February 4, 2008

 

Contacts:

Dee Schafnitz, Financial Aid Office, 657-2188
Brooke Snow, Financial Aid Office, 896-5920
Dan Carter, University Relations, 657-2269

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — For football fans, Super Bowl Sunday is a day of preparation and anticipation.

But one week later, similar eagerness takes place for different reasons: college preparation. 

 

College Goal Sunday, set for Sunday, Feb. 10 at colleges and universities around Montana , is dedicated to guiding college-bound students and their families through the paperwork and processes required for application for federal financial aid.

 

At Montana State University Billings, three sessions are scheduled to help students, parents or guardians with the process. Those sessions on Sunday, Feb. 10 are at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. at the MSUBillingsAcademic SupportCenter on the university’s main campus, 1500 University Drive.

 

No reservations are required and students and their parents can drop by at any one of those times.

 

College Goal Sunday is for all families who want assistance in completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form. Financial aid officers and other qualified professionals volunteer their time to ensure students receive assistance in understanding and completing the paperwork necessary to receive financial aid. Similar sessions are held at 16 other higher education locations throughout the state, including community colleges and tribal colleges.

 

Sponsored by the Student Assistance Foundation and the Lumina Foundation, College Goal Sunday is open to everyone, including students from all income levels and college-going traditions, and traditional and nontraditional students. It provides a good opportunity to have many of financial aid questions answered before the March 1 priority date.

 

Students attending College Goal Sunday can also enter to win a $500 scholarship that may be used at any accredited college or program in the nation. At least two $500 scholarships will be awarded at each College Goal Sunday site.

 

People can use different pieces of financial information to complete the FAFSA. To prepare for their visit on Sunday with financial aid specialists, they should bring tax returns, W-2’s, other aid such as TANF, child support or other benefits, investment information and last year’s tax return (or even last year’s ending pay stub).

 

All information reviewed by the College Goal Sunday volunteers will be kept private and confidential and will not be used for any purpose other than helping the students and families apply for financial aid.

 

Students and parents should bring:

  • FAFSA PIN number (To obtain a PIN, log on to www.pin.ed.gov)
  • Correct Social Security numbers
  • 2007 Federal Tax Returns
  • 2006 Federal Tax Returns, if 2007 not complete
  • W2'sandother aid information (TANF, child support, other benefits)
  • Additional Asset Information (money market funds, stocks, other investments)

  For more information, contact MSU Billings financial aid representatives Dee Schafnitz at 657-2188 or Brooke Snow at 896-5920.