02/17/14 Financial aid professionals will be volunteering at Plymouth High School and 38 other Indiana sites to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday, set for 2 p.m. (local time), February 23, 2014.
The free program is designed to assist Indiana students seeking undergraduate admission to a college or technical school in 2014 in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, loans and scholarships at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide and must be filed by March 10 to be eligible for state aid. Completing this required form correctly and by the deadline is sometimes perceived to be complicated and time consuming. In one afternoon at College Goal Sunday, students and their families can get free help and file the form online.
Now in its 25th year, College Goal Sunday, a charitable program of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA), has helped more than 90,000 Indiana students and families complete the FAFSA properly and on time, opening the door to financial aid for college.
Program assists all students
“Nearly half of Indiana’s college students qualify for financial aid from the State of Indiana,” said Donette Cassman, Sallie Mae, Inc., chairman of College Goal Sunday. “College Goal Sunday helps students and families better understand the financial aid process and brings students one step closer to fulfilling their educational goals.”
According to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education’s Division of Student Financial Aid (SFA), programs like College Goal Sunday are reaching first-generation college students. In addition, according to SFA statistics, in recent years, more single-parent Hoosier families have filed for financial aid, indicating programs like College Goal Sunday are reaching high-risk students and their families.
“Financial aid professionals have seen firsthand the disappointment of students who don’t complete their financial aid paperwork properly,” said Cassman. “That’s why the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association continues to provide College Goal Sunday. If our assistance gives students a better chance at higher education, we’re fulfilling our mission.”
