MTSU and the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation have a valuable, free offer for prospective high school students planning to attend college.

It’s College Goal Tennessee at MTSU, which will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 10. Sign-in will be in the south lobby of the Business and Aerospace Building.

To find nearby parking and the event location, a printable campus map is available at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParking14-15.

Prospective students and their parents or guardians will receive assistance and advice from MTSU and Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation personnel during the Saturday, Jan. 10, College Goal Tennessee at MTSU event. In this file photo, Jones College of Business adviser Amie Donahue helps then-sophomore Ryan Cooke. (MTSU file photo by Andy Heidt)

Between Jan. 3 and Feb. 15, there will be 25 College Goal events held across the state.

Event organizers use these sessions to assist prospective students and their parents or guardians in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, form and to share financial aid resources, how to apply and much more.

Jackie Owens, an MTSU financial aid counselor in the MT One Stop and coordinator of the College Goal event, urges participants to pre-register “so we can be adequately staffed and provide our best service to students and families during this event.”

To register, go to www.mtsu.edu/goal. Nationally, the event is called College Goal Sunday, but MTSU and other venues across the state choose to host the local events on days other than a Sunday.

For a list of all Tennessee locations, visit www.tn.gov/collegegoalsunday/locations.html.

“We want to be able to provide one-on-one counseling and individual assistance for the students and families that plan to attend,” Owens said. “College Goal at MTSU is an opportunity for us to offer free assistance to students from nearby communities who are planning to attend any college, not just MTSU.”

Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation representative Annie Trout, left, assists with registration during the 2013 College Goal Tennessee at MTSU session in the Business and Aerospace Building. (Submitted photo)

All students seeking federal and state aid must complete the FAFSA annually.

Volunteers at the College Goal at MTSU and the other similar events in Tennessee will help steer students in the right direction regarding financial aid.

Students and their parents or guardians can begin filing their FAFSA Jan. 1. However, for first-time FAFSA applicants, the process can prove stressful, Owens said.

Attendees need to bring their driver’s license, Social Security number, 2014 federal tax return and bank statements. For the complete list of needed documents, visit www.mtsu.edu/goal.

All participants will need a PIN number for the FAFSA if they plan to complete the FAFSA online during the event. To obtain the PIN, visit www.pin.ed.gov.

The parking, registration and advice are free.

For more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/goal or www.tn.gov/collegegoalsunday/index.html, email CollegeGoal.SundayInfo@tn.gov or call 615-904-8215 or 800-342-1663.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)