When many students hear about VSAC, they don’t really know what it is or how it works. Clark Amadon, the U-32 VSAC representative, was able to shed some light. “Vermont student assistance corporation helps Vermonters to figure out how to pay for college, to make colleges as affordable as possible,” Amadon said. “In high schools in Vermont, teachers and counselors are able to nominate students for services that VSAC provides.”
Asked about VSAC’s services, Clark said, ” We provide college counseling support, financial aid and scholarship support, we also take students on college visits, we also work with students on a monthly basis.”
Orlando Whitcomb-Worden, a U-32 junior, participates in the VSAC program. He said he “would definitely recommend it to anyone in need of a little more money to help pay for college, but only for people who are willing to be devoted to the program and are really ready for college – who have goals.” Since going to college is usually a family decision, knowing how it would affect the family as a whole should help the student decide whether to join the program or not.
Brandie, a parent of a VSAC student, said, “In our family, college is a new idea. No one taught my sisters and me about college. We didn’t want to go, so I don’t understand the process at all, meaning my kid is on her own in this… And for VSAC to help her with it means a lot to me.”