Sandhills Community College will host "FAFSA Day" from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday in Van Dusen Hall.

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This national event is to help current or future college-bound students and parents understand the financial aid process and help individuals fill out the form.

The FAFSA is the gateway to financial aid. Both current college students and those who anticipate enrollment for the 2010-2011 semester need to complete a FAFSA form annually to determine eligibility for federal financial aid, grants, loans, child-care assistance, scholarships and work-study opportunities.

The FAFSA form consists of questions related to finances of the student and his or her family. The information is computed into a formula that determines the expected family contribution (EFC). Other factors considered in computing the EFC are family size, income, number of enrolled college students and assets.

"The entire financial aid staff will be on hand to answer questions that arise when completing the FAFSA form," said Lindsey Farmer, assistant director of financial aid. "People can use the computers in the lab to fill out the form. We ask that they bring their last tax return and W2 forms. If they have not filed for 2009 yet, we can use the 2008 return and estimate the figures."

Heather Willett, director of financial aid, said, "Our motto at Sandhills is 'Don't Assume - Apply.' Never assume you are ineligible for financial aid. Be smart and apply. You may be pleasantly surprised and receive money for tuition, books, supplies or fees."

Sandhills awards more than $350,000 in scholarships each year. The Sandhills Community College Foundation distributes funds contributed by donors that make a college education possible for many deserving students who otherwise would be unable to receive a higher education.

The deadline to apply for early consideration for scholarships is Feb. 26. All prospective and current students need to fill out a separate form to be eligible for scholarships.

The 2010-2011 scholarship applications are available online at www.sandhills.edu.

Anyone needing more information on FAFSA Day or have questions regarding financial aid can contact Farmer at (910) 695-3952 or by e-mail at farmerl@sandhills.edu.