What: Annual College Goal Sunday – FAFSA completion event
When:Â Sunday, Feb. 21, 2 p.m.
Where:Â Ivy Tech Community College Southwest (Evansville Campus)
Background: This Sunday, individuals from Ivy Tech and the University of Southern Indiana will be on hand to assist students and their families with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which will help students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships and student loans. Deadline for submission of the FAFSA’s is March 10.  Now in its 27th year, College Goal Sunday has helped more than 90,000 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).
Contacts at the event:Â Casey Trela, Ivy Tech Community College Southwest Director of Financial Aid; and Mary Harper, University of Southern Indiana Director of Financial Aid.
If you would like to help us promote this free event  prior to – here are some other important facts you can share:
What students should bring
Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s), and parents’ should bring completed 2015 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2015 income and benefits information. Students who worked last year should bring their income information as well. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed 2015 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2015 income and benefits information. Students and parents are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs atfsaid.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 ten $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 March, and prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by the winning students.
21st Century Scholars benefit
21st Century Scholars may also use the services provided at College Goal Sunday, as they must submit a completed FAFSA form on time in order to fulfill their commitment to the state and receive their scholarship. These students are income-eligible individuals who signed 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.
Program is a national model
College Goal Sunday originated 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 tens of thousands of students all over the country. VisitCollegeGoalSundayUSA.org to learn more.
For more information about College Goal Sunday visit CollegeGoalSunday.org. Â
