Senator Malcolm Smith Announces New York State's College Aid Awareness Network (CAAN) Project Aimed At Helping Families Pay For College

State Senator Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) today announced the New York State’s College Aid Awareness Network (CAAN) project, a year long series of special projects and events aimed at helping students and families pay for college. CAAN is a cooperative project of the New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association (NYSFAAA) and the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC).

"It is imperative that Southeast Queens students be educated about the financial aid opportunities available to them. CAAN consists of statewide events, fact sheets and financial aid charts to assist students in determining what aid they are eligible for. This program will be a vital resource to Southeast Queens students preparing to go to college, especially those struggling to find ways to pay for their tuition in today’s economy," said Senator Smith.

The project provides detailed information on all aspects of financial aid, such as where to find financial aid applications, frequently asked questions and aid calculators, as well as college and career planning.

"I hope that all college bound students and their parents will take advantage of this valuable resource. Planning for college is a daunting task, especially when it comes to financial aid options. This project allows students and parents to explore different financial aid options and to ask questions and research the choices available to them. I know this project is going to be a tremendous help to so many students," said Senator Smith.

Students with financial aid questions can find helpful information at the NYSFAAA and HESC websites, www.nysfaaa.org and www.hesc.org.