Free help with federal financial aid application

College Goal event hosted by Daytona State Feb. 28

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 21, 2015) – Returning and first-time-in-college students will find a clear path to applying for federal tuition assistance during a free statewide event, hosted locally by Daytona State College, designed to help anyone planning to pursue higher education.

College Goal (Saturday) Sunday or CGS!Florida, part of the national CGS project, takes place locally on Saturday, Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Daytona Beach and DeLand campuses. Financial aid administrators will provide any college-bound students and their families with step-by-step instructions on how to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA helps students access billions in federal funds available for higher education. In addition, information about other financial aid resources such as state government, grants, scholarships and loans will be on hand.

“Completing the FAFSA can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be,” said Dick Pastor, DSC’s interim vice president for student development. “When college-bound students and their families attend the College Goal event, we can help them overcome barriers to applying for funds they need to pursue a college education.”

The event at DSC follows a CGS!Florida day hosted by Flagler Palm Coast High School on Sunday, Feb. 1, from 1 to 4 p.m., which includes DSC financial aid administrators who volunteered to help.

Filling out the FAFSA does not obligate the student to anything; it opens access to federal tuition support, whether students are pursuing a one-year certificate, two-year associate degree or four-year bachelor’s degree at colleges or universities around the region and the country.

The event, which is open to anyone interested in qualifying for federal financial aid to attend college, takes place on the Daytona Beach Campus, in the Baker Academic Support Center/computer lab, at 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., and on the DeLand Campus, Bert Fish Hall/Academic Support Center, room 213, at 1155 County Road 4139.

Students who attend may also be eligible for a drawing for a $250 scholarship to a Florida college, provided by CGS!Florida.

Supporters of the CGS!Florida program include: Florida Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (FASFAA), Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA/FLDOE) and USA Funds.

Important Message for Students and Families from CGS!Florida:

•        The FREE Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first and most important step to applying for college financial aid. It should be completed now if you plan to attend college in 2015-16.
•        Use the proper website to complete the FAFSA: www.fafsa.gov – do not use other sites that charge money – the application is FREE.
•        The U.S. Department of Education offers free assistance at 1-800-4-FED-AID and www.fafsa.gov.
For more information, visit www.DaytonaState.edu/FinAid or call (386) 506-3015.

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