Massachusetts Independent Colleges Launch New "Mentor" Internet System
Boston, MA – February 1, 1999 – Independent colleges and universities in Massachusetts have just made it easier than ever for students to plan for and apply to college.
A new, free Internet-based information system will help prospective students prepare for college admission, seek information about independent higher education opportunities in Massachusetts, and find the best college choice for them among the 56 member institutions of the Association in Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM).
This innovative Internet information system, called MASSMentor, is designed and operated by XAP Corporation and is made available in cooperation with The Student Loan Corporation, a Citibank subsidiary.
The new website, www.massmentor.edu, takes prospective students on multimedia virtual campus tours, helps them match their needs and interests with specific institutions, establishes direct e-mail communication with campus representatives, performs scholarship searches, and provides a host of other features, including a comprehensive section on financial aid to help students and their families understand their financial aid opportunities and eligibility.
Once students have narrowed down their campus choices and decide to apply for admission, MASSMentor provides online admissions and financial aid applications for them to apply over the Internet, quickly and easily.
"We believe that MASSMentor is going to be a tremendous help in getting the word out about independent colleges and universities in Massachusetts," says Clare Cotton, president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts.
"In fact, one of the most appealing aspects is that the system is customized to benefit students of varying ages, backgrounds and aspirations."
For example, high school students can use MASSMentor to help plan their curriculum to assure they meet college admission requirements. At the same time, a graduate student may use MASSMentor to apply for graduate admissions online.
MASSMentor is an Internet-based information management system patterned after the highly successful CSUMentor system (www.csumentor.edu) designed for the California State University (CSU) which received over six hundred thousand visitors in its first year of operation.
Mentor systems in the United States are linked by a common database.
By merely "pointing and clicking," students may use their private and secure databases to fill out and electronically transmit a variety of admission and financial aid forms and applications to universities and colleges across the United States.
"It is this online transacting facility," explains Bill Beckmann, president of The Student Loan Corporation, "that attracted Citibank to this exciting new initiative.
We believe it's important that students and their families understand their financial aid opportunities and eligibility - and with MASSMentor, we are able to provide this information right at their fingertips!"
XAP Corporation provides student-centered, Internet-based, integrated services systems for students and their families on behalf of higher education institutions throughout the United States.
Citibank was one of the first banks to finance higher education, beginning in 1958.
Today, they are one of the largest originators and second-largest holder of insured student loans in the U.S., serving nearly 1 million customers.
For further information, contact Allen Firstenberg, XAP (310) 842-9800 or Alison Smith, AICUM (617) 742-5147.
