Financial aid professionals will be on site at Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Hammond and Westville campuses to help college-bound students and their families apply for financial aid during free College Goal Sunday programs Sunday, Nov. 6 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. CST.
PNW’s Hammond campus program will be hosted in the library on the second floor of the Student Union and Library Building, 2233 173rd Street, Hammond, IN. The Westville campus program will be in Room 219 of the Technology Building, 1401 S. U.S. 421, Westville, IN.
FAFSA essential for financial aid consideration
Completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required for students to be eligible for state and federal grants, scholarships and student loans offered by most colleges, universities and vocational schools across the U.S.
The deadline for FAFSA submission to be eligible for Indiana financial aid is April 15, 2023.
“Filing the FAFSA is a critical step for students planning to attend college as it opens up financial options, but it can be very intimidating,” said Sandy Steele, associate vice chancellor for Enrollment Management. “Attending an event such as College Goal Sunday can help alleviate any fears since there are so many volunteers on site to help students and their families through every step with individualized attention for answering questions. Plus, the best part is that you walk away having completed the process and checking one more item off of your college to-do list.”
“If you think attending college is costly, think again,” said Tanika House, assistant director of Financial Aid. “Filing a FAFSA is one of the most important things you can do to get assistance to help pay for college. Applying for financial aid can also open additional scholarship opportunities that may not be based on financial need.”
College Goal Sunday, a charitable program organized by the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA), has helped more than 94,000 Hoosier students and families complete the FAFSA correctly and on time. This is College Goal Sunday’s 34th year.
“Students who don’t complete their financial aid paperwork properly and on time are often very disappointed when they find out how much financial aid they lost,” said Bill Wozniak, co-chair of College Goal Sunday. “This is why the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association not only continues to provide College Goal Sunday, but offers two events during the year. If our assistance gives students a better chance at education beyond high school and less debt, we’re fulfilling our mission.”
Materials to bring
Students age 23 or younger should attend College Goal Sunday with a parent(s) or guardian(s). Parents and guardians should bring completed 2021 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2021 income and benefits information. Students who worked should also bring their income information.
Students age 24 and older may attend alone and bring their completed 2021 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2021 income and benefits information.
Students and parents are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at studentaid.govbefore 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 can enter drawing for scholarships
Students who attend College Goal Sunday and submit a completed evaluation form will be entered in a drawing to win one of five College Goal Sunday $1,000 scholarships. The five scholarships are being awarded across all of Indiana. Winners will be notified in spring and scholarships 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 completion, Scholars who have fulfilled the commitment and demonstrate financial need receive state funds to help cover their college tuition and fees for up to eight semesters at eligible Indiana public colleges or an equal dollar amount at eligible Indiana private colleges. To fulfill their pledge scholars must submit a completed FAFSA form on time.
Additional information
Information about paying for college can be found by visiting Purdue University Northwest’s website atpnw.edu/paying-for-college; emailing the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@pnw.edu; or phoning the office at 219-989-2301 (Hammond) or at 219-785-5460 (Westville).
For more information and a complete list of sites, individuals may visit the College Goal Sunday website athttps://collegegoalsunday.org/.
College Goal Sunday is a charitable collaboration involving the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association, in cooperation with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. College Goal Sunday is co-funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and INvestEd.
Purdue University Northwest
Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is a premier metropolitan university dedicated to empowering transformational change in our students and in our community. Located in Northwest Indiana, near Chicago, PNW values academic excellence, supports growth, and celebrates diversity. For more information about PNW, visit www.pnw.edu.
