College Financial Aid Help Available at More Than 100 Locations Across North Carolina on Saturday, February 19th

FAFSA Phone-In also offered every Tuesday in February

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- College financial aid officers and specialists will be available at more than 100 locations across North Carolina on Saturday, February 19th to help high school seniors and families complete and submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms.  There will be free FAFSA Day programs in all 100 counties with most sites open from 9:00 a.m. until noon.

Completing the FAFSA form is a requirement to be considered for all federal and most state financial aid for college, including scholarships and grants.  This year's statewide FAFSA Day is sponsored by College Foundation of North Carolina, the North Carolina Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and the State Employees' Credit Union.

Sites include certain colleges and credit union locations and are open to any high school senior; the student participating at a college site does not need to be planning to attend the host college.  Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.  A list of all locations and registration is available at CFNC.org/FAFSAday or by calling 866-866-CFNC toll-free.  

To be fully prepared to complete the FAFSA on February 19th, event participants should bring the following items to FAFSA Day: both the student's and parents' federal 1040 tax forms for 2010 (or W-2 forms and other income and asset documents if completed tax forms are not available); the student's and one parent's Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) obtained in advance from the U.S. Department of Education website, www.pin.ed.gov; and a FAFSA on the Web Worksheet with as much information entered as possible.  The online Worksheet is available at www.fafsa.gov.

"It's important to complete the FAFSA early to take advantage of all of the financial aid opportunities available for North Carolinians," said Robbie Schultz, of the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority and CFNC coordinator of the FAFSA Day program.  "Students and parents don't need to worry if they aren't sure how to answer all of the questions on the form.  That's why we have arranged to have experienced financial aid specialists to help at each FAFSA Day site."  

Another option for students and parents with questions on completing the FAFSA is the FAFSA Phone-In offered every Tuesday night in February.  Financial aid specialists and experts will be available to answer specific FAFSA questions on the toll-free number, 866-866-CFNC (2362), between 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.  

Additional free college planning information is available at the College Foundation of North Carolina website, CFNC.org.  Families can find college cost estimators, listings of scholarship, grant and loan opportunities, information about North Carolina's 529 college savings plan, career information, virtual tours of more than 100 of the state's college campuses and online college admission and financial aid applications.  

About CFNC

College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) is a free service of the State of North Carolina that helps students plan, apply, and pay for college. CFNC is a partnership of Pathways, the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority, and College Foundation, Inc.  

• Pathways, created by the N.C. General Assembly in 1999, is a state-wide initiative to increase the college-going rate of North Carolinians by providing: comprehensive college and career planning resources; electronic applications and transcripts accepted by all 110 North Carolina colleges and universities; and information on student financial aid and college affordability. Pathways is administered by The University of North Carolina General Administration in collaboration with the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, the N.C. Community College System, and the N.C. Independent Colleges and Universities.
• The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), established in 1965, is the State agency that promotes access to higher education by administering financial aid and savings programs, informing students and families about paying for college, teaching educators about financial aid administration, and advocating for resources to support students.
• College Foundation, Inc. (CFI), a nonprofit corporation serving North Carolina students and families since 1955, administers a portfolio of more than $3.6 billion, including education loans, the State's college grant programs, and the tax-free "529" college savings program on behalf of the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority. CFI also delivers information to North Carolina students and families about paying for college and provides technology services for CFNC.org.

CFNC offers resources toll-free at 1-866-866-CFNC and at CFNC.org.

FAFSA Day is partially supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education via the College Access Challenge Grant Program (#P378A1009017).

SOURCE College Foundation, Inc.