To help parents and grandparents learn more about saving for their children's future education, the Michigan Education Trust (MET) and Michigan Education Savings Program (MESP) will hold College Savings Webinars in July and August 2008. MET is the state's prepaid tuition program that locks in tomorrow's tuition at today's rates. MESP is the state's 529 college savings plan.

"It is never too early for parents to start saving for college," said Robin Lott, MET's executive director. "We're inviting Michigan families with young children to take advantage of this convenient and free opportunity to learn ways to take the guesswork out of saving for college and protect against future tuition increases."

The free, one-hour MET and MESP Webinars will help families learn how to put a stop to the rising cost of tuition and why acting now will pay off tomorrow. The seminars are scheduled as follows:

• Tuesday, July 22: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 23: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 29: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 30: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 20: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Thursday, August 21: 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Webinars require access to the Internet and a telephone. To participate, log in at www.SETwithMET.com and dial 1-800-851-3758. When prompted, enter access code 2033602#. You will be placed on hold until the Webinar begins.

Since its debut in 1988 as the nation's first guaranteed tuition program, MET has sold more than 86,000 contracts and has assets of more than $1 billion. Not only are MET contracts portable to Michigan private and out-of-state colleges and universities, they may be transferred to other eligible family members. Since 1988, well over 90 percent of high school graduates with MET contracts have gone on to attend a college or university. MESP is consistently ranked as one of the nation's most popular and successful college savings programs. Like MET, MESP account owners qualify for tax-free growth and spending if used for qualified higher education expenses.

For more information about Michigan's college savings plans, visit www.SETwithMET.com (MET) or www.misaves.com (MESP), or call 1-800-MET-4-KID or 1-877-861-MESP.