The FAFSA (Free Application For Federal Student Aid) is the gateway to all things good when it comes to making college affordable. The downside is that the FAFSA is feared by many, especially those that have never completed the process. This uncomfortable unknown factor is what keeps people from giving it a try and finding out what treasures it will unlock to enable them to obtain their educational goals. On a side note… check out this humorous article comparing the FAFSA to a colonoscopy.

In order to combat the ambiguity associated with the FAFSA, you can find great resources in books, on the web (like CheapScholar.org) and through various other sources. However, nothing compares with direct one-on-one advice/counseling and that is where College Goal Sunday helps to fill a void and provide assistance with completing the FAFSA.

College Goal Sunday is a program that was founded in 2001 in Indiana with support from the Lilly foundation and now has a presence across the nation in 44 states. The main mission for this program is to help college bound students and their families to meet up with various financial aid professionals from their respective states and complete the all-so-important FAFSA. Given the name of the program, you can probably guess right away which day of the week these helpful sessions are offered (Sunday!).

If you would like to learn more about College Goal Sunday you can visit their website here. If you are a student or family member in need of help with the FAFSA, this is great resource for some personal one-on-one assistance.

You can click here to find out when and where the next College Goal Sunday event is taking place in your area!

If you are going to College Goal Sunday to receive help with your FAFSA, please plan on bringing the following items to help speed up the process and ensure proper completion of your FAFSA application. (If you don’t go to College Goal Sunday, you still want to track down these items before you complete your FAFSA):

• Social Security Number (can be found on Social Security card)
• Driver’s license (if any)
• W-2 Forms for the previous year and other records of money earned
• Your (and your spouse’s, if you are married) most recent Federal Income Tax Return:
  • IRS Form 1040,
  • 1040A,
  • 1040EZ,
  • 1040Telefile,
  • foreign tax return, or
  • tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia.
• Parent’s Federal Income Tax Return for the previous year (if you are a dependent student as defined by federal criteria)
• Untaxed income records for the previous year:
  • Social Security,
  • Temporary Assistance to Needy Families,
  • welfare, or
  • veterans benefits.
• Current bank statements
• Current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records
• Documentation that you are a U.S. permanent resident or other eligible non-citizen.