United Way of Porter County is offering free FAFSA filing services the second Friday each month now until March 10, 2017 thanks to a new partnership with Valparaiso University.
Due to a recent change in the U.S. Department of Education federal student aid program, students can now file as early as October 1, 2016 for assistance. Last year, more than $2.7 billion in financial aid went unclaimed according to the National College Access Network.
“Going through a process like this can be overwhelming, so we wanted to provide a way to help alleviate the anxiety,” said Kim Olesker, president & CEO of United Way of Porter County. “Our mission is to help families when they need it most through support services like this one.”
This service is available to all Northwest Indiana residents applying for college financial aid, including but not limited to, high school seniors, college undergraduates and graduate students. Participation is by appointment only. Participants should bring a hard copy of their 2015 income tax information, including W2, and the student's social security number with them to the appointment.
Appointments are approximately 30 minutes long and available from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. the second Friday of the month at United Way of Porter County, 951 Eastport Centre Drive, Valparaiso. For more information about FAFSA Fridays and to make an appointment, visit UnitedWayPC.org.