Explore Higher Education Options at Regional College Fairs

ALBANY, NY (03/14/2012)(readMedia)-- Thousands of New York State high school students are visiting college fairs scheduled throughout the spring. While students look for information about academic programs and campus life, they and their families are also thinking about the resources needed to pay for college.

The New York State Higher Education Services Corp. (HESC), the State's student financial aid agency that helps people pay for college, joins spring college fairs throughout the State to provide information about federal student aid and New York State's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), one of the largest need-based student grant programs in the United States.

Stops along HESC's college fair tour include Buffalo, the Capital Region, New York City and several locations across Long Island. A complete college fair schedule can be found on the HESC Web site, where students will also find a checklist and tips to help make the most of their college fair experience.

HESC encourages all college-bound juniors and seniors to explore college financial aid opportunities with information available to New York State students and families at the college fairs and the HESC Web site at HESC.org.

About HESC: HESC is New York State's student financial aid agency that helps people pay for college and a national leader in providing need-based grant and scholarship award money to college-going students. At HESC's core are programs like the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), numerous state scholarships, the New York Higher Education Loan Program (NYHELPs), federal college access grants and a highly successful College Savings program. HESC puts college within the reach of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers each year through programs like these and through the guidance it provides to students, families and counselors. In 2010-11, HESC helped more than 413,000 students achieve their college dreams by providing $991 million in grants, scholarships and federal student loan guarantees, including $855 million awarded through the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).

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