Financial aid professionals will be volunteering at both the Hammond and Westville campuses of Purdue University Northwest (PNW) to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. CST Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019.
The PNW program takes place in Room 200 of the Student Union & Library, 2233 173rd St., Hammond. At the Westville Campus, the program is scheduled in Room 265 of the Technology Building, 1401 S. U.S. 421.
The free program assists Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
FAFSA required to be considered for financial aid
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 April 15, 2020 to be eligible for Indiana financial aid.
“This event provides a great opportunity for prospective students to receive free help in completing what can sometimes be a complicated and confusing process. I would encourage anyone looking at attending college who has questions about the financial aid process to attend,” said Mike Biel, Executive Director of Financial Aid at PNW.
Now in its 31st year, College Goal Sunday has helped more than 94,000 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).
What students should bring
Students 23 or younger should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s), and should bring their family’s completed 2018 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 statement(s) and other 2018 income and benefits-related information. Students who worked during 2018 also should bring their income information.
Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed 2018 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 statement(s), and any other 2018 income and benefits-related information.
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.
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.
Attendees may win educational prizes
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 $1,000 scholarship. The winners will be notified in December, and prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by the winning students.
Additional information
For more information and a complete list of sites, individuals may visit the College Goal Sunday website at www.collegegoalsunday.org, or phone the toll free help line at 800-992-2076.
Financial aid information also can be obtained at Purdue Northwest by visiting the university’s financial aid web site at www.pnw.edu/finaid; e-mailing the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@pnw.edu; or phoning the office at 219-989-2301 or at 219-785-5460.