Monday, January 31, 2011

The University of North Carolina Wilmington and Cape Fear Community College realize that finding funds for college can cause stress for students and their families. To help alleviate this stress, they are joining together to offer information and assistance on the financial aid process with two annual events: FAFSA Day, Feb. 19, and College Maze, March 5.

FAFSA Day
On Saturday, Feb. 19, in more than 100 locations across the state, high school seniors planning to attend a U.S. college in the fall of 2011 can receive help in completing and submitting their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms at FAFSA Day. The UNCW event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon in Bear Hall.

"It's important to complete the FAFSA early to take advantage of all of the financial aid opportunities available for North Carolinians," said Emily Bliss, UNC Wilmington's director of the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid. "Experienced financial aid specialists will be on site at FAFSA Day to answer questions students and parents may have about how to properly complete the form."

Completion of the FAFSA form is a requirement to be considered for all federal and most state financial aid for college, including grants and scholarships. Participants do not need to be planning to attend the college hosting the event.

Students may register for FAFSA Day by calling 866-866-CFNC or by visiting CFNC.org/FAFSAday. Participants should bring the following items: both student's and parent's federal 1040 tax forms for 2010; the Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) obtained in advance from www.pin.ed.gov; and a "FAFSA on the Web" worksheet, available at www.fafsa.gov, with as much information entered as possible.

College Maze
Students in grades 8 through 12 and their families can gain insight into the financial aid and college application process by attending the workshop series "College Maze," which will be held from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, March 5 in Bear Hall on the UNCW campus.

Workshop topics will include:
• The financial impact of living at home as opposed to on-campus or off-campus away from home
• The differences between attending a four-year institution and a community college
• Applying for student loans and seeking scholarships, federal grants and work study funding
• Information about N.C. state grants and the role of the FAFSA in seeking financial aid

A UNCW admissions office representative and other financial aid specialists will be available to assist students in preparing for the application process by setting up online accounts and answering questions about applying to and funding college.

General questions about these programs may be directed to Judy Carter, UNCW financial aid counselor, 910.962.3177 or carterj@uncw.edu

Media are invited to announce this event to the public, and to attend both workshop days and interview participants upon request.

Media Contact:
Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.508.3127 or fischettid@uncw.edu