June 02, 2008

A video of the conference, featuring NYS Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and other consumer and education experts, is found under Parents and Kids in How to Pay for College.

More than 400 people attended the April 14 conference at the county center on the issue of college financing. "Choosing the right student loan is important, because it can affect your financial standing for years to come," said County Executive Andy Spano.

In 2007, the average cost of tuition was $13,589 at a four-year public college and $32,307 at a four year private college. According to the NY Times, last academic year, families took out more than $78 billion in loans to pay for college. The most alarming thing about it is that one in five students passed up a less expensive federal loan in favor of a more expensive private loan.

In addition to the keynote speaker AG Andrew Cuomo, the video features experts who provide information on financial aid, college loans, financing strategies, and how to be a good consumer when choosing a loan.

They include:

• Heather McDonnell (moderator) – Director of Financial Aid, Sarah Lawrence College
• Sabrina Lerman – Financial Aid counselor, Westchester Community College
• Benjamin Lawsky – Deputy Counselor and Special Assistant to the NYS Attorney General
• Chuck Bell – Programs director, Consumer Union
• Gary Brown – Director, Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection

More information on college financing is available through the Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection.