News release from Ivy Tech Community College Southeast

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - Free Help in filing for financial aid will be available to college-bound students and their families when College Goal Sunday is held February 24, 2013 at the Lawrenceburg Riverfront Campus of Ivy Tech Community College.  Volunteer financial aid professionals will be on hand to provide invaluable assistance.  The campus building is located along the Ohio River at 50 Walnut Street.

The program is designed to aid Indiana students seeking undergraduate admission in 2013 to a college or technical school 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 often perceived as complicated and time-consuming.  During College Goal Sunday, which begins at 2:00 p.m. on the afternoon of February 24, students can get free help while filing the form online in one of Ivy Tech’s computer labs.

Now in its 24^th year, College Goal Sunday, a charitable program of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA), has helped more than 88,000 Indiana students and families complete the FAFSA properly and on time, opening the door to financial aid for college.

The volunteer financial aid specialists will review the form line-by-line and will answer families’ individual questions.  In addition to the Lawrenceburg Ivy Tech, a complete list of sites is available at www.CollegeGoalSunday.org.

Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s) and bring their parents’ completed 2012 IRS tax returns, W-2 forms and other 2012 income and benefits information.  Students who worked last year should also bring their income information.  Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed 2012 IRS tax return, W-2 Form or other 2012 income and benefits information.  Students and parents may apply for their U. S. Department of Education Personal Identification Numbers (PINS) at www.pin.ed.gov before attending the event.

Students who attend College Goal Sunday and submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered in a drawing for an educational prize.  Winners will be notified in March; prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institutions selected by the winning students.

Twenty-first 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.

ISFAA’s College Goal Sunday is one of the highlights of Financial Aid Awareness Month.  In February, students and their families can call the Learn More Resource Center helpline at 800-992-2076 and have questions answered by financial aid professionals.  The Indiana Commission for Higher Education Supports the Helpline.

College Goal Sunday is offered in cooperation with Learn More Resource Center, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education’s Division of Student Financial Aid, and the Twenty-First Century Scholars Program.  It is funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc., Lumina Foundation for Education, USA Funds and Indiana Secondary Market for Education Loans, Inc.

With about 200,000 students enrolled annually, Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public post-secondary institution and the nation’s largest singly-accredited statewide community college system.  Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana.  Ivy Tech Southeast serves Dearborn, Ripley, Ohio, Switzerland and Jefferson Counties as well as bordering areas in northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio.

The College serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the local community needs along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana.  Ivy Tech is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.