Rep. Cleary announces College Goal Sunday program

     HOULTON – State Rep. Richard Cleary, D-Houlton, announced that College Goal Sunday 2009 will take place at 2 p.m. on Jan. 25 at the Houlton Higher Education Center at 18 Military St. The Democratic representative urged students planning to go to college in the fall to attend the event.
     College Goal Sunday is a volunteer program coordinated by the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME). The program provides free assistance to students applying for financial aid to attend technical and community colleges and universities. In order to qualify for financial aid, students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Houlton program is one of 20 College Goal Sunday events happening throughout the state.
    “The ability to pay for college is as much a consideration as the ability to get into college,” said Cleary. “As the parent of a child who is starting college in the fall, I will be attending College Goal Sunday.”
     At Sunday’s seminar, FAME will provide staff to walk prospective students through the FAFSA line by line, and answer any questions regarding state and federal financial aid programs. Attendees should bring copies of their most recent tax information. Attendees can also enter to win a $500 scholarship.
     If you are unable to attend this event, you can file your FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.  Be cautious using other Web sites with FAFSA in the name, as many charge for assistance in filling out the forms.
     For more information on College Goal Sunday and other higher education resources, contact Rep. Cleary at 532-7526. You can find more information about College Goal Sunday, including a list of locations, at www.collegegoalsundaymaine.com.