Indiana Students To Get Free FAFSA Filing Help At 18 Ivy Tech Locations

INDIANAPOLIS – Financial aid professionals will be volunteering at 18 Ivy Tech Community College locations and more than 39 other sites in Indiana to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday. The event is set for 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. February 12, 2017.

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 March 10 to be eligible for Indiana financial aid. College Goal Sunday is so important since completing this required form correctly and by the deadline is sometimes perceived to be complicated and time consuming. In less than one afternoon at a College Goal Sunday event, students and their families can get free help and file the form online.

Now in its 28th 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).

Ivy Tech College Goal Sunday Locations 

Ivy Tech Anderson

815 E. 60^th Street, Anderson, IN 46013

Ivy Tech Bloomington

Steve and Connie Ferguson Academic Building

200 Daniels Way, Bloomington, IN 47404

Ivy Tech Crawfordsville

2325 Phil Ward Boulevard, Crawfordsville, IN 47933

Ivy Tech East Chicago

410 East Columbus Drive, East Chicago, IN 4612

Ivy Tech Southwest

3501 N. First Avenue, Evansville, IN 47710

Ivy Tech Northeast

3800 N. Anthony Boulevard, Fort Wayne, IN 46805

Ivy Tech Franklin

2205 McClain Drive, Franklin, IN 46131

Ivy Tech Downtown Indianapolis

North Meridian Center

50 W. Fall Creek Parkway N. Drive, Indianapolis, IN 66208

Ivy Tech Avon

7508 Beechwood Centre Road, Avon, IN 46123

Ivy Tech Lafayette

3103 S. Creasy Lane, Lafayette, IN 47905

Ivy Tech Lawrenceburg

50 Walnut Street, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

Ivy Tech Logansport

1 Ivy Tech Way, Logansport, IN 46947

Ivy Tech Madison

590 Ivy Tech Drive, Madison, IN 47250

Ivy Tech Muncie

4301 S. Cowan Road, Muncie, IN 47354

Ivy Tech Sellersburg

Community Learning Center of Washington County

1707 N. Shelby Street, Salem IN 47167

Ivy Tech Terre Haute

Oakley Auditorium

8000 S. Education Drive, Terre Haute, IN 47802

Ivy Tech Valparaiso

3100 Ivy Tech Drive, Valparaiso, IN 46383

Ivy Tech Warsaw

2545 Silveus Crossing, Warsaw, IN 46582

College Goal Sunday Doubles the Help Offered

“The event on February 12^th will be the second College Goal Sunday ISFAA is offering this FAFSA filing season. With the FAFSA opening last October, College Goal Sunday made the decision to add a November event in addition to this traditional February event,” said Bill Wozniak, co-chair of College Goal Sunday. “We hope all Hoosiers who have not filed already, take advantage of College Goal Sunday events across Indiana, file the FAFSA, and get one step closer to fulfilling their educational goals.”

According to the Indiana Commission for Higher, 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 who don’t complete their financial aid paperwork properly and on time are often very disappointed when they find out how much financial aid they lost,” said Wozniak. “This is why the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association not only continues to provide College Goal Sunday, but added the second event this year. If our assistance gives students a better chance at higher education and less debt, we’re fulfilling our mission.”

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. This year the FAFSA requires applicants to use tax return information from two years prior, making filing efficient and quick. 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. Those who already have a FSA ID do not need to request a new one.

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 April, 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.

For more information about College Goal Sunday visit CollegeGoalSunday.org.  

About Ivy Tech Community College

Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.