News & Updates for Education Professionals

Vermont grants

Don't let your Vermont students leave money on the table! Eligible students received from $1,000 to $12,300 in Vermont grants for the 2019–2020 academic year. Encourage your students to:

• apply for the Vermont grant. For those who have applied, check your MyVSAC account to be sure you've completed all steps.
• complete the FAFSA.
• research and apply for scholarships.

High schools: Did you know that you can use VSAC's FAFSA Completion Tool to identify students who haven't completed their financial aid applications? Contact our grants department (800-882-4166) to ask us how. 

VSAC-assisted scholarships update

Although the deadline has passed for all VSAC-assisted scholarships, students can still apply for other scholarships. Check pp 35-46 of the booklet for scholarships with deadlines open through July 30.

VSAC's scholarships booklet and USA are available online. 

How VSAC can help with the FAFSA

• VSAC'S FACEBOOK LIVE: Share the recorded VSAC Facebook Live event held in October. Carrie Harlow, VSAC's very own in-house FAFSA expert, provides question-by-question guidance on how to fill out the FAFSA.  

• VSAC'S FAFSA HELP LINE: If your families can't get to the VSAC Resource Center, urge them to call our toll-free FAFSA helpline at (1-833) 802VSAC, Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–4:30 pm.

• FALL FINANCIAL AID FORMS WORKSHOPS AT VERMONT HIGH SCHOOLS: VSAC's statewide workshops provide families with help in completing the FAFSA. Dates are posted on our calendar (check often, as new locations are often added and dates may change). Please promote your event by posting it on your website and e-mailing senior students and parents two weeks before your scheduled workshop.

For Seniors:

• May 1 is typically the deadline to commit to a college. Use this tool to see if a school you've applied to has made any changes to their deadlines. Or call the school directly to double-check. 
• VSAC still plans to have most scholarships selected and awarded by May 1. Check your myVSAC account for updates.  
• Filed the FAFSA but something has changed for your family’s finances? There are two things you need to do:
  • Call or email the financial aid office at each college to update them on your circumstances.
  • Call or e-mail VSAC to update VSAC for your State Grant. Call 800-882-4166 or email grants@vsac.org
• Haven’t filled out your FAFSA or Vermont grant applications? There’s still time! For pointers, watch our Facebook Live event, which provides a question-by-question walk-through of FAFSA and Grant applications. 
• Need help comparing financial aid offers? Compare offers from different colleges using our resources, watch this video to listen VSAC staff on VPR’s Vermont Edition, or download VSAC’s financial aid offer comparison tool 
• As you think through all the options to pay for your education, watch this video to help you think through all the costs. 
• When considering loans, start with with VSAC to Know More, Borrow Less.

For Sophomores & Juniors:

• Keep your college/technical training planning going: Students should be researching colleges or technical training programs. Many colleges/technical training programs are offering virtual tours right now and those can all be found on each specific college/technical program website. Watch our online presentation, The College Search: Finding the Right Fit, with VSAC outreach counselor Soren Dews. And check out our complete YouTube playlist for videos on planning and paying for college.
• Updates on SAT & ACT: Though recent and upcoming test dates have been cancelled, you can make it work to your advantage! The College Board has lots of free SAT prep materials and ACT has free ACT prep materials. Khan Academy also offers free test prep and online learning opportunities for AP courses and beyond.  
• You may be starting to think about college costs. Our Managing College Costs statewide workshop is now online! Watch the video to help you think through all the ways you can manage college costs. 

For Parents:

• Helping your student plan: Did you and your family want to attend one of VSAC’s College and Career Pathways events? Check out the resources we organized, including video recordings. If you watch a video and have any questions about anything, reach out to your VSAC Outreach Counselor or Anna Telensky (telensky@vsac.org). 
• Maybe you'd like to take an online class? With all this time at home, maybe now is the right time to explore going to college or finishing a degree or a certificate that you've been thinking about! We can talk about your plan and the financial aid that's available to pay for it. Call 877-961-4369 to set up a phone appointment with a VSAC EOC counselor in your community. 

Advance Vermont Launches Data Dashboard to Track Education and Training Progress 

Advance Vermont has launched a new interactive data dashboard to measure progress toward Vermont’s postsecondary attainment goal, illuminate equity-related gaps, and prompt action to increase Vermont’s postsecondary attainment rate. It gives policymakers, education and training providers, and workforce development professionals a valuable new tool as we work to ensure that all Vermonters have access to the education and training they need for both their own individual prosperity and the economic growth of the state. 
 
The dashboard includes 26 indicators of postsecondary success in the areas of postsecondary readiness, aspiration, affordability, enrollment, completion, and career readiness. It explains why each indicator is important and, where possible, filters data by region and identity to allow for a deeper dive. 

VSAC's Educational Opportunity Center—easy as a phone call! 

Do you know any adults who would like to take a step toward new career possibilities and aren’t sure where to begin? VSAC’s EOC services can help. Our counselors understand the needs of adult students and are ready to help individuals take steps in a new direction. All services are free.

Call us toll-free today! 
In the Rutland or Bennington areas: 786-8840
In the Burlington area: 654-3793
In all other areas: toll-free 877-961-4369

VSAC’s research continues to shape higher education policy in Vermont

View the latest reports, county fact sheets, and past survey results >

College & Career Pathways 2020 has gone virtual.

COVID-19 hasn't stopped us from bringing you the best college planning information and resources in Vermont.

View workshop video recordings and find resources, handouts, and links to statewide employers and agencies eager to support your career goals and interests with apprenticeships and other job programs. Find it all here. 

You can also find a list of all of the organizations that would have participated in the Resource Fair, with links to their websites, under the Career Training Resource Fair Exhibitors tab on the event page.

We welcome input and feedback from schools and stakeholders. Contact Anna Telensky, VSAC GEAR UP Special Events Coordinator, with questions or comments: telensky@vsac.org, 802-542-2229.

Here are some links that your families may find helpful during the coronavirus situation:

College Admission Status Updates — information about changes in college admission events, deposit dates, and more as a result of the coronavirus outbreak

Virtual Admissions Events — alphabetical list of American colleges & universities; describes each school's virtual admissions events and provides web registration links

SAT Coronavirus Updates 

ACT testing FAQ  

Khan Academy — SAT practice as well as other online learning  

SAT On Demand—One Month Free from Kaplan —  a free month of SAT On Demand to support all students with their distance learning 

Free AP Programming from Kaplan — free AP prep sessions on YouTube live for AP US History, AP World History, and AP Biology. These sessions will focus on question review and include time to ask a teacher questions.