College Goal Sunday Offers Free FAFSA Help

Financial aid professionals will make an appearance at the Plymouth High School and 40 other sites throughout the state to volunteer their time in helping college-bound students and their families with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid during College Goal Sunday. The free program will take place on Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. ET.

The program aims to assist Indiana students who are seeking undergraduate admission to a college or technical school this year in filing the FAFSA, which is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, loans, and scholarships. The FAFSA must be filed by March 10 in order for the student to be eligible for state aid.

Many people think this required form is complicated and time-consuming to complete, but in one afternoon at College Goal Sunday, students and their families can get free help and file the form online. To make filing the FAFSA easier, volunteers walk through the form line-by-line and answer families’ individual questions. All sites offer FAFSA online capabilities and many have Spanish interpreters. A complete list of sites is available at www.CollegeGoalSunday.org.

Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s) and bring their parents’ completed 2012 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2012 income and benefits information. Students who worked last year, should bring their income information. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed 2012 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2012 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.