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Media Contact:
Kristina Tirloni
TG
(512) 219-4990
(800) 252-9743, ext. 4990
kristina.tirloni@tgslc.org

February 5, 2010

TG and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board host 5th annual College Access & Affordability Telethon

Round Rock, TX — TG, in collaboration with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), will host the fifth annual College Access and Affordability telethons, starting February 9. The telethons are designed to encourage Texans to attend college, and to offer viewers information and resources on the financial aid process.

Representatives from TG, THECB, and volunteers will be on-hand to answer questions related to filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA). Students must fill out the FAFSA to access federal, state, and college financial aid. The TASFA may be required for undocumented students who have lived in Texas three years prior to graduating from high school. These students are not eligible for federal financial aid, but may qualify for certain state financial aid.

"Last year, the telethons were broadcast in nine Texas regions, reaching about 4 million viewers," said Richard Sapp, TG's Director of Pre-college Success. "We're encouraging a large population of students and families that there is a way for them to go to and pay for a higher education. Many have traditionally thought college was not an option, because of low-income or first-generation concerns."

The College Access and Affordability telethons will be broadcast in 11 Texas cities, including:

  • Tyler (February 9, KLTV)
  • Dallas/Fort Worth (February 10,Spanish station, KUVN)
  • Austin (February 11, Spanish station, KAKW)
  • San Antonio (February 17, KSAT)
  • Laredo (February 18, Spanish station, KLDO)
  • Houston (February 22, Spanish station, KXLN)
  • Beaumont/Port Arthur (February 23, KFDM)
  • San Antonio (February 24, Spanish station, KWEX)
  • El Paso (February 25, Spanish station, KINT)
  • Lubbock (March 2, KCBD)

Viewers are directed to call the Texas Financial Aid Information Center (TFAIC), a toll-free helpline, where financial aid experts are available to help answer questions in English and Spanish. The number is (888) 331-8881.

"Our goal with the College Access and Affordability telethons is to help students realize that their college dreams can come true," said Sapp. "Many students believe that college is out of reach because they don't come from an economically-advantaged background. We're here to tell them, 'Funds may be available, but you have to apply. Let us show you how.'" Economically disadvantaged high school graduates in Texas are less likely to enroll in college. This is true across all racial and ethnic categories.

Percent of 2006-07 Texas High School Graduates Enrolled in Texas Higher Education in Fall 2007, by Ethnicity

For more information about FAFSA or TASFA guidelines, please visit www.collegeforalltexans.com.

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TG is a public, nonprofit corporation that helps create access to higher education for millions of families and students through its role as an administrator of the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). Its vision is to be the premier source of information, financing, and assistance to help all families and students realize their educational and career dreams.

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