Trenton, NJ - New Jersey's College Goal Sunday program, held on February 10th at seven (7) locations throughout the State, served record numbers of students again this year. College Goal Sunday is designed to assist prospective students with the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The FAFSA is used as the foundation for nearly all financial aid programs.
College Goal Sunday eliminates some of the confusion for students and their families as they apply for financial aid. Thanks to funding from the Lumina Foundation, this statewide initiative is free of charge to students and their families. The program's success is attributable to the numerous aid professionals from colleges, members of the NJ Association of Financial Aid Administrators (NJASFAA), staff of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA), and students who volunteer their time to provide this much needed service.
More than 150 volunteers were on hand to assist approximately 650 students. Many students, accompanied by their family, attended presentations about the financial aid programs and process, applying for their personal identification number (PIN), and completing the FAFSA. Instructions were presented in English and Spanish. Following the presentation, aid officers were available to answer specific questions, assist with the completion of the application, or walk the students through applying for their PIN or completing the FAFSA on-line.
New Jersey ranks as #1 in the country for its high school graduation rate. Outreach events and dissemination of financial aid information are extremely important resources for New Jersey's college bound students. In addition, College Goal Sunday awarded a $500 scholarship for one student at each location for use towards college in the fall. Through the coordinated efforts of NJASFAA and HESAA, along with the support of many volunteers, College Goal Sunday continues to be a rewarding and helpful event for New Jersey's students and families.
Since 1959, HESAA, a non-profit, state designated Authority, has delivered over $18 billion in financial aid. Each year, over 1 million students receive assistance from outreach programs and aid programs HESAA administers including TAG, the Part-time TAG for County College Students, NJSTARS and II, the Garden State Scholars programs, the Federal Family Education Loan program, NJCLASS, and NJBEST. For additional information about HESAA please visit our website at www.hessa.org or call our toll-free hotline at 800-792-8670.
Posted 03/20/08 to www.NASFAA.org. Posting of press releases is done as a service to Members and does not imply endorsement or support by NASFAA. NASFAA does not review this information for content or accuracy.
