National Initiative Creates English-Spanish Glossary of Higher Education, Student Financial Aid Terms

ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 17, 2004--A group of organizations from throughout the nation has created an English-Spanish glossary of standard terms relating to student financial aid and postsecondary education. The initiative includes organizations involved in student financial aid and in promoting access to higher education to Hispanics throughout the country: Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, National
Association for College Admission Counseling,



National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, National Council for Community and Education Partnerships, National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs, TG, U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. General Services Administration through FirstGov en Espanol.


Studies have shown that fewer Hispanics continue their education after high school than do members of other ethnic groups. One reason for this appears to be the lack of awareness in Hispanic communities about financial resources available to help pay for college. Part of the challenge of providing information about college and student financial aid to Hispanics comes from the bilingual aspect of many Hispanic communities. Often, in those communities,


a family's parents speak only Spanish while the children are bilingual. Furthermore, a recent survey found that many Hispanic parents and students would prefer to learn about student financial aid in Spanish. Thus, providing Spanish-language information about college and student financial aid may facilitate college attendance among Hispanics, particularly since parental support is such an important factor in a child's college attendance and completion.

The participating organizations developed the English-Spanish glossary to provide a consistent and easy-to-use resource to help those involved in creating Spanish-language materials about higher education and student financial aid. They also created a workgroup of education, student financial aid, and Spanish-language experts who revised and merged pre-existing glossaries into a single reference tool.


The initiative encourages organizations that produce Spanish-language materials about postsecondary education and student financial aid to take advantage of this glossary to facilitate that process and to ensure greater consistency in vocabulary. Use of the glossary is entirely voluntary.


The workgroup participants will review the glossary each spring. The review will incorporate a process that will allow interested parties to provide input. In order to continue the spirit of cooperation and inclusion that has characterized the development of this glossary, the first review will be in spring 2005.

The glossary is free and available from the participating organizations or at www.tgslc.org in an easily searchable Portable Document Format (PDF).


TG is a public, nonprofit corporation that helps create access to higher education for millions of families and students through its role as an administrator of the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). Its vision is to be the premier source of information, financing, and assistance to help all families and students realize their educational and career dreams. Additional information about TG can be found online at www.tgslc.org. This press release can be downloaded from www.tgslc.org/newsroom/.