Follow these easy instructions to use College $ense:

• You can use Quicktime or Windows Media Player to view streaming videos of our students and our financial aid expert. (The Windows Media option is available for both high-speed and dial-up connections.)

• On the home page, run your mouse over the students' pictures. A profile of each student will appear in the right-hand sidebar. Click on the picture that interests you. A pop-up window will appear that asks you to select your media player. Once you've selected your player, a two-minute student video will begin.

• Each video addresses a particular family situation and financial-aid roadblock. You'll have the option of hearing that story to the end, or stopping midway and selecting another story. Hopefully, you'll find one that connects to you and your family circumstances.

• College $ense recognizes and celebrates the racial and cultural diversity of New York State students. Therefore, you can choose to experience the student videos in three languages other than English: Spanish, Mandarin, and Russian. These language options will be available to you on the student pop-ups.

• You can access our students' stories without multimedia by pressing the [No Multimedia] button on the student pop-ups. There, you'll be able to read transcripts of the videos.

• You will also have the option of meeting our very own financial aid expert, Sherwood Johnson, Director of Financial Aid at Brooklyn College, City University of New York. Go to the Ask The Expert section to learn about financial aid topics that may help you pay for your education.

College $ense is a collaboration between the City University of New York GEAR UP Program and the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC). This site is designed to help every college-bound student and their family better understand the financial-aid process in New York State.

The characters and events on College $ense are fictional and do not represent actual college admission, financial aid awards, or family circumstances. Any resemblance to actual events or individuals is purely coincidental. The information provided is only intended to be general summary information to the public. It is not intended to take the place of either written laws or regulations.