Help and Resources

Help & Resources for College Bound Individuals

Did You Know?

Two-year local community colleges are among the most affordable options for commuting college students.

For the 2007-08 school year, the average full-time, in-state tuition and fees at State University of New York (SUNY) community colleges totaled $3,556, and $2,800 at City University of New York (CUNY) community colleges.

Public four-year institutions are also relatively more affordable. For example:

The average cost of tuition and fees paid by full-time, in-state students at four year SUNY schools in 2007-08 was $5,580, and $4,000 for resident CUNY students.

Private four-year institutions are generally more expensive; however, many offer increased opportunities for financial aid.

In 2008-09, the average private four-year college and university tuition was $25,143, up 5.9 percent from the previous year. (Source: The College Board)

New York State has many of the best two-year and four-year colleges and universities in the nation. With more than 1.1 million college students, New York State ranks third in the country for college enrollment.

A college education can be one of the most important and expensive investments a person can make. With the ever-rising cost of college tuition and related expenses, paying for a college education has never been more challenging.

So it’s best to start saving as early as possible. Whether you are saving for a newborn or a teenager who will go to college within a year or two, it’s never too early or too late. Every dollar saved will be one less dollar you need to borrow.

Many options exist to help pay for college, including special savings accounts, financial aid and scholarships. These programs can save you thousands of dollars and make a college education more affordable. For example, the website www.opportunity.gov is designed to help unemployed Americans of all ages who want to return to school. The site covers information on grants, loans and alternative education programs.

This section of Your Money New York will help you learn more about paying for a college education.

This section provides information on:

Next: College Planning Resources