Fall is the time of year when many graduating high school seniors start to look toward the future. According to the New York State Education Department, in 2010, 82 percent of high school graduates in New York entered postsecondary education which includes either two- or four-year institutions. In order to attend, most students will apply for some type of financial aid whether it is in the form of student loans or scholarships or a combination of both. There are a number of grants and scholarships available through the state. I want to take some time this week to highlight some of the assistance programs available to state residents. By far the largest grant program available is the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). This program helps eligible New York residents attending in-state postsecondary institutions pay for tuition. TAP grants are based on the applicant’s and his or her family’s New York State taxable income. This year the state budget increased the total TAP award. New York is spending close to $1 billion on the program. The average TAP award is $2,497 per qualifying student. Apart from TAP, there are several other programs and scholarship awards. Below is a list of some of those programs: Other scholarship and assistance programs are available, and a complete list of both state and federal scholarship and grant opportunities can be found at hesc.ny.gov. More details are available on the website as well. If you have any questions or comments on this or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office. My office can be reached by mail at 200 North Second St., Fulton, New York 13069, by e-mail at [email protected] or by calling 598-5185.