KOKOMO, Ind. – Finish your financial aid application in one afternoon, with free help from professionals, during College Goal Sunday.
Join us on Sunday, February 27, from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, on campus. Financial aid counselors will be on hand to help families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships, and federal student loans at most colleges, universities, and vocational/technical schools nationwide.
Application deadline is April 15 to be eligible for Indiana financial aid.
Financial Aid Counselor Meredith Dittfield said College Goal Sunday is open to all students, regardless of which college they plan to attend. Many families find the form to be complicated and time-consuming to complete, and by attending, they can have it done in less than an afternoon.
“We understand there can be a lot to learn when preparing to attend college, especially for those students who are first in their family to go,” Dittfield said. “By participating in College Goal Sunday, we are able to give students and their families the opportunity to learn about preparing for college and financial aid in a comfortable setting.”
Students should attend with their parent(s) or guardian(s), and parent(s) should bring completed 2020 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2020 income and benefits information, along with their social security numbers, driver’s license, and/or alien registration number for those who are not U.S. citizens.
Students who worked should also bring their income information. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their completed 2020 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2020 income and benefits information. Students and parent(s) are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at studentaid.gov before logging in to the event, but staff can also help with it.
Volunteers will walk through the online form line-by-line and answer families’ individual questions as needed.
Students may also win one of five $1,000 scholarships. Those who attend College Goal Sunday and submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered the drawing. The winners will be notified in the spring and scholarships will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by the winning students.
Now in its 33rd year, College Goal Sunday has helped more than 94,000 Indiana students and families complete the FAFSA properly and on time. College Goal Sunday is a charitable program of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA).
“Last year, Indiana high school graduates missed out on $65 million in Pell Grants by not filing the FAFSA,” said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers. “If you are considering education beyond high school, filing the FAFSA is the best way to ensure you are receiving available financial aid. College Goal Sunday offers one-on-one assistance from financial aid experts to students and families to ensure their FAFSA is accurately completed.”
For more information, go to CollegeGoalSunday.org.
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.