Financial aid professionals will be volunteering at Ivy Tech Community College Evansville Campus to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday. The event is set for 2 p.m. Nov. 3, in the Library of Ivy Tech at 3501 N. First Avenue, Evansville.
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 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.
“College Goal Sunday is helpful because completing this required form correctly and by the deadline is sometimes perceived to be complicated and time-consuming,†said Casey Trela, director of financial aid. “In less than one afternoon at a College Goal Sunday event, students and their families can get free help and file the form online.â€
Now in its 31st 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).
What students should bring?
Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s), and parents’ should bring:
- Completed 2018 IRS 1040 tax returns
- W-2 Forms
- Other 2018 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 2018 IRS 1040Â Â Â tax return, W-2 Form or other 2018 income and benefits information.
- Students and parents are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at fsaid.ed.gov before coming to the event.
Volunteers will walk through the online form line-by-line and answer families’ individual questions as needed. All sites offer FAFSA online capabilities and many have Spanish interpreters. A complete list of sites is available at CollegeGoalSunday.org.
Attendees may win educational prizes
Students may also win one of five $1000 scholarships. Students who attend any of the College Goal Sunday sites and submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered in a drawing for a $1000 scholarship. The winners will be notified in December, and prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by the winning students.
 21st Century Scholars benefit
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.
Program is a national model
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.
