Financial aid professionals will volunteer at Indiana University Northwest and 39 other Indiana sites to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday, set for 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 25 in Hawthorn Hall, Room 454.
The free program is designed to assist Indiana students who are seeking undergraduate admission to a college or technical school in 2018 in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, and loans and scholarships at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide.
FASFA filing must take place by April 15 to be eligible for state aid.
Now in its 29th year, College Goal Sunday, a charitable program of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA), helps Indiana students and families complete the FAFSA properly and on time, opening the door to financial aid for college.
Volunteers walk through the form line-by-line and answer families’ individual questions.
What students should bring
Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s) and bring their parents’ completed:
- 2016 IRS 1040 tax returns;
- W-2 Forms; or
- Other 2016 income and benefits information.
Students who worked last year should also bring their income information.
Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed:
- 2016 IRS 1040 tax return,
- W-2 Form; or
- Other 2016 income and benefits information.
Students and parents may apply for their U.S. Department of Education Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) at www.pin.ed.gov before coming to the event.
Attendees may win educational prizes
Students who attend College Goal Sunday and submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered into a drawing for one of 10 $1,000 scholarships. Winners will be notified in December.
Twenty-first Century Scholars benefit
Twenty-first 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.
For more information about College Goal Sunday, call the Helpline at 800-992-2076 or visit www.CollegeGoalSunday.org.
The IU Northwest Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships can be reached at (219) 980-6778.
