If you have a high school student in your life, make sure they check the mailbox.

The 2023-2024 school year is coming to a close, and many New York high school students are making big choices regarding their future. A letter from Governor Kathy Hochul may make those decisions a little easier.

New York high school seniors may receive a letter from Governor Kathy Hochul about completing government financial aid forms
New York high school seniors may receive a letter from Governor Kathy Hochul about completing government financial aid forms (wingedwolf via Canva)
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Financial Aid Awareness in New York State

April is Financial Aid Awareness Month, and in that spirit, Governor Hochul is sending letters to both high school seniors as well as local New York principals to inform them of money that may be available for further education.

For Financial Aid Awareness Month, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul is sending letters to high school seniors with information about FAFSA
For Financial Aid Awareness Month, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul is sending letters to high school seniors with information about FAFSA (Google)
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What’s in the Letters Governor Hochul Is Sending High School Seniors?

The governor's office shares that the letters to students contain "helpful tips and resources to complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)", and that letters to principals encourage them to help graduating seniors with securing the aid that may make the difference in pursuing a higher education.

Read More: The 3 Most Selective Colleges In New York State 

Not only do FAFSA applications help secure money for college, but the simple act of completing the form can be a giant step for students, as the governor's office reports that 90 percent of graduating seniors who complete a FAFSA attend college the semester following graduation. Which school to apply to, however, is a different decision all together.

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While New York State has some impressive colleges and universities, some are easier to attend than others (see State University of New York acceptance rate rankings HERE). The decision may also come down to which school has the best campus life... or best college guests. Speaking of which, check out that happened when a black bear visited SUNY New Paltz below.

Bear on Campus at SUNY New Paltz NY

On Thursday (June 23, 2022) this unassuming good-size black bear wandered onto campus and decided to climb a tree. The SUNY New Paltz Police along with the NYS DEC Police monitored the situation on-site. They were able to encourage the campus visitor to return home without incident.

Gallery Credit: Paty Quyn

KEEP SCROLLING: How The SUNY Schools Performed in Wall Street Journal's College Rankings

The Wall Street Journal has released it's ranking of all the colleges and universities in the United States. Keep going to see where the SUNY schools landed.