College-Bound Students Get The Message During NY's Financial Aid Awareness Month

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ALBANY, NY (03/10/2010)(readMedia)-- New York's Student Financial Aid Awareness Month campaign, "Start Here, Get There," spread the message to students and families that college aid is still available and promoted the completion of the most important tool in securing that aid, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the FAFSA. The campaign ran from Jan. 25 through Feb. 25.

"Though federal and state deadlines are still several months away, some college financial aid deadlines are approaching fast," said Elsa Magee, Acting President of New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), the agency spearheading the campaign. HESC is the State agency that helps people pay for college.

"We encourage college-bound students and their families to apply for student aid and reach out to HESC, their college financial aid officer or high school guidance counselor for assistance," she added.

College Goal Sunday and FAFSA Workshop events were held state-wide at schools and other venues during the month-long campaign.

"Hundreds of students were personally assisted with completing their online FAFSA," said Kathy Crowder, Vice President of Communications. Thousands more received college aid information at information tables set up at local shopping malls around New York.

StartHereGetThere.org is still online to help students understand the financial aid process and provide help completing the FAFSA. The site includes an online tutorial to guide applicants through the process, as well as videos, tips, tools and information about federal, state and college-sponsored aid. Information about New York's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) along with other scholarships, loan and work study information is also included.

"We thank our sponsors for helping make this campaign a success," said Magee. Campaign sponsors included the New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association, the Commission of Independent Colleges and Universities (cIcu), TurboTax, SEFCU, the New York State Department of Labor and Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the YMCAs of Greater New York and the Capital Region, and the Williamsburg Charter High School in Brooklyn, NY.

About HESC: HESC is the State's student financial aid agency, providing more grant and scholarship awards to students than any other state in the nation. In 2008-09, HESC helped nearly 600,000 students achieve their dream of attending college by providing $4.6 billion in grants, scholarships and loan guarantees, including $813 million awarded through the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to more than 375,000 students. HESC also assists schools and students with advanced default prevention, financial literacy and counseling programs, and provides training and technical services to college financial aid administrators and high school counselors.

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