Jan 21, 2014

Columbia State to Provide FAFSA Assistance Through College Goal Sunday

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Jan. 21, 2014) - - - Columbia State Community College is offering free on-site assistance Sunday, Jan. 26 from 2 - 4 p.m. to help students and families fill out the 2014-2015 Free Application for Federal Student Aid during the "College Goal Sunday" event.

"The FAFSA is the main source in providing financial support of all types for students enrolled in college," said Patsy Reynolds, Columbia State chief enrollment services officer. "Applying early increases your opportunities to receive state funds, and this free day of help and support can get you off to the right start."

The one-day event will help parents and guardians of current and prospective college students take the first step in applying for financial aid by helping them complete the federally required form for students who seek financial assistance, including grants, scholarships and loans.

Columbia State's financial aid counselors will be available in the computer lab on the second floor of the John W. Finney Memorial Library at the Columbia campus, located at 1665 Hampshire Pike. No registration for the event is necessary.

Although not required to attend, the following information is helpful when completing the FAFSA. Students and their parents or guardians should bring:

  • 2013 Federal Tax Return or other income documentation
  • Social Security number
  • Driver's license (if any)
  • 2013 W-2 forms or year-end pay stubs and other year-end records of money received
  • 2013 untaxed income records - Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, welfare, or veterans benefits records
  • 2013 bank statements
  • 2013 business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records
  • Alien registration card (if not a U.S. citizen)
  • AND if planning to fill out the FAFSA online at the event also bring
    PIN for the FAFSA (Apply for your PIN at www.pin.ed.gov.).

Anyone planning to attend college can participate even if 2013 taxes have not been filed. The event is intended to help all students regardless of the institution they plan to attend.

College Goal Sunday is sponsored by the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, along with state organizations for financial aid, admissions staff members, and statewide volunteers. The purpose is to provide free support to all students in Tennessee by helping them complete the FAFSA, which is required in order to receive any type of federal or state financial aid, including the Tennessee Lottery Scholarship.

For more information on "College Goal Sunday," visit http://www.tn.gov/CollegeGoalSunday.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.

Tennessee's Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.

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