If you want to participate in a program starting this fall in Northport to offer financial assistance to graduates to attend college, a formula released this week suggests that enrolling sooner is better than later.

More details of the program were released by the Northport Promise committee, including a scale showing how attending Northport School longer will provide more money for college.

A Northport graduate would have to attend all 12 or 13 years of his or her school career at Northport to receive 100 percent of the funding offered. Attending four or five years of schooling at Northport Public School would be reimbursed with 50 percent of funding available. A sliding scale adjusts funding levels from six years (55 percent) to 11 years (95 percent) of schooling.

Students and their parents would be responsible for applying for the assistance, and for providing documentation showing academic progress to continue receiving funds through four years of college.

Children of seasonal employees are also eligible as long as they attend Northport each of their four years of high school for at least six months each year.

When fully funded — which may take several years, according to Northport Promise committee member Ruth Steele Walker — the program will aim to completely pay for tuition of eligible Northport graduates for up to four years of post-high school education. Graduates attending two-year universities and trade schools would also be eligible.

Of course, some graduates will be offered other tuition scholarships — which they should accept, Walker said.

If financial assistance is not needed for tuition, it can be applied first to room and board, and then toward books and other fees, she said.

More information is available online at www.northportpromise.com, by calling 386-5808, or by mailing to Northport Promise, P.O. Box 292, Northport 49670.