PCC to Host FAFSA ‘Drive-In’ Later This Month
WINTERVILLE—Pitt Community College will host a “Drive-In to Your Future” event on campus this month to assist high school seniors and current college students with completing Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms.
Set for Oct. 23, the drive-in will take place in the parking area behind the G.H. Leslie Building and Craig F. Goess Student Center, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wi-Fi will be provided at no charge, but participants must bring a fully-charged laptop or personal mobile device to the event to complete a FAFSA.
PCC Financial Aid Director Lee Bray says the drive-in offers students an opportunity to fill out FAFSAs from the safety of their vehicles. Financial aid personnel will be available throughout the program to offer free, one-on-one assistance, she said, adding that pandemic safety protocols will be in place.
“The FAFSA is the first step to free or affordable college for North Carolina students,” Bray said. “I would encourage all current and prospective college students to complete the FAFSA, whether they think they are eligible for aid or not. So many programs that provide educational funding to students rely on FAFSA completion, and there is certainly no harm in completing it.”
Bray said the PCC Financial Aid Department is ramping up its efforts to encourage students to complete FAFSAs with the event this month and the return of “FAFSA Mondays” in November. To participate in the Drive-In, she encouraged students to register and bring the following items with them to the event:
- Facial mask
- Charged laptop or mobile device
- List of schools to which student is applying
- Federal Student Aid ID
- Parent and student Social Security numbers
- Driver’s license (if possible)
- Copy of 2020 tax returns
- Records of untaxed income and assets
Sponsored by myFutureNC, College Foundation of North Carolina and the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority, “Drive-In to Your Future” programs highlight the importance of completing FAFSAs and the steps necessary to enroll in college. FAFSA completion is directly related to increased student enrollment in postsecondary education. According to the National College Access Network, high school seniors who complete the application are 84% more likely to attend college.
This month’s drive-in at PCC is part of myFutureNC’s “NC First in FAFSA” initiative, which seeks to increase the number of high school seniors who complete FAFSA forms. The nonprofit organization, comprised of education, business and government leaders, is seeking to close the state’s educational attainment gap and set a goal in 2019 to ensure 2 million 25- to 44-year-olds in North Carolina have a high-quality postsecondary credential or degree by 2030.
PCC will be one of 25 North Carolina colleges hosting a “Drive-In to Your Future” event Oct. 23.
10/07/2021