Serving our community is at the heart of all we do. During these challenging times, we remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting Vermont students and their families. Click here for VSAC program updates in response to COVID-19.
GUIDE
Giving Undergraduates Important Direction in Their Education
Your GEAR UP Scholarship
- Step One: Log into your MyVSAC account.
- Step Two: Under “Scholarships”- select “Work with VSAC Assisted Scholarships”
- Step Three: Under “Scholarships Management”- select “Scholarships.”
- Step Four: If you see your GEAR UP Scholarship listed, is it going to the right school? Select “Institution Information” to check:
If you don’t see your scholarship listed, e-mail Jessica Smith. She can help you.
NOTE: Are you planning to transfer schools during or after your first year in college? Your GEAR UP Scholarship automatically renews unless you transfer schools. Update the transfer by logging into your MyVSAC account. and completing the Unified Scholarship Application.
Navigating Bills and Financial Aid
- Decode your financial aid offers.
- Check out this video: How To Read A College Financial Aid Statement.
- To crunch the numbers, use VSAC's financial aid comparison tool or the tool from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
- In this podcast, VSAC talks to a Vermont high school student about navigating her financial aid offer.
- Do you have questions about your bill? Call your financial aid office and ask:
- Can you walk me through my bill?
- How much do I owe?
- What other costs are associated with my program— travel, computer, uniforms, equipment, supplies? Do I need to pay for college health insurance?
- Do you need to take out private loans after you've borrowed the maximum in federal student loans? You’re not alone. Among the class or 2019, 69% of students took out federal and private loans to finance their education.
Be an informed consumer. Shop around. Compare interest rates. Here are a variety of resources to help you get started:
- VSAC Loan Department can answer your loan questions: Call 800-226-1029 Monday–Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm or visit vsac.org/loans.
- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains how to choose a loan that's right for you.
- Contact the bank or lending institution where you already have an account. Ask about student loan options and interest rates.
- Learn about cosigners.
- Learn about how loan interest works.
- Wondering about student loan repayment? Use this calculator to estimate monthly payments after graduation.
Text messaging to get help and advice
GUIDE text messaging can provide:
- helpful reminders.
- access to a GUIDE counselor to answer your questions.
- parents/guardians and students with similar reminders and updates to keep everyone on the same page.
“Opt in” and get started:
- Each high school graduating class has their own text number. Send a message to the phone number that goes with your graduating class year:
- Grad Year 2019: (802) 230-7971
- Grad Year 2020: (802) 234-8205
- You’ll be prompted to text your first and last name and your high school. We’ll get you set up from there.
If you aren’t receiving text messages, e-mail Jessica Smith or text the phone number that matches your grad year from high school.
Connecting to Supports and Earning Textbook Money
Open your GUIDE passport to find out how to earn textbook money.
And click on each school's green bar for links to more resources.
- Castleton University
- Community College of Vermont
- Northern Vermont University–Johnson
- Northern Vermont University–Lyndon
- University of Vermont
- Vermont Technical College
- Out-of-State and Vermont Private Colleges
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- Search online to see if your school has TRIO/Student Support Services, free tutoring, academic support, etc.
- Find contact information on your school’s financial aid webpage.
Helpful Videos for GUIDE Students
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