West Des Moines —
College-bound Iowa students won’t find themselves fighting snowstorms or traveling great distances to find financial aid assistance in February. Students and parents seeking help with financial aid forms will find it closer to home, due to the expansion of Iowa College Goal Sunday to 36 locations in 29 communities throughout the state next year.
Volunteers for Iowa College Goal Sunday will help students and their families fill out and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as part of a national program that helps students qualify for federal financial aid. The FAFSA, which is a free form available in paper and electronic formats from the U.S. Department of Education, is the first step in the qualification process.
“This program is great for anyone who has questions or wants free help with the FAFSA,” said Jennifer Coffman, state coordinator of the 2013 Iowa College Goal Sunday. “It’s especially helpful for students who are low-income or are in the first generation of their families to attend college, or both.”
In 2013, Iowa College Goal Sunday will be a week-long event running from Saturday, February 16 through Sunday, February 24 in Ames, Calmar, Cedar Rapids, Centerville, Clarinda, Clinton, Creston, Davenport, Denison, Des Moines, Dubuque, Emmetsburg, Fort Dodge, Iowa City, Iowa Falls, Keokuk, Lamoni, Marshalltown, Mason City, Monticello, Muscatine, Ottumwa, Perry, Sheldon, Sioux City, Storm Lake, Waterloo, Waverly and West Burlington. There is no cost for FAFSA assistance received at a College Goal Sunday location.
The Iowa College Goal Sunday planning committee has secured specific dates during Iowa College Goal Sunday week for each site and is beginning its recruitment of volunteers to assist families at each event. “The success of the College Goal Sunday program is due, in large part, to the volunteers. In 2012, we had professionals from college financial aid offices, local banking institutions, and state and private education organizations represented in our volunteers,” said Coffman. “Their knowledge and expertise made all the difference for the more than 600 families that received assistance and we’ll look to them again this year.”
For more information, please visit the Iowa College Goal Sunday website, www.IowaCGS.org. Details are also available from the Iowa College Access Network by calling (877) 272-4692 or e-mailing CGS@ICANsucceed.org.
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