Confusion in the process of filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid can be filed, processed and completed in a few short hours.

Kent State students and families can take part in the FAFSA session Sunday at 2 p.m. in Bowman Hall.

Student Financial Aid and Upward Bound are offering the session through the non-profit Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and Ohio College Access Network as part of a nationwide program called College Goal Sunday.

College Goal Sunday will host experts who will help students and families fill out the FAFSA form required to apply for higher education federal financial aid.

“This is meant to be the last major effort to have a public event to get students to professionals to help them (with FAFSA),” said Conni Dubick, Student Financial Aid associate director.

She said College Goal Sunday is meant to ease the confusion of the process.

Financial aid professionals will help families and students prepare their federal tax information for FAFSA scholarships, loans, grants and other forms of assistance.

“The value of this is to tailor that experience for students and families,” said Geraldine Hayes-Nelson, associate dean in undergraduate studies.

She said the session is especially important for first-generation families with college-bound students.

Dubick said this FAFSA effort is to help with the paperwork so experts can begin to work with families.

A professional staff will present a PowerPoint presentation to students and families. A computer lab will be available to fill out the FAFSA form for those ready after the presentation.

“Our goal is to help students become financially savvy and understand their financial aid because it’s their account and their financial aid, grants and loans,” Dubick said.

Registration is required, but Dubick said Sunday walk-ins are also taken. There are around 70 students and families already signed up.

Those planning to attend do not have to be current Kent State students but can be any incoming freshman college students. The nationwide session has 32 other Ohio counties involved, and Kent State is the host site for Portage county.

This is Kent’s fourth year being involved with College Goal Sunday.

Suggested information to bring to the meeting includes the student’s social security number, driver’s license, the previous year’s W-2 forms and Federal Income Tax Return, the parent’s most recent Federal Income Tax Return and any other benefit and income information.

For more information, visit www.ohiocollegegoalsunday.org.

Contact student affairs reporter Kim Brown at [email protected].