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Student Financial Aid assistance
during College Goal Sunday
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Release Date: Feb. 02, 2007
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Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) form that can qualify students for federal
funding for their college educations can be a daunting
task, according to student financial aid officers.
But for the first time in Georgia, high school seniors
will be able to attend one of 12 regional College Goal
Sunday events which will provide an opportunity for
seniors and their families to learn more about applying
for federal financial aid.
And, students who register for and attend the Sunday
afternoon program have a chance to win one of two $500
scholarships for the 2007-2008 academic year.
The site for College Goal Sunday in Northwest Georgia is
Dalton State College, set for 2:00 pm on Sunday,
February 18, in room 102 of the Sequoya building on
campus. There is no cost to attend the event, but
registering through www.collegegoalsundayga.com is
required.
“We find that many people are intimidated by filling out
the necessary financial aid forms that are required when
applying for federal student aid,” says Dianne Cox,
Director of Financial Aid at Dalton State and this
region’s Coordinator for College Goal Sunday.
“For many families, the forms are much more complicated
to complete than their tax returns, so it can be a
frustrating experience. As a result, many students and
their families become overwhelmed by the process and
don’t meet the priority deadlines, which are March 1 for
most institutions.”
Students who wish to attend the College Goal Sunday
event hosted at Dalton State should register by Monday,
February 12, Cox says, noting that the internet address
for online registration is: collegegoalsundayga.com.
“It’s extremely important that students who wish to
attend register for the event, so that we will have
enough staff and volunteers to help with the program,”
she says, noting that financial aid officers from
Kennesaw State University and Dalton State College will
be on hand as well as other volunteers, including
members of the area extension office.
During the event, Cox and other financial aid officers
will explain the process of filling out the FAFSA form,
line by line. Seniors and their families who have all of
the necessary paperwork available will be relocated to a
computer lab where they will receive personalized
assistance in completing the forms online.
“Seniors and their families who attend will have two
options,” says Cox. “They can either participate in the
presentation, which will explain the FAFSA process in
detail, or they can bring the necessary paperwork with
them and work on their applications online.”
Those students and their parents who would like to work
on their FAFSA applications online should bring copies
of their completed 2006 tax returns, copies of the
student’s and parents’ W-2 forms, and balance statements
from the family’s non-retirement investment accounts.
Volunteers will be stationed in the computer labs to
help those who have brought in the relevant paperwork.
During the event, a drawing will be held for two $500
scholarships to be given to two seniors who attend the
event, Cox said.
“Each of the 12 regional sites in Georgia will be
awarding two scholarships to seniors who participate in
College Goal Sunday,” she says.
The College Goal Sunday program currently exists in 35
states with a mission of providing answers to questions
that students and their families have about completing
the FAFSA forms. The volunteer program was started 1989
by the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association with
funding from the Lilly Endowment and with supplemental
support from Lumina Foundation for Education.
For more information, please call 706-272-4545.
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