Senator Berry Announces Enrollment Period for College Savings Program
Press Release - May 19, 2001

Senator Frederick E. Berry announces the 2001 enrollment period for the U.Plan, the prepaid tuition program that allows families to lock in current rates for future tuition at 82 colleges and universities in Massachusetts. The enrollment period for the U.Plan is currently open and will continue through June 15, 2001.

"The U.Plan is an unique opportunity for students and their families to lock in today's prices for tomorrow's tuition," said Senator Berry. "With the rising costs of college tuition, I feel that this program and the other resources provided by the Commonwealth are invaluable to students and their families."

This program is administered by the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA), a non-profit state authority whose mission is to promote the economic development of the higher education industry through low-cost financing alternatives, structured college savings programs, and by providing college financing expertise to students, families, colleges, and universities.

The U.Plan, which is sponsored by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the only prepaid tuition program in the country that locks in tuition and mandatory fees at current rates for both public and private colleges and universities, and is open to residents of any state. By buying special "Tuition Certificates" backed by Commonwealth of Massachusetts general obligation bonds, U.Plan participants are guaranteed that the portion of tuition they buy will keep up with the rate of college inflation.

College Savings Program 2

In addition to the U.Plan Prepaid Tuition Program, MEFA also offers a College investing program, the U.Fund. This program, managed in partnership with Fidelity Investments, enables families to save for qualified higher education expenses, such as tuition, fees, tuition, room and board, books, supplies, and other costs associated with college, through a selected portfolio of professionally managed Fidelity mutual funds. These funds can be used at any accredited college or university in the country.

To learn more about the U.Plan, the U.Fund, or any of the other college financing programs, students and families can contact MEFA by calling 800-449-MEFA or visiting their website at www.mefa.org.