INDIANAPOLIS – Financial aid professionals will be volunteering at 17 Ivy Tech Community College locations and more than 25 other sites in Indiana to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday. The event is set for 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 13.

Ivy Tech Community College volunteers will be working on site to assist students filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA 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 – including Ivy Tech.

Now in its 28th year, College Goal Sunday has helped more than 90,000 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).

Ivy Tech College Goal Sunday Locations

• Ivy Tech Anderson: 815 E. 60^th Street, Anderson, IN 46013
• Ivy Tech Bloomington: Steve and Connie Ferguson Academic Building, 200 Daniels Way, Bloomington, IN 47404
• Ivy Tech Crawfordsville: 2325 Phil Ward Boulevard, Crawfordsville, IN 47933
• Ivy Tech East Chicago: 410 East Columbus Drive, East Chicago, IN 4612
• Ivy Tech Southwest: 3501 N. First Avenue, Evansville, IN 47710
• Ivy Tech Northeast: 3800 N. Anthony Boulevard, Fort Wayne, IN 46805
• Ivy Tech Franklin: 2205 McClain Drive, Franklin, IN 46131
• Ivy Tech Downtown Indianapolis: North Meridian Center, 50 W. Fall Creek Parkway N. Drive, Indianapolis, IN 66208
• Ivy Tech Avon: 7508 Beechwood Centre Road, Avon, IN 46123
• Ivy Tech Lafayette: 3103 S. Creasy Lane, Lafayette, IN 47905
• Ivy Tech Lawrenceburg: 50 Walnut Street, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
• Ivy Tech Logansport: 1 Ivy Tech Way, Logansport, IN 46947
• Ivy Tech Madison: 590 Ivy Tech Drive, Madison, IN 47250
• Ivy Tech Muncie: 4301 S. Cowan Road, Muncie, IN 47354
• Ivy Tech Terre Haute: Oakley Auditorium, 8000 S. Education Drive, Terre Haute, IN 47802
• Ivy Tech Valparaiso: 3100 Ivy Tech Drive, Valparaiso, IN 46383
• Ivy Tech Warsaw: 2545 Silveus Crossing, Warsaw, IN 46582
• Ivy Tech Sellersburg: Community Learning Center of Washington County, 1707 N. Shelby Street, Salem IN 47167

College Goal Sunday Doubles the Help Offered

According to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, programs like College Goal Sunday are reaching many first-generation college students. In recent years, according to CHE statistics, more single-parent Hoosier families have filed for financial aid, indicating programs like College Goal Sunday are reaching high-risk students and their families.

“With the FAFSA start date moving forward from January to October, College Goal Sunday made the decision to add a November event in addition to the traditional February event,” said Bill Wozniak, co-chair of College Goal Sunday. “Now there will be two College Goal Sunday events across Indiana to help families file the FAFSA, and bring students one step closer to fulfilling their educational goals.”

What students should bring

Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s), and parents’ should bring completed 2015 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2015 income and benefits information. Students who worked last year should bring their income information as well. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed 2015 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2015 income and benefits information. This year the FAFSA requires applicants to use tax return information from two years prior, making filing efficient and quick. 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. Those who already have a FSA ID do not need to request a new one.

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. A complete list of sites is available at CollegeGoalSunday.org.

Attendees may win educational prizes

Students may also win one of ten $1000 scholarships. 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 $1000 scholarship. The winners will be notified in December, and prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by the winning students.

21st Century Scholars benefit

21st 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 new completed FAFSA form no later than March 10 for each academic year. College Goal Sunday can help.

For more information about College Goal Sunday visit CollegeGoalSunday.org.