about outreach programs, as well as the ISACorps™ and how to connect with your local ISACorps member, is available on our website.
In the Outreach Resources section, you will find additional information on how we can assist you with your school's efforts to provide college-bound students with information about financial aid.
e-Messaging Reminder
ISAC's e-Messaging service is our primary means of communication with our high school partners. Please share this information with any colleagues who may not yet be registered to receive ISAC's e-Messages.
May 15: Submit Session Proposals for 2025 College Changes Everything® Conference
Thursday, May 15, 2025 is the deadline to submit an interest session proposal for the 15th annual College Changes Everything® conference, which will take place on July 17, 2025, at the Tinley Park Convention Center in Tinley Park, Illinois. Plan to be part of the conversations as we engage with the question: How do we build community? Further details are provided in a May 12 e-Message and at the College Changes Everything conference website.
June 26: Next Commission Meeting
The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, June 26, 2025. Further details, including a listing of tentative agenda items, will be available prior to the meeting via the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area.
Visit the Commission Meeting Schedule page for information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2025.
July 1: GAP Access User Verification Deadline
In April, Primary Administrators for ISAC's GAP Access portal were notified via email that the annual User Verification process has been activated on the "User Administration" screen in GAP Access. If not already completed, please encourage your GAP Access Primary Administrator to review the list of users at your school and make any necessary changes (such as updating or revising access levels and deleting user accounts that are no longer needed) no later than Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Questions regarding the User Verification process may be directed to School Services.
Holiday Schedules
ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:
- Monday, May 26 – Memorial Day
- Thursday, June 19 – Juneteenth
- Friday, July 4 – Independence Day
Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.
For Assistance
Access the Counselors area anytime, or send an email message to School Services. With the exception of days when ISAC staff members are unavailable, we will review and respond to messages during regular business hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).
Still Time to Submit Your CCE Conference Proposal
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admissions Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations, and Public Libraries on May 12, 2025.
July 17, 2025 – Tinley Park Convention Center
Time is running out to submit an interest session proposal for the 2025 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference before the priority consideration deadline of Thursday, May 15, 2025. One of the key things making this annual event so valuable to its attendees is the interest sessions developed and led by dedicated educators and professionals like you. We invite you to complete the online session proposal form to showcase the work you do that contributes to student success. Thanks, again, to those of you who have already submitted a proposal.
We encourage proposals covering a wide range of themes related to college access and completion and career readiness and development as the annual CCE conference draws a broad group of participants. In support of the conference theme, session proposals also should explain how the information shared contributes to helping meet the needs of our students during this time of change, building community, and demonstrating best practices and lessons learned. Attendees look for sessions that provide in-depth information, practical ideas, and best practices and specific strategies.
We look forward to seeing you on July 17, 2025, at the Tinley Park Convention Center, Tinley Park, Illinois. Registration for the conference will open later this spring.
Please share the information in this e-Message with colleagues in your organization and others in your network.
2025 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois Department of Employment Security
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
Deadline Extended: Submit Your Proposal for CCE
Sent to Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admissions Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations, and Public Libraries on May 5, 2025.
July 17, 2025 – Tinley Park Convention Center
In response to the level of interest from participants, we are extending our priority consideration date to submit interest session proposals to Thursday, May 15, 2025. We hope this will give those who require additional time an opportunity to finalize and submit their proposals for the conference. Please complete the online session proposal form, which – along with more information about interest session submission – is available on the conference webpage. We also want to acknowledge the people who have already submitted their interest session proposal. Thanks so much to all!
As a reminder, the annual College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference draws a broad group of participants, and we encourage proposals that cover a wide range of themes related to college access and completion and career readiness and development. In support of the conference theme, session proposals also should explain how the information shared contributes to helping meet the needs of our students during this time of change, building community, and demonstrating best practices and lessons learned. Attendees look for sessions that provide in-depth information, practical ideas, and best practices and specific strategies.
2025 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois Department of Employment Security
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
ISAC – Sponsored Events Survey Deadline Extended to May 9th
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admissions Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations, and Public Libraries on May 2, 2025.
ISAC is collecting input on past events to help enhance future programming and better support professionals across Illinois.
Even if you haven’t attended an event recently, we still want to hear from you. Your feedback helps us identify needs and reduce barriers to participation.
Please complete the survey by Friday, May 9th
Thank you for your time and valuable feedback!
For questions, contact [email protected].
ISAC Training and Development Staff
April 2025 ISAC Communiqué
Sent on May 1, 2025.
The April 2025 edition of the ISAC Communiqué is now available for your review, and may be accessed via the Partner e-Messages & Newsletters section of the e-Library for Partners at isac.org. This electronic version of ISAC's newsletter is a compilation of information provided to Counselor partners via ISAC's e-Messaging service over the past month.
Topics covered in the April 2025 ISAC Communiqué include:
- Don't Forget: Submit Your CCE Conference Proposal
(sent April 29, 2025) - There's Still Time to Share Your Thoughts!
(sent April 24, 2025) - Help Shape Future ISAC Events – We Value Your Feedback!
(sent April 17, 2025) - 2025 CCE Conference: Save the Date & Call for Proposals
(sent April 15, 2025) - Do You Send Paper Transcripts? Make the Switch to Electronic, It's Easy!
(sent April 3, 2025) - Transcript Exchange – Final Transcript Webinar
(sent April 2, 2025) - March 2025 ISAC Communiqué
(sent April 1, 2025)
Encourage Your Colleagues to Sign Up for e-Messaging
ISAC's e-Messaging service is our primary means of communicating information to Counselor partners.
Encourage your colleagues who have not done so to subscribe through the Counselors e-Messaging sign-up page at isac.org today, so that they won't miss future announcements or updates from ISAC.
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