HESC Reminds Students to Get Smart About Credit

ALBANY, NY (10/22/2008)(readMedia)-- This October, The New York State Higher Education Services Corp. (HESC) reminds college and college-bound students and their families to "Get Smart About Credit" and offers financial literacy education and tools to help manage debt and plan for a bright future.

"HESC takes on a broad role as the agency that helps people pay for college," said HESC President James C. Ross. "Educating teens and young adults about the importance of managing debt and providing guidance to help plan their financial futures are a priority," he added.

Thousands of high school and college students are in debt with their own credit card. According to recent surveys, college freshmen who have credit cards tend to double their debt by their senior year of college. HESC.org provides the facts, guidance, and tools to help students avoid deep credit card debt.

The Agency's Web site provides the latest information about college access, state and federal financial aid, and offers financial literacy, academic, and career planning tools for students, families and school counselors.

Detailed debt management brochures are available in both English and Spanish from HESC's Web site and include:

The Student Guide to Smart Borrowing and Your Financial Future helps students entering college get the right information to make the best decisions on borrowing money to pay for their education. The brochure includes tips and advice on understanding credit, avoiding identity theft and steps for financial success.

Managing Your Student Loan Debt offers help with budgeting, including loan payment and savings charts, and important contacts if making student loan payments becomes difficult.

New this fall, HESC will offer podcasts on financial literacy topics such as managing credit card debt and protecting against identity theft. Financial aid podcasts are available at HESC.org.

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