Need cash for college? The cost of college is on the minds of most seniors in high school and other adults who aspire to a college degree, and the TRiO College Access staff members from the Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search programs at the University of Maine at Presque Isle are hosting several College Goal Month events to help.
TRiO staff members and other financial aid experts will be on hand at several locations and times for College Goal Maine “In-Person Help Sessions” to assist students in completing and filing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid [FAFSA] forms. Completing a FAFSA form is the first step in receiving monetary help for college, and a step that is repeated every year that a student is in college. These free events are open to the public. High school seniors and parents, and adults who plan to enroll or re-enroll in a higher education program are especially encouraged to attend, along with currently enrolled college students needing assistance.
The following are dates and locations for College Goal Maine sites in Aroostook County:
Houlton Higher Education Center 1/20/15 at 6 p.m.
University of Maine at Presque Isle 1/24/15 at 2 p.m.
St. John Valley Tech Center 1/25/15 at 2 p.m.
University of Maine at Presque Isle 1/27/15 at 6 p.m.
TRiO officials note that the earlier you complete your FAFSA after Jan. 1, the more funds you may be eligible to receive. Free help is also available through “Online Help” at FAME at www.famemaine.com.
“These forms can be daunting,” Darylen Cote, campus TRiO College Access Services Director and UMPI Site Coordinator, said. “If students bring all the necessary paperwork, they can actually fill it out and submit it during the help session.”
Cote said that students and their parents or guardians should bring their Social Security Numbers, most recent tax information for both student and parent(s) or spouse if married, such as completed IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 statements and other income and benefits information, and bank statements.
During the event, or if asking for help online, students can register for a drawing to win one of three $1,000 scholarships from FAME. The drawing will be held at the beginning of May 2015. To be eligible, the student has to be a Maine resident, have attended a FAFSA Help Session or received FAFSA Online Help from FAME, and be enrolled in a qualified higher education program for Fall 2015.
For more information about these events, contact Cote at 768-9456 or darylen.cote@maine.edu. College Goal Maine is sponsored by FAME, the Finance Authority of Maine.