On February 12, 2018, when Mersadies Shantie was 12 years old, her mom suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. That night, still stunned from the loss, Mersadies left her home in Mooers Forks, New York, and moved to Sheldon, Vermont, to live with her dad, stepmom and three adopted sisters. “It was
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Blog Archive: Preparing for College Costs
This past fall the U.S. Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) announced plans to release an updated Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2024-2025 school year. The FAFSA is the first step in getting financial aid for college and many career training programs
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If you’re an education professional, student, or parent you’ve we know you’ve been waiting on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) rollout. The FAFSA application is the first step in getting financial aid for college and career training programs. The FAFSA is usually available in
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The new year gives you a chance to reflect on what you love about life, and what you want to change in the future. Education has always been a powerful tool for enhancing life choices and goals. If you see college education as a gateway to a new life, consider the 802Opportunity grant. The
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Over the 50 years of speaking with students who've completed high school and achieved their first early-adulthood goals, one common denominator has led to their success. Whether college admission, career training, or starting a job, adults close to them have shared their guidance, encouragement, and
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If you still need to buy holiday gifts for children (and any students) in your life, you may be asking yourself, “What can I give that will be lasting and meaningful, long after the gift wrap is thrown away?” And if you’re a parent or guardian looking to balance your books after finishing your
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The Thanksgiving season is for giving thanks and giving back. In that spirit, we wanted to highlight three Vermont students we’ve profiled in 2023, who, thanks to the support of their families, their employers, and the VSAC counselors who guided them on their college and career paths, are on their
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Eleanor Placey of the Newbury High School Alumni Association and VSAC VP Tom Little, with the historic Newbury School and church in the background. Newbury High School alumni enable local Oxbow students to fund their future with the Newbury Alumni Memorial Scholarship. Eleanor Placey, a longtime
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For First Generation Day, meet first-gen students who now work for VSAC: Jessi Krause Herron (bottom left), Monda Kelley (bottom right), Dylan Bertolini (upper right), Beth Clay (upper middle), Sarah Friend (upper left). If your parents didn't graduate from college, you're less likely to pursue
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“I think FAFSAs are fun,” says Chris Barry, VSAC’s Resource Center Supervisor, flashing a bright smile and sitting up a little straighter in his seat. “But,” he concedes, “not everybody does.” For parents of college-bound high school seniors, who are just now starting the bewildering process of
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