TIFTON – As stories of rising college costs nationally and frustrating delays in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process continue to concern prospective students and their families, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is touting a program to provide financial relief.
The ABAC Payment Plan allows students to defer a portion of the payment for a semester or their account balances, whichever is less, until up to 60 days after the semester begins. Jessica Miller, ABAC’s Bursar, said the plan has proven popular with students and hopes more people take advantage of it.
“The cost of attending ABAC offers exceptional value for a high-quality education,” she said. “This doesn’t happen by chance. Our focus is always on the students, exploring ways to support them and their families. As an ABAC alumna, I know first-hand the outstanding college experience ABAC delivers, and we aim to make it accessible to as many students as possible.”
A student’s deferrable balance is calculated after all actual and expected financial aid is applied to the student’s account. At least half of the deferred balance is due before classes begin and the remaining amount is due approximately 60 days into the term. The timing is compressed during the Summer semester due to the shortened nature of the term. Miller added that freshmen planning to enroll this fall can enroll in an estimated payment plan, allowing them to extend their payments before they are officially registered.
ABAC is the only state college in Georgia to offer an exclusive institutionally managed tuition payment plan. Students can choose from a variety of plans, each with different variables depending on enrollment date, percentage of down payment, number of payments, etc.
“This is one of the many reasons that ABAC is so often recognized for being a great value while offering a fantastic education,” said ABAC President Tracy Brundage. “Our tuition is among the lowest in the state, we award over $1.1 million in scholarships annually, and 59 percent of our graduates leave ABAC with no college debt. It’s an exciting time to be at ABAC and our payment plan is another way to assist our students and their families.”
For more information on the ABAC Payment Plan, visit www.abac.edu/affordability .