College Goal Sunday offers free FAFSA help

January 30, 2009

TORRINGTON, WY -

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a vital step in getting help paying for college. By attending College Goal Sunday Feb. 8 students and families can get free, expert help in filling out this important form, and they can qualify for a chance to be awarded scholarships and educational prizes.

College Goal Sunday 2009 will take place from 2-4 p.m. Feb. 8 at Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington and at the EWC Branch Campus in Douglas. At College Goal Sunday, financial-aid professionals - primarily from Wyoming postsecondary institutions - will provide assistance in completing the FAFSA. College-bound students must complete the FAFSA to qualify for federal and state financial aid, as well as scholarships and grants offered by many colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools.

Students 23 years of age or younger should attend College Goal Sunday with their parents or guardians and bring their parents' and their own completed 2008 Internal Revenue Service 1040 tax returns, if available, or W-2 Forms or other 2008 income, asset and benefits information. If parents cannot attend, students may attend alone, but they must bring the same income information. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed 2008 IRS 1040 tax returns, if available, or W-2 Forms or other 2008 income, asset and benefits information.

Additionally, those with personal-identification numbers from the federal government for filing their FAFSAs online should bring their PINs to College Goal Sunday. You may apply for a PIN online at www.pin.ed.gov.

Everything else - including pens, pencils, FAFSAs and snacks - will be provided.

The names of students who attend will be included in drawings for education-related prizes, including five, $200 and two,$500 scholarships.

In its sixth year in Wyoming, College Goal Sunday has provided assistance to nearly 1,500 students since 2003. College Goal Sunday(SM) program was created by the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association with funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc., and with supplemental support from Lumina Foundation for Education.

Sponsored in part by: Lumina, USA Funds, Wyoming Community Colleges, University of Wyoming EOC, TRIO, Gear-Up programs, Carbon County Higher Education Center Visit http://www.collegegoalsundayusa.org for more information about College Goal Sunday.

For more information about College Goal Sunday, call the number for your local site, for Torrington call (307) 532.8269 and for Douglas call (307) 358.5622.