Indiana students to get free FAFSA filing help at College Goal Sunday

Thursday, October 17, 2019

WHAT: Financial aid professionals will be volunteering at Ivy Tech Community College Terre Haute to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday. Volunteers will assist Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Volunteers will walk through the online form line-by-line and answer questions as needed.

WHEN: November 3, 2019, 2- 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Ivy Tech Community College Terre Haute, 8000 S. Education Drive.

WHY: The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships and student loans at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide.

The FAFSA MUST be filed by April 15 to be eligible for Indiana financial aid. College Goal Sunday is so important since completing this required form correctly and by the deadline is sometimes perceived to be complicated and time-consuming.

In less than one afternoon at a College Goal Sunday event, students and their families can get free help and file the form online.

College Goal Sunday is a charitable program of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA).

What students should bring

*Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s), and parents’ should bring completed 2018 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2018 income and benefits information.

*Students who worked last year should bring their income information as well.

*Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed 2018 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2018 income and benefits information.

*Students and parents are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at fsaid.ed.gov before coming to the event.

For more information, visit CollegeGoalSunday.org.

Volunteers will walk through the online form line-by-line and answer families’ individual questions as needed. All sites offer FAFSA online capabilities and many have Spanish interpreters. A complete list of sites is available at CollegeGoalSunday.org.

Attendees may win educational prizes

Students may also win one of five $1000 scholarships. Students who attend any of the College Goal Sunday sites and submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered in a drawing for a $1000 scholarship. The winners will be notified in December, and prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by the winning students.

21st Century Scholars

21st Century Scholars are income-eligible students who sign a contract in the seventh or eighth grade promising they will graduate from high school, meet grade point requirements, fulfill a pledge of good citizenship, and apply for college financial aid.

Upon high school graduation, Scholars who have fulfilled the commitment receive state funds to help cover their college tuition and fees for eight semesters at eligible Indiana colleges.

To fulfill their pledge, scholars must submit a completed FAFSA form on time. College Goal Sunday can help.

The FASFA program is a national model

College Goal Sunday originated right here in Indiana and is now a national model. Following Indiana’s example, College Goal Sunday events organized by more than 34 states have opened doors to higher education for hundreds of thousands of students all over the country.

About Ivy Tech Community College

Ivy Tech Community College serves communities across Indiana, providing world-class education and driving economic transformation. It is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system.

It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering high-value degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its communities, along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana.

It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.

College Goal Sunday is a cooperative, charitable effort of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA).

It is provided in cooperation with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, and is funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc. and INvestEd.

“The event on November 3rd will be the first College Goal Sunday ISFAA is offering this FAFSA filing season,” said Bill Wozniak, co-chair of College Goal Sunday. “We hope all Hoosiers who have not filed already, take advantage of College Goal Sunday events across Indiana, file the FAFSA, and get one step closer to fulfilling their educational goals.”

According to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, programs like College Goal Sunday are reaching first-generation college students. In recent years, according to CHE statistics, more single-parent Hoosier families have filed for financial aid, indicating programs like College Goal Sunday are reaching high-risk students and their families.

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