FAME Urges Mainers to Explore Free College Resources
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
9:34 AM
The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), which administers state and federal college grants and scholarships, is urging Maine residents of all ages who are interested in college or post secondary education to explore all free resources before paying for private services.
Some local and national organizations are charging hundreds of dollars for seminars or individual assistance to research scholarships, loans or to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is required by most educational institutions. FAME maintains that, due to the abundance of reliable, free help from professionals who work in college financing statewide, there is no need for families or students to pay for services.
“College can be an expensive undertaking. We encourage Maine families and students to take advantage of the extensive free assistance and resources available before paying for similar services,” says FAME Chief Executive Officer Beth Bordowitz.
High school guidance counselors and college financial aid offices can be very helpful with the financial aid application process. FAME’s education counselors offer advice free of charge, as well as a free Financial Aid Toolkit on request. The free publication includes scholarship information, which can also be researched using free web-based search engines.
FAME will once again sponsor free College Goal Sunday seminars at twenty-two locations throughout the state on January 31, 2010 at 2 p.m. College Goal Sunday provides line-by-line assistance with the FAFSA by financial aid professionals from many Maine colleges and universities. The FAFSA form is required by most schools for financial aid consideration.
Four of the sites will rely on the state’s interactive television (ITV) system to broadcast the free program for public viewing. Some sites will use computer labs, allowing participants to access and complete the FAFSA online during the seminar. All attendees are encouraged to bring recent tax information or estimates. Individual questions can be addressed following the group presentation.
Financial assistance can come from a variety of resources, including grants, scholarships, federal student loans, campus work study jobs and private or alternative loans. Application deadlines vary at each school. Students are urged to contact schools directly about filing deadlines. “Applying for aid on time and as early as possible is as important as ever,” added Bordowitz.
To learn more about the program, or for directions to a convenient location, please visit "http://www.collegegoalsundaymaine.com/" or call FAME toll free at 1-800-228-3734.