More than 1,000 students received free assistance completing college aid applications Sunday (February 12) during West Virginia’s third annual College Goal Sunday event. Approximately 2,000 individuals attended the event, which offered free workshops at 19 locations across the state. The workshops were staffed by financial aid professionals and focused on helping families navigate the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

“It’s very rewarding to be able to provide this service to so many families in West Virginia,” said Angie Holley, chairwoman of College Goal Sunday West Virginia. “This event allows us to work with families one-on-one to remove some of the logistical obstacles to attending college.”

College Goal Sunday is coordinated by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (Commission), in conjunction with the West Virginia Association of Financial Aid Administrators and the YMCA. Students who were unable to attend a College Goal Sunday workshop can still receive free help completing the FAFSA by calling the Commission’s financial aid hotline at 1-888-825-5707 to set up an appointment or receive help over the phone.

Information regarding all state and federal financial aid programs is also available from the College Foundation of West Virginia, the state’s free college-planning website, online at www.cfwv.com.

College Goal Sunday is a national initiative created by the Indiana Financial Aid Association with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc., and with supplemental support from the Lumina Foundation for Education.  College Goal Sunday West Virginia is supported by the Lumina Foundation for Education and partnerships with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, and TRiO and GEAR UP college access programs.