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Community Corner

Local Seminars to Help Families Make Big Decisions About College

College acceptance letters are now arriving in the mail, and high school seniors and their parents face major decisions.  Selecting which college to attend and figuring out how to pay for it are two critical choices with lasting implications.

Resources available to Massachusetts families include regional seminars by college financing experts to help parents and students decide which college acceptance offer to select. Locally, seminars are being held:

·        March 31 at 6:30 p.m., Salem High School, in English and Spanish

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·        April 2 at 6:30 p.m., Masconomet Regional High School, Topsfield

·        April 3 at 6 p.m., Methuen High School

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·        April 15 at 6:30 p.m., Malden Catholic High School

·        April 17 at 7 p.m., Phillips Academy, Andover

The seminars are sponsored by the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) which is offering a suite of free services and important information as part of its “After the Acceptance” program.  MEFA, the Commonwealth’s  non-profit authority on planning, saving and paying for college, is offering one-on-one counseling with experts, free seminars across the Commonwealth and a range of online resources including webinars, video tutorials and college cost calculators.

“We urge parents and high school seniors to speak directly to a MEFA expert to get the advice and guidance they need to make the important decisions they face.  We want to make it as easy as possible for them to reach us, and we invite them to call us, log-in to a webinar, attend a seminar, visit our website or stop by our office for free advice from our experts,” said Thomas Graf, Executive Director of MEFA.

The goal of the “After the Acceptance” program, which runs from mid-March through the end of April, is to ensure families have timely guidance before making enrollment decisions by the May 1 deadline, and have a clear understanding of the next steps in the college enrollment process.  MEFA is poised to help families in a variety of ways:  Call MEFA at 1-800-449-MEFA (6332) to speak to a college financing expert.

-        Attend one of more than 30 free seminars happening across the Commonwealth.

-        Visit mefa.org for a list of seminars and to register to attend. 

o   Families should remember to bring copies of financial aid award letters for a personal consultation after the seminar.

-        Visit MEFA’s office during business hours and speak with a staff member.

o    Families are welcome to either make an appointment by calling 1-800-449-MEFA (6332) or simply walk in.    MEFA is located at 160 Federal Street, 4th floor, Boston.

-        Watch a recorded webinar in English or Spanish on mefa.org

o   Families unable to attend a live presentation can visit the Grade 12 page to view the full range of information and tools available, including the College Cost Calculator and Monthly Payment Calculator.

-        Follow the ongoing discussion on this topic on Twitter with the hashtag #MEFAATA.

For more information about MEFA’s After the Acceptance program, visit mefa.org or call 1-800-449-MEFA (6332).

The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) was created in 1982 by the state legislature at the request of Massachusetts colleges and universities to make higher education more accessible and affordable for students and families.  The extensive community education programs and online resources offered by MEFA provide families guidance on saving, planning and paying for college. Throughout its over 30-year history, MEFA has assisted hundreds of thousands of families in financing the dream of a college education. MEFA is a not-for-profit self-financing state authority, not reliant on state or federal appropriation. Visit mefa.org to learn more or follow MEFA on Twitter @mefatweets and on Facebook at mefaMA.

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