Free College Goal Saturday

If you are applying for college financial aid, you can find free help 9 a.m. - noon Saturday, January 11th at Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC).

This event is part of College Goal Kentucky, which provides free help to families applying for college financial aid at sites across the state. Financial aid professionals will provide assistance at OCTCs Campus Center. Attendees will be eligible for a chance to win one of four $500 scholarships that can be used at any Kentucky school.

At College Goal Kentucky sites, financial aid professionals help students and families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is the form students must submit to receive federal and state student aid.

College Goal Kentucky is sponsored by the Kentucky Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (KASFAA). It is funded by USA Funds, KHEAA and KHESLC, and www.KnowHow2GoKY.org.
This is a premier event that provides Kentuckians with both informational and financial resources to reach their post-secondary educational goals, said KASFAA President Katie Conrad. With the assistance of the financial aid experts at College Goal Kentucky, students can submit the FAFSA in a timely manner, enabling them to qualify for thousands of dollars in financial aid, including a variety of grants and loans.

DEMAND CONTINUES TO RISE
According to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA), participation in state aid programs has more than quadrupled since the 1990s. In the 2012-2013 academic year, KHEAA disbursed $198.7 million in higher education grants and scholarships to nearly 93,860 students. Students who file the FAFSA before early February have the best chance of receiving these funds.

WHAT TO BRING
Students are encouraged to attend College Goal Kentucky with a parent or guardian. They should bring their and their parents completed 2013 IRS 1040 tax returns and any other 2013 income and benefit information. If families have not completed their taxes, they are encouraged to bring their 2012 IRS 1040 tax forms and last paycheck stubs from 2013 so that financial aid professionals will be able to show families how to use estimated information to submit the FAFSA and how to go back and update their information once taxes are completed. Everything elsepens, pencils and FAFSA worksheetswill be provided.
For more information about College Goal Kentucky, call toll-free, 1-888-4-KASFAA (1-888-452-7322) or visit www.KASFAA.com/CollegeGoalKY.

The OCTC Financial Aid office is located on the main campus at 4800 New Hartford Road, on the upper level of the Campus Center.