The Garden City Telegram
NEW E-Edition!
Subscription
Required
Add Your Comment | Read (0) Comments
College Goal Sunday helps students prepare for college
Published 2/13/2012 in Local News
By JOSEPH JACKMOVICH
jjackmovich@gctelegram.com
Students and families received some help planning for college Sunday afternoon at the College Goal Sunday event.
1
Laurie Sisk/Telegram Tina Gonzales, right, assists her granddaughter, Alyssa Reyes, as she applies for financial aid at College Goal Sunday at Garden City High School.
Held in the Garden City High School cafeteria, the event aimed to help prospective students of all ages and their families navigate the maze of college financial aid options. College Goal Sunday began in Indiana in 1989, and it has since spread across the U.S. It was created to help people learn about the financial aid process while at the same time not steering students to specific institutions. Last year, the program helped 863 students across Kansas, including 87 in Garden City.
Garden City was one of 22 locations across the state, with Liberal and Dodge City included as some other nearby locations.
Garden City Community College Director of Financial Aid Kathy Blau led the program at the high school. As she spoke, there were several tables filled with volunteers and hopeful college students. Outside the cafeteria door, a line of people waited to be helped.
Blau said that the event helps students to file paperwork early, like the important Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Filing an early FAFSA can help students meet the priority deadlines of some institutions, which can mean extra financial help in their academic future.
"It helps the kids get a leg up," Blau said. "You are giving a good service to families."
Blau said that about 30 volunteers came to help people navigate the sometimes-intimidating FAFSA application, along with other financial aid questions. She said that volunteers in Garden City have the best turnout across the entire state.
This was Blau's 11th year running the program, and she said she hoped to help 100 students, with the average across the years approximately 75.
One of the volunteers for the event was retired GCCC Dean of Student Services Beth Tedrow. She said that she volunteers for the event because she had people help her navigate the world of financial aid, and she feels like this is paying back.
"The financial aid process is scary," Tedrow said. "By doing this, it helps the student and the schools where they're going."
Sydell Paul is a current GCHS senior with a future set on architecture at Kansas State University. She was on her way to the program with her mother Sheri to help prepare for the transition from high school to college.
"We're looking for some good advice," Sheri Paul said.
Found 0 comment(s)!