By Madina Toure
The Queens Parent Advisory Board, co-chaired by Borough President Melinda Katz, will meet later this month to discuss “The College Admissions Process and How to Fund Your Child’s College Education.”
The meeting is scheduled to take place Feb. 25 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Queens Borough Hall at 120-55 Queens Blvd. in Kew Gardens. Speakers will include Katz; Lonnie Threatte, vice president of the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation; Joanna Kucharski, CUNY’s recruitment coordinator; Julieta Schiffino, SUNY’s associate director for financial aid services; and Susan Shiroma, the Foundation Center’s senior social sector librarian.
The event is free and open to the public. Participants should RSVP by calling (718) 286-2850, as space may be limited.
Katz said applying for colleges can be complicated for both students and parents and that higher education “has become more and more expensive.”
“Our next Parent Advisory Board meeting will help clarify the college admissions process for parents, and offer guidance on how their kids can apply for grants, scholarships and other forms of financial aid that can help cover the cost of attending college,” she said.
Officials from the State University of New York and the City University of New York will make a presentation about the admissions process and their scholarship, grants and financial aid programs such as the Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge program and the Equal Opportunity Program.
Shiroma will present the Foundation Center’s online database of scholarships and grants. Threatte will share Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s “529 College Savings Plan” and his new “Get On Your Feet” Loan Forgiveness Program, which offers up to 24 months of federal student loan debt relief to recent college graduates living in the state.
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtour
