Free College Planning and Financial Aid Assistance
Free College Planning and Financial Aid Assistance
ICAN Services Now More Available to Western Iowa Families
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA (Jan. 4, 2010) — Western Iowa students and families can now
receive free college planning and financial aid help through one-on-one appointments with
experts from the Iowa College Access Network®
(ICAN).
ICAN is partnering with the Community Education Foundation (CEF) in Council Bluffs to
provide special office hours for western Iowa students at CEF offices. “This partnership
allows us to talk one-on-one with families who need help,” Juan Garcia, executive director of
ICAN, said. “Of course, the ICAN staff is available by phone and via e-mail to all Iowa
students, but this is another way we can help anyone who has questions about college
planning, financial aid, scholarships or our other services.”
Services Provided
ICAN staff will help students and families with:
FAFSA completion. The electronic or paper Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) from the U.S. Department of Education is required to qualify for federal
financial aid. The FAFSA is available online at www.fafsa.gov.
College planning preparation. ICAN staff can help students ensure they meet
college entrance requirements, narrow down college choices and prepare for college
visits. Financial aid assistance. Besides offering FAFSA assistance, ICAN staff can guide
students and families through the entire financial aid process, including comparing
and evaluating financial aid awards.
Scholarship searches. ICAN can help recommend free scholarship searches and
sources of scholarship funds.
Appointments Required
ICAN outreach representatives will work with families during 45-minute appointments from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. January through June on the following dates:
Jan. 13 March 11 May 6
Jan. 28 March 23 May 20
Feb. 12 April 8 June 3
Feb. 26 April 22 June 17
To schedule appointments, families should call the CEF offices at (712) 322-8800. CEF is
located in the Omni Centre, 300 West Broadway, Suite 212, in Council Bluffs. Visit
www.ICANsucceed.org to download or print a flier.
More Information
ICAN provides a wide variety of free services to help Iowa families and students succeed in
education. To learn more about ICAN and its services, visit www.ICANsucceed.org.
Go to www.commedfoundation.org to find out more about the Community Education
Foundation and how it helps college-bound students.