Football isn't the only thing to watch this Super Bowl weekend. The college-bound and their parents will be eyeing their FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for College Goal Sunday. New York is one of 37 states and the District of Columbia participating in College Goal Sunday FAFSA filing events. Submitting a FAFSA is a big part of college prep.
FAFSA completion events are scheduled before, during and after the Super Bowl. This weekend there are six College Goal New York (CGNY) online FAFSA filing events throughout New York State. Parents and students can bring their personal and financial information and learn about their eligibility for financial aid to help pay for college.
Higher education is an expensive investment. Estimating all college costs and the ability to pay them is a college prep must. It's important for families to know where the money will come from to cover college costs. College dreams can become a financial nightmare if an offer of admission must be turned down for lack of sufficient funding or because families incur burdensome debt from college attendance.
Participants can cover the financial aspect of college prep by attending a College Goal event and:
- Get free on-site professional help filling out and submitting their FAFSA
- Talk to financial aid professionals about federal, state and other financial aid resources
- Get information to make a manageable college financing plan
FAFSA
FAFSA is the only application the federal government requires for those seeking financial aid for college. Federal financial aid includes grants, loans and a work/study job for eligible students.
States have their own forms for their financial aid programs but want FAFSA, too. For example, NYS's TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) requires a FAFSA filing before students can file for TAP.
Colleges may use FAFSA information to determine awards from their institutional funds.
Some private scholarship sources want to review FAFSA before they dole out their money to help pay for college.
College Goal Sunday
According to the College Goal Sunday website:
College Goal Sunday is a statewide volunteer program that provides free information and assistance to students and families who are applying for financial aid for post secondary education. College Goal Sunday brings together financial aid professionals from colleges and universities along with other volunteers to help college-bound students and their families complete the FAFSA.
The program was created in 1989 by the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association with funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc., and with supplemental support from Lumina Foundation for Education.
CGNY's website adds that "College Goal Sunday is owned and managed by USA Funds, which provides grants to support College Goal Sunday events nationwide."
College Goal New York
The CGNY website describes its program as "a collaborative public service project of the New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association (NYSFAAA) and the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)."
FAFSA filing events are located in specific areas throughout the state that have a history of high financial need but submit a disproportionately small number of online FAFSAs.
Here are some events for this weekend:
Bronx, Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 3
Buffalo, Saturday, Feb. 2
Fort Plain, Saturday, Feb. 2
Potsdam, Saturday, Feb. 2
Staten Island, Saturday, Feb. 2
Syracuse, Saturday, Feb. 2
Here are some post Super Bowl events for Long Island:
Hempstead, Sunday, Feb 10
Brentwood, Saturday, March 2
Wyandanch, Wednesday, Feb 13
Wyandanch, Wednesday, March 20
Wyandanch, Wednesday, April 17
Click here for more information and to register for these or other College Goal events.
To find an event in your area, click here.
For a list of information and documents needed to prepare a FAFSA, click here and click here.
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