Financial aid professionals from Missouri Western State University will offer free assistance to families filling out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, during a “FAFSA Frenzy” event from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17 in the atrium of Leah Spratt Hall.

“Next school year, the U.S. Department of Education will make more than $150 billion in postsecondary financial aid available to students throughout the nation,” said Marilyn Baker, Missouri Western’s director of financial aid. “The first step in accessing that aid is filling out the FAFSA, and we are happy to be able to help.”

Families who bring their completed 2012 income tax returns to FAFSA Frenzy will be able to complete the 2013-14 FAFSA on-site. Those who haven’t completed their tax returns will still learn valuable information to help them finish the FAFSA at home.

Scholarships will be drawn for students attending one of the approximately 50 FAFSA Frenzy events statewide. Winners will receive their scholarships upon receipt of enrollment verification for the 2013 fall semester at a Missouri postsecondary institution.

The FAFSA deadline for Missouri is April 1. However, the priority deadline for Western is March 1, so Baker encourages students to apply early.

“Completing your financial aid applications by our priority deadline insures that you are considered for all possible sources of financial assistance,”’ Baker said. March 1 is also the deadline to apply for institutional scholarships.

For additional information about Missouri Western’s FAFSA Frenzy event, contact the financial aid office at 816-271-4361.

2013 FAFSA Frenzy events will mark the tenth year that Missouri has participated in College Goal Sunday, a national effort to help students apply for financial aid. In the past eight years, CGS/FAFSA Frenzy has helped more than 9,500 Missouri students obtain financial aid.

FAFSA Frenzy, a program of College Goal Sunday, is offered in Missouri through partnerships between the Missouri Department of Higher Education, the Missouri Association of Student Financial Aid Personnel, the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, the Lumina Foundation for Education and USA Funds. For more information or to get a complete list of FAFSA Frenzy events, visit www.dhe.mo.gov.

Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.