Students and families can get personal assistance with their FAFSA and other financial aid questions.
(Albany, NY: Jan. 13, 2014) January 2014 has been proclaimed by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo as Student Financial Aid Awareness Month. HESC’s “Start Here to Get There,” awareness campaign informs students and families about the various types of college financial aid opportunities and encourages them to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – one of the most important tools in securing financial aid – early in the New Year.
Financial aid information sessions and “Complete the FAFSA” workshop events are being coordinated through HESC, with the support of the New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association (NYSFAAA) and other community partners statewide. A listing of events by geographic region of the State can be found at StartHereGetThere.org.
The website offers college and financial aid planning, informative videos, helpful tips and tools and a wealth of information about federal, state and college-sponsored aid, including grants, such as New York’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and other scholarships, loans and work study programs.
Students and families can get personal assistance with their FAFSA and other financial aid questions:
- Online chat weekdays on StartHereGetThere.org;
- Toll-free hotline 1-800-808-1790 Mondays through Thursdays from noon to 5 pm; and
- Email anytime: FAFSAhelp@HESC.ny.gov
“Families of college-bound students should complete the FAFSA as early as possible to have the best chance of receiving all the financial aid for which they are qualified,” said Elsa Magee, Acting President of HESC. “It’s been found that families that are eligible for financial aid are least likely to know about it, which is why New York’s efforts to inform and assist students and families are so important.”
