PNC Hosts College Goal Sunday Activities February 23

purdue-north-centralPurdue University North Central will participate in the state College Goal Sunday event for all college-bound students and their families, Sunday, Feb.23, from 2 to 4 p.m. CST, in the PNC Technology Building, Room 265. College Goal Sunday is free and is open to potential Indiana college students of all ages.

College Goal Sunday is a 25-year-old statewide program that provides free financial aid information and assistance to all Indiana students seeking admission to any Indiana college, university or technical institution. At 40 College Goal Sunday sites in communities throughout Indiana, students and their parents will get the help they need in understanding, completing and filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

College Goal Sunday is part of FAFSA Help Weekend at Purdue North Central. On Saturday, Feb. 22, From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., prospective students and their families may come to Technology Building Room 265 for one-on-one assistance in completing the FAFSA.

The FAFSA is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, loans and scholarships at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide and must be filed by March 10 to be eligible for state aid. During the FAFSA Help Weekend at PNC, PNC financial aid staff will be on hand to help students and their families file the form online.

Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s) and bring their parents' completed 2013 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2013 income and benefits information. Students who worked last year, should bring their income information. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed 2013 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2013 income and benefits information.

Students and parents are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) at www.pin.ed.gov before coming to the event.

"Nearly half of Indiana's college students qualify for financial aid from the State of Indiana," said Donette Cassman, Sallie Mae, Inc., chair of College Goal Sunday. "College Goal Sunday helps students and families better understand the financial aid process and brings students one step closer to fulfilling their educational goals."

College Goal Sunday is one of the highlights of Financial Aid Awareness Month in Indiana. In February, students and their families can call the Learn More Resource Center helpline at 800-992-2076 to have their questions answered by financial aid professionals. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education supports the Helpline.

Students who attend College Goal Sunday and submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered in a drawing for an educational prize. Winners will be notified in March; prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institutions selected by the winning students.

Twenty-first Century Scholars are encouraged to attend College Goal Sunday to receive help in completing the FAFSA and other paperwork necessary to receive their Twenty-first Century scholarships.

College Goal Sunday is sponsored by the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA), in cooperation with Learn More Resource Center, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education's Division of Student Financial Aid (formerly the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana) and the 21st Century Scholars Program. It is funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc., USA Funds and Indiana Secondary Market for Education Loans, Inc.

For more information about the PNC College Goal Sunday event or for financial assistance in general, contact the PNC Financial Aid Office, 785-5200, ext. 5493 or at finaid@pnc.edu