March 29, 2024

SWCC to offer free FAFSA-assistance event

The college will host FAFSA Ready Iowa, a statewide initiative, open to all high school seniors, college students and families.

This year, the process of filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is simpler and more user-friendly than ever before.

“It used to be seniors couldn’t compete it until Jan. 1, but now they can start in October using taxes that are already completed,” said Erica Frey, Southwestern Community College director of Educational Talent Search. “Now, taxes are already done since you have to file them by April 1, ... and we can transfer that information right into the FAFSA. It makes it easier and quicker.”

And, about 85 percent of students who fill out a FAFSA and meet the requirements will receive some form of financial aid, Frey said.

On Wednesday, SWCC’s ETS program will host FAFSA Ready Iowa, a statewide initiative. The free event is for high school seniors, college students and parents or guardians to complete financial-aid paperwork with the help of college personnel and have any questions answered. The event will be from 3 to 7 p.m. in the SWCC instructional building, rooms 208 and 210.

“There’s money out there to help students go to college, especially low income, and the FAFSA is the way to get that money so they can go to college and get the career that they want,” Frey said. “The Iowa FAFSA completion rate is 41 percent, while the national average is 55 percent. Iowa College Access Network has the goal of getting 70 percent for Iowa by 2025.”

All students who plan to attend college following high school graduation are encouraged to attend, as well as students attending any college. Students and parents may drop by anytime during the event. Each appointment will take about 30 minutes, and appointments will be taken until 7 p.m.

“We encourage all students to apply for FAFSA even if they don’t think they’ll qualify because a lot of scholarship committees will look at that information before awarding scholarships,” Frey said. “And, even if students don’t think they’ll qualify to get financial aid because they aren’t low income, there will still be student loans available.”

When coming to the event, students or parents should bring the following:

• Completed 2015 taxes and W-2 forms for the parents and students, if they filed

• Students’ and parents’ Social Security numbers

• Students’ and parents’ driver’s licenses

• Parents’ 2015 untaxed income records (Social Security, FIP, welfare, disability or veterans’ benefits records)

• Parents’ 2015 business and investment mortgage information, business farm records, stock, bond and other investment records. Families do not need records for a farm they live on and operate, only investment farms.

• Alien-registration number or permanent-residence card, if not a U.S. citizen

“If students come to this event, if they have their Federal Student Aid ID done ahead of time – the parent needs one and the student needs one – it will make the night go much faster,” Frey said. “They can do that at www.fsaid.ed.gov.”

The FAFSA Ready Iowa program will host more than 60 events in 42 locations across Iowa. Volunteers for FAFSA Ready Iowa help students and families fill out and file the FAFSA as part of a national program that helps students qualify for federal financial aid. The FAFSA, which is a free form available in paper and electronic formats from the U.S. Department of Education, is the first step in the qualification process.

“This program is great for anyone who has questions or wants free help with the FAFSA,” said Brittania Morey, state coordinator for FAFSA Ready Iowa. “It’s especially helpful for students who are low income or are the first generation of their families to attend college, or both.”

For more information, visit the FAFSA Ready Iowa website at www.icansucceed.org/fafsareadyia. Details are also available from the Iowa College Access Network by calling 877-272-4692. For information regarding the Creston event, contact Frey at frey@swcciowa.edu or 641-782-1382.

“People get scared about the FAFSA or think it’s difficult, but it’s really not hard and we’ll get them done in 10 or 15 minutes,” Frey said.