New Haven parents can get help with college financial aid forms Sunday

NEW HAVEN — An event dubbed College Goal Sunday will be held 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday to help students and their families fill out forms for financial aid in college.
The event will held at Gateway Community College, 20 Church St.
Students and families can register for the event and obtain information about the documents to bring at www.collegegoalsundayct.org/students-registration
Organizers noted in a statement that everyone seeking financial assistance for college must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA and that financial aid is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
“The earlier students and families get their applications in, the more likely it is that they will receive all the free federal and state grants they are eligible for to help pay for college. More grants equal fewer student loans. Students who submit the FAFSA too late could lose out on critical financial aid,” organizers said in the statement.
“At College Goal Sunday, volunteers will be standing by to help students and families fill out the FAFSA. In addition to receiving assistance in filling out the FAFSA, participants will receive general information regarding state and federal financial aid programs. There will also be a raffle for a $200 scholarship. A few in-state colleges (Central, Eastern, Gateway, Quinnipiac and Southern) will also be on hand to speak with students and families about college. New Haven Promise staff will be available to help students with the Promise scholarship application.”
The statement also noted that the event needs volunteers – especially Spanish speakers – with knowledge of the FAFSA to help students and families navigate the form. Volunteers can sign up at www.collegegoalsundayct.org/volunteer-registration.
Partners on the event include New Haven Public Schools, New Haven Promise, College Summit, Gateway Community College, the Connecticut Association of Educational Opportunity Programs and Connecticut Association of Professional Financial Aid Administrators, the statement said.
The College Goal Sunday program was created by the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association with funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc. and supplemental support from the Lumina Foundation for Education.