About 78% of first-year students received some form of financial assistance for the 2002-03 school year.

HOW THE INDEPENDENT 529 PLAN WORKS

Beneficiary "Ben" is 8 years old when tuition is purchased and enrolls ten years later in a college that offered a 1.5 percent discount through the Independent 529 Plan.

• Today's tuition: $20,000
• Today's cost to Ben’s family: $17,195
• Ben's eventual scheduled tuition: $32,578
• Ben presents his Independent 529 Plan Certificate: -$32,578
• Balance due for tuition: $ 0