PNC Hosts College Goal Sunday Activities on February 22, 2015

PNC-Open-House-2Purdue University North Central will participate in the state College Goal Sunday event for all college-bound students and their families, Sunday, Feb.22, 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 26-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 37 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 Weekend at Purdue North Central. On Saturday, Feb. 21, 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 2014 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2014 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 2014 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2014 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 Christina Lucas, co-chair of College Goal Sunday. “This event helps families across the state file the FAFSA, and brings students one step closer to fulfilling their educational goals.”

Participating student students may also win one of 16 $1,000 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 March and prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institution 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 a cooperative, charitable effort of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA). It is provided in cooperation with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, and 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.