Introduction

GRADS (Graduate Reporting And funDing System) is a powerful and user friendly data base which can assist First Nations in organizing, storing and then reporting on post secondary student data. Grads is a unique Microsoft ACCESS application designed specifically to support the efficient management and administration of post secondary funding to First Nations students.

With GRADS, you can streamline the process of administering post secondary education assistance while documenting all activity related to a student’s financial assistance. Reduced data entry and built-in automatic features of GRADS allows your organization and your clients to reap the maximum benefit of staff’s expertise.

GRADS is designed for stand alone or network installation. Security of the data is in your control. Your authorized systems administrator can add or delete users as well as limit user rights within GRADS.

In GRADS, you can capture the complete history of all post secondary application details for each student. This is possible because, funding information is linked to each approved application for education assistance and each electronically stored application stays in the data base until you decide to archive it or delete it.

You begin by entering a basic student record which contains essential information such as registry number, date of birth, name, sex, social insurance number, residency information, "home" and "while at school "addresses and phone numbers, emergency contact person and information.

The basic student record can be easily updated in GRADS. If you have your complete Membership information in electronic format, you can use this as a base for verifying basic student eligibility.

You then enter application details specific to the student and the particular application. Application details include information about the student that may change from application to application but is essential for issuing funds such as, marital status, number of dependents and banking information. Also included in the application details is information specific to the program of study for this application such as:
semester(s), year, application status, enrolment status, program level, academic status, period of study, year of study, level of study, program, institution, as well as results by application and academic year (enrolment status as required in INAC reporting).

Much of the application information can be selected from drop down pick lists that you can modify as required. This feature saves data entry time and reduces error.

Data entry for a continuing student is further reduced with GRADS’ built in provision to copy information from a previous application with the click of your mouse.

To enhance efficient access to data, efficient response time to students and institutions, as well as administration of funding, and reporting, GRADS also offers the following features. These features are only a sample of what GRADS has to offer.