Daily Reporter staff reports
INDIANA — Beginning at 2 p.m. on March 7, financial aid professionals from all across Indiana will be volunteering to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday.
The free program assists Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is 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. The FAFSA must be filed by April 15 to be eligible for Indiana financial aid.
One of the many reasons College Goal Sunday is so important is because many families perceive the form to be too complicated and time consuming to complete, but on one afternoon on College Goal Sunday, students and their families can get free help to file the form.
Now in its 32nd 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).
The event on March 7 will be the second virtual College Goal Sunday ISFAA is offering. Hoosiers who have not filed already should take advantage of College Goal Sunday, file the FAFSA and get one step closer to fulfilling their educational goals.
According to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, programs like College Goal Sunday are reaching first-generation college students. In recent years, according to CHE statistics, more single-parent Hoosier families have filed for financial aid, indicating programs like College Goal Sunday are reaching high-risk students and their families.
Students logging on should have a parent or guardian nearby. Parents should have completed 2019 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2019 income and benefits information. Students who worked should also bring their income information. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their completed 2019 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2019 income and benefits information. Students and parents are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at studentaid.gov before logging in to the event.
Volunteers will answer families’ questions as needed. To attend College Goal Sunday, simply go to CollegeGoalSunday.org on March 7, and click the link displayed on that page to enter the virtual event. For the best filing experience, working from a computer/laptop during the event is highly recommended.
Students who attend College Goal Sunday and submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered in a drawing for a $1,000 scholarship. The winners will be notified in April, and prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by those students.
21st 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.
College Goal Sunday originated right here in Indiana and is now a national model. Following Indiana’s example, College Goal Sunday events organized by more than 34 states have opened doors to higher education for hundreds of thousands of students all over the country.
For more information about College Goal Sunday, visit CollegeGoalSunday.org.
