Meteor Tip: Accessing Meteor Through OpenNet

The Meteor network is a Web-based software service designed to obtain student and borrower financial-aid information from various data sources and present this information in an aggregated “snapshot.”

School users can access the Meteor network through the OpenNet loan-delivery system using the following steps.

• From the Individual Inquiry menu, choose “Access Meteor” to navigate to the Meteor Query page and enter the borrower’s Social Security Number.

• Once in the network, enter the borrower Social Security number to access the “Awards Summary” screen. The “Award Summary” screen displays all data for the borrower with loans associated to Meteor-network data providers. You can access a list of Meteor-network data providers through the Meteor Web site.

Benefits
Currently, the Meteor network provides access to information about nearly 70 percent of all outstanding Federal Family Education Loan Program-loan guarantees and displays 100 percent of USA Funds^®-guaranteed-loan data. The Meteor network also allows the school to see repayment information from servicers that are providing data to the network, as well as data for approximately 64 percent of private-loan volume. 

By accessing the Meteor network within OpenNet, schools can access the complete loan histories for their borrowers to determine future loan eligibility and aggregate loan limits.

In the upcoming Meteor version 3.3 — available in February — the LoanLocator feature will be available, providing access to data for nearly 90 percent of outstanding FFELP-loan guarantees.

To find out more about the Meteor network, or to request Meteor access in OpenNet, contact your USA Funds Services account executive.