TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)– With the deadline to apply for federal aid about six weeks away, colleges around Indiana are urging students to fill out their FAFSA.

There were over 35 locations for “College Goal Sunday” across Indiana, an event that offers assistance for families filing out their FAFSA forms. Julie Wonderlin, the financial aid director at Ivy Tech Terre Haute, said beating the April 15th deadline was crucial for families in Indiana.

“It’s the base application for them to apply for anything financial aid. If they want to take out a student loan, they still have to complete the FAFSA,” she said. “If they want to apply for scholarships, they still need to complete the FAFSA for most of those. It’s an opportunity to get things started and going.”

“College Goal Sunday” is mainly a tool for families going through the process for the first time, but Wonderlin said it was open to anyone. She said the event allowed for representatives from multiple schools to be available for those in need of assistance.

Wonderlin said she encouraged anyone with further questions to contact a financial aid official at their school.