Help with federal student aid filing offered on Feb. 12
By April Toler 331-4353 | atoler@heraldt.com
January 25, 2012
Students and parents looking for help filing for federal student aid will have the opportunity to receive some free assistance next month.
College Goal Sunday — an annual event that pairs financial aid professionals with Indiana students — takes place at 2 p.m. Feb. 12 throughout the state, including the Bloomington campus of Ivy Tech Community College.
Financial aid professionals will be on hand to help students in the FAFSA application process.
The FAFSA is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, loans and scholarships and must be filled out by March 10 to be eligible for state aid.
Ivy Tech will have six computer labs for students and parents to use during the event. Financial aid experts from Indiana University, Ivy Tech and the Twenty-first Century Scholar program will be available for assistance.
William Wozniak, of College Goal Sunday media relations, said the event is a great way to make sure a student’s financial aid application is done accurately and on time.
“You have somebody that will sit with the family and make sure FAFSA is done properly and gets filed,” he said.
Students younger than 24 should attend College Goal Sunday with a parent or guardian and must bring their parents’ completed 2011 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 forms and other 2011 income and benefits information. Students who worked last year should also bring their income information.
Students and parents may apply for their U.S. Department of Education personal identification numbers at pin.ed.wgov before coming to the event.
Wozniak encourages students and parents to bring every piece of information they would use when filing taxes.
“I always tell them bring a shoebox of all your financial documents,” he said.
Throughout the month of February, which is Financial Aid Awareness Month, students and their families can call the Learn More Resource Center at 800-992-2076 and have questions answered by financial aid professionals.
Copyright: HeraldTimesOnline.com 2012
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
