College-Bound Students to Get Free Help Filing for Financial Aid through IU Northwest

rot1Financial aid professionals will volunteer at Indiana University Northwest and 35 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. 22 in Hawthorn Hall, Room 428.

The free program is designed to assist Indiana students who are seeking undergraduate admission to a college or technical school in 2014 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 filling must take place by March 10 to be eligible for state aid.

Now in its 26th year, College Goal Sunday, a charitable program of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA), has helped more than 90,000 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:
2014 IRS 1040 tax returns;
W-2 Forms; or
Other 2014 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:
2014 IRS 1040 tax return,
W-2 Form; or
Other 2014 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 16 $1,000 scholarships. Winners will be notified in March.

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.

Program is a national model
College Goal Sunday has more than tripled its reach, from 10 sites statewide in its first year to 36 sites currently, and it has become a national model to other College Goal Sunday programs. In addition to Indiana, College Goal Sunday now takes place in more than 35 other states.

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.

About Indiana University Northwest
As one of seven Indiana University campuses, IU Northwest leads the region as the premier, urban campus dedicated to serving the needs of more than 6,000 students from the state’s most diverse and industrialized region. Committed to helping its local Northwest Indiana communities thrive, IU Northwest is best-known for providing a personal, quality and affordable education close to home. IU Northwest positions its students to be leaders with more than 70 undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional degree options available from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and Human Services, the School of Business and Economics, and the School of Education. The campus is also host to IU School of Medicine-Northwest, which actively involves students in research and local healthcare needs through its MD program. For more information, please visit www.iun.edu.