GAcollege411.org will launch February 2005

Online resource will help students explore careers and plan for college

The Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC), together with its partners, is developing a new web resource (www.GAcollege411.org) to help Georgia students prepare for life after high school. GAcollege411.org will be a free, online, interactive resource that helps students make choices about careers, colleges, and financial aid. 

“Students in high school, even middle school, should be exploring careers, comparing colleges, and lining up the financial resources required to pay for a college education,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “GAcollege411 will be a one-stop-shop, where Georgia students will find a wealth of information to help them prepare for their futures.”

“This is going to be a terrific resource for Georgia students, parents, and high school counselors,” said Shelley Nickel, president of the Georgia Student Finance Commission, which is sponsoring the initiative and leading the multi-agency team responsible for development and implementation. “Over the past year, a lot of planning and a lot of hard work has gone into GAcollege411.org. I’m excited that now we are so close to making the site available —at no cost — to all Georgians."

GAcollege411.org features:

My411 lets students set up their individual, password-protected accounts giving them access to all GAcollege411 resources and helping them to manage all their online activities.

Career Information  provides access to hundreds of job descriptions, average salaries, required training, plus assessments to help students match their skills, personalities, and goals with specific careers.

Student Planner features SAT, ACT, and GRE preparation and online practice tests. Students can map their high school coursework to ensure they meet the requirements of the colleges and the programs of study that interest them. Other online tools will help counselors advise their students.

GA Colleges enables students to compare programs, costs, and campuses of more than 100 public and private universities and colleges, and public technical colleges in Georgia .

Applications and Transcripts and other records can be transmitted electronically, instantly, and securely. Users can apply online for admission to any Georgia college, and they can apply for the HOPE Scholarship and other financial aid resources.

Paying for College provides a catalog of federal and state financial aid resources, professional advice on finding and applying for aid, a repayment calculator, guidelines for responsible borrowing, and repayment options.

GA College Savings Plan lays out all the facts about Georgia’s 529 college savings plan.

GAcollege411.org will launch February 2005. At that time, five components will be fully operational: My411, Paying for College, GA Colleges, Career Information, and Test Preparations. All other components will be introduced July 2005.

GAcollege411 is a service of the State of Georgia provided by the Georgia Student Finance Commission, the Office of the Governor and many Georgia partners, including the University System of Georgia, the Department of Technical and Adult Education, the Foundation for Independent Colleges, the Department of Education, the School Counselors Association, the Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services, Georgia Public Broadcasting, the Professional Standards Commission, and the Georgia Public Library Service.

Georgia Student Finance Commission originates, funds, and services 15 different low-interest education loan programs including Stafford and PLUS loans, consolidation loans, and state service-cancelable loans. GSFC administers nine scholarship and grant programs, including Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship. In fiscal year 2003, GSFC awarded $705,461,080 in financial aid to 317,956 students.

Additional information about GSFC products and services is available at www.gsfc.org, or phone 1-800-505-4732.

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