News

Students at a Paying for College Bus Tour stop, Reading, PA

Sallie Mae Fund announces new publication to help families save for college

Free resource on smart saving strategies now available

Reston, Va., Dec. 12, 2007—New research from the Institute for Higher Education Policy and The Sallie Mae Fund shows that while 9 out of 10 parents of middle school children expect their child to go to college, nearly two-thirds have not started saving. To help families get started, The Sallie Mae Fund announces "Saving for College: What You Can Do Today to Cover Your College Costs," (PDF, 3.6 MB) a free, easy-to-read introduction to savings tools for families preparing to make the investment in higher education.

Available at www.salliemaefund.org (PDF, 3.6 MB), this four-page publication offers both parents and students tips on smart saving strategies. It also gives a brief description of the financial tools available for families preparing for college, including 529 college savings plans, 529 pre-paid tuition plans, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, college rewards programs, and other options.

"No matter their income, their education or circumstance, parents want to see their children pursue a higher education," said Kathleen deLaski, president of The Sallie Mae Fund. "This resource helps those families who don't know where to start to learn more about the many flexible and tax-free programs designed to help them save to make that investment."

In addition to making the publication available via its Web site, The Sallie Mae Fund will distribute 10,000 printed copies through its Paying for College Bus Tour, Kids to College middle school program, and other venues.

The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, achieves its mission—to increase access to a post-secondary education for America's students—by supporting programs and initiatives that help open doors to higher education, prepare families for their investment, and bridge that gap when no one else can. For more information, visit www.salliemaefund.org.

Contact

Patricia Nash Christel
The Sallie Mae Fund
703-984-5382
patricia.christel@salliemae.com