Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Tuesday, February 9, 2016
(UNDATED) - Last week, Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers met with high school seniors to kick off the state’s annual Cash For College campaign.
The statewide effort aims to help Hoosiers of all ages pay for education beyond high school with a series of activities leading up to Indiana's March 10 deadline for filing the FAFSA--Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
"Indiana has one of most generous need-based financial aid systems in the country, but every year thousands of Hoosiers miss out by failing to file the FAFSA by Indiana's March 10 filing deadline," said Lubbers. "With Cash For College, we're sending a clear message to students that the resources and help are there, but students and families have to take the steps to receive them."
The state is encouraging local schools and communities to host regional "FAFSA Friday" events throughout the month of February with financial aid experts who can provide step-by-step assistance on filing the FAFSA, opening College 529 Savings plans, and other ways to ensure financial readiness for college. The goal of FAFSA Fridays is to make sure every high school senior and current college student completes the FAFSA.
Indiana's Cash For College activities build upon College Goal Sunday, the annual FAFSA-filing event that will take place on February 21 this year at 42 locations across Indiana. For a list of FAFSA events in your area, visit our website.
The Commission is dedicated to increasing the number of students who file the FAFSA correctly and on-time. Last year, Indiana schools achieved a 5 percent increase in the number of students completing the FAFSA before the March 10 deadline.
This year, the Commission is partnering with 115 Indiana school corporations to drive up the numbers of on-time FAFSA completion. The Commission will track FAFSA completion in these schools and send weekly reports ranking progress to encourage friendly competition around the state and help support efforts at Indiana high schools.
Learn More Indiana
The Learn More Indiana website at LearnMoreIndiana.org offers a variety of helpful tips and free resources for K-12 students, current college students and returning adult students, including the Indiana College Costs Estimator. Available online or as a mobile app at IndianaCollegeCosts.org, the free tools offers side-by-side cost comparisons that show how much students should expect to pay out-of-pocket at each Indiana college once various sources of financial aid are applied, as well as details on local scholarship opportunities.
Student Contests and School Grants
The Commission for Higher Education sponsors contest and grant opportunities for each of its three annual Learn More Indiana campaigns throughout the year. One student in each grade across the state will be chosen from the entries to win $529 in an Indiana CollegeChoice 529 savings plan and schools can win $1,000 college-readiness grants by sharing their efforts to increase students' financial preparation. See deadlines and application details at LearnMoreIndiana.org.
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