Tuition Town Hall Offers Wealth of Resources

Three people attended Thursday’s town hall meeting on college tuition organized and sponsored by state Rep. Dian Slavens, D-21st District.

Slavens, whose district includes Canton, said the winter storm forecast and a competing town hall on the state’s tax incentives (which drew about 1,200 to a Livonia hall) were two factors that likely kept people away from her event. She said she tries to host tuition town halls on a regular basis to help parents and their children as they make college decisions and said she typically sees a dozen or more parents.

Kim and Bob Benintende of Canton attended, looking for college funding options in addition to the Michigan Education Trust accounts they have for each of their three children, now 16, 14 and 12.

Kim Benintende rapidly jotted notes during short presentations by Robin Lott, Michigan Education Trust executive director and a state compliance inspector for education savings plans, and Tom Freeland, the Michigan Department of Education college access and outreach unit supervisor.

The two state officials managed to keep the conversation friendly and the information, some of it complex, fairly easy to understand as they flipped through slides.

Both emphasized the importance of planning ahead to meet application deadlines, whether for colleges or for financial aid, from grants to loans.

“This was absolutely worth it,” said Chuck Coleman of Van Buren Township, referring to the time he spent listening and taking notes. Coleman said he saved for years to put his daughter through college and was surprised at how fast the costs gobbled up the $20,000 educational nest egg he had amassed.

“After a year and a half, it was gone,” he said. Now, he and his wife are raising their granddaughter, Kimberly, 6, and planning for her college years.

Coleman, who is retired from his DTE Energy job, said he was glad to learn that parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc., can invest in a Michigan Education Trust account — which will pay for tuition, books and some supplies — and can also put money into an account to cover other expenses, such as room and board.

“I thought you could do one or the other,” he said.

Planning for education savings is complicated but worthwhile, Freeland told his small audience, and it’s advice he personally follows.

“A lot of this can be overwhelming, and this is our first rodeo at the age of our kids,” said Bob Benintende. “If you said, 'Here’s where to start,' what would be the first thing to do? Check out FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)? Is it to go to state resources?”

“Saving,” Freeland answered. “The sooner the better, start saving; it’s the big key.

"If you’re unable or just have not done it, and the students are in high school, and you’re staring down the gun barrel, the best thing you can do is to help your student meet those deadlines,” he added.

Other tips for college planning

• Parents can start a Michigan Education Savings Plan with as little as $25.
• Start shopping for colleges early, when the student is a high school junior, keeping a folder for each school to track programs, scholarships and notes about campus visits.
• College applications should be filed by Thanksgiving of a student’s senior year.
• By January or February of the student’s senior year, families who need educational grants, loans or scholarships should be filling out all the necessary forms and applications to meet the March deadlines. Many can be completed online.
• Students should apply to several colleges, including what Freeland called a “reach” school, such as Harvard, if the student would like to attend it. “There’s a place for everyone,” he said. “A student can have a great experience at Alma, MSU, Macomb Community College. They can have life-changing, wonderful experiences that propel them on to their rest of their lives. They can have that at many different places.”
• Visit colleges the student is seriously considering to get a sense of campus atmosphere.
• Be prepared in the event of life changes, such as a death in the family, divorce or job loss that could preclude a student’s college plans.
• Toss letters from companies offering to find scholarship and grant money for a fee. “They’re scams,” said Lott.
• Financial aid for college comes from a variety of sources. Start local: Parents should check with their own employers to see if aid is available, as well as with professional organizations and community groups, such as Elks, Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary or other clubs, veterans organizations and other groups, as well as area institutions, such as hospitals, that may offer help to students majoring in specific fields.
• Families also may be able to get financial help based on family difficulties, such as being Medicaid-eligible, or related to a wounded or deceased military veteran, firefighter or police officer. Some programs will award scholarships based on academics, financial need or both. Other resources include unions, churches and professional associations.
• Plan for work-study, which not only gives students a paycheck but can provide work-related references when a college student starts hunting for jobs after graduation.
• Research online. Two websites are Michigan.gov/studentaid and finaid.org.
• Visit libraries ( and the Michigan eLibrary are two), which Freeland called “a tremendous source of information.”

“Investing in education is the best investment ever,” said Slavens, as she ended the town hall.