Targeting Moderate Income Families at a Grass Roots Level

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Targeting Moderate Income Families at a Grass
Roots Level
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MEFAs Comprehensive Approach to Higher Education
Financing

• All the intelligence you need for financing an
  education
• For nearly twenty-five years, MEFA has created
  industry leading education financing programs
• Outreach Across the Commonwealth
• Early College Planning Initiatives
• Reaching Young Children/Families at a Grass Roots
  Level
• College Savings Programs
• The U.Fund College Investing Plan, the
  Massachusetts 529 Program
• The U.Plan Prepaid Tuition Program
• MEFA Loan Programs
• Federal PLUS and Stafford Loans
• MEFA Alternative Loans for Parents and Students
• U.Consolidate, MEFAs Federal Consolidation Loan

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The 529 Program is Working Helping
Massachusetts Families

• The U.Fund College Investing Plan, the
  Massachusetts 529 Program, reaches all citizens
  across the Commonwealth
• Over 126,000 active accounts with over 2.1
  billion assets under management
• MEFA helps families every step of the way
  beginning with outreach and innovative college
  savings programs

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Extensive Outreach to All Citizens Across the
Commonwealth

• Because college is crucial, savings is essential
• Outreach across the Commonwealth through early
  college planning initiatives
• Web-based Information Delivery
• Collateral Pieces Promoting the Importance of
  Higher Education
• Early College Planning Seminars
• Reaching young children/families at a grass roots
  level
• U.Fund College Savings Art Competition
• Start U.Reading Literacy Campaign
• College Financing Seminars

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U.Fund College Savings Art Competition

• In the spirit of promoting arts
• education, MEFA with
• support from the Massachusetts
• Department of Education
• sponsors the College Savings Art
• Competition. Massachusetts
• students in grades 3, 4, and 5 at
• all public, private, charter, and
• home-based schools are invited
• to submit a piece of artwork
• illustrating "What do I want to be
• when I graduate from college?"

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U.Fund College Savings Art Competition

• Winners are awarded a monetary prize made payable
  to a U.Fund College Investing Plan account.
• 5,000 for first place
• 2,000 for second place
• 1,000 for third place
• Over 10,000 entries over the past 3 years
• Certificates mailed to all participants that did
  not win to acknowledge participation

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Start U.Reading Literacy Campaign

• Preparing for college requires more than just
  saving money. To help make reading an integral
  part of a child's education, MEFA hosts Start
  U.Reading a series of literacy events held at
  public libraries across Massachusetts where local
  Celebrities team with favorite children's
  characters like Dora the Explorer and Clifford
  the Big Red Dog to encourage kids to read.

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Start U.Reading Literacy Campaign

• Upcoming Start U.Reading events across the
  Commonwealth
• Effort to target families of every socio economic
  demographic
• Average attendance at each event 100-200 people
• Radio support from target radio stations over
  200 announcements
• MEFA and Fidelity representatives present to
  discuss U.Fund and provide promotional items to
  the children and families

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College Financing Seminars

• MEFAs College Financing Seminars designed for to
  educate families on financing higher education
• Topics Include
• Overview of the financial aid application process
• Information on searching for scholarships
• Types of financial aid available
• Alternative financing options

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529 Programs Will Dramatically Change the College
Financing Landscape

• Every dollar saved will result in a dollar less
  in education loan indebtedness
• Staggering loan burden for families financing
  higher education costs
• Over time the impact of 529 savings will provide
  families with many more education and career
  choices

• SourceThe College Board, 2005 Trends in Student
  Aid