Instead of standing in an infinitely long line at Beardshear Hall to ask a simple question, Iowa State students can now get the information they need about financial aid and university admissions over the phone.

On Sunday, Feb. 1, students can call a college information hotline to ask college financial aid and admission professionals any personal questions they have concerning these issues.

The program is directed at high school seniors who still have questions about being admitting to college, as well as college students who have financial aid questions.

“I think it’s a tremendous way for students to get some basic information about financial aid,” Tom Becker, coordinator of the National Merit Scholarship program and admissions, said. “It’s geared to all students from Iowa, from ISU to Dubuque or the University of Iowa.”

The hotline’s toll-free number is 1-800-383-4222, and the lines are open Feb. 1 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

According to a press release, the professionals will be staffers from the Iowa Association of Financial Aid Administrators and the Iowa Association for College Admission Counseling.

This is the sixth year the hotline service has been available, and over the past five years, 450 calls per year have been answered by the volunteers.

“There’s a tremendous number of people gathering information from this process,” Becker said.

Roberta Johnson, assistant director of the student financial aid office at ISU, said the program has received generous support throughout the state of Iowa.

She said this is a good opportunity for students, particularly high school seniors who have questions about the admissions process, to call the toll-free number.

Johnson added that any specific questions concerning financial aid can be brought to ISU’s financial aid department.

“This is the perfect time to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid,” Johnson said. “[The students] can meet some very important deadlines.”

Johnson encouraged any high school student with questions about admissions to call the number for the information they need. She said with the continued support of the community, this program will be held again next year.

“We’re hoping this program will continue a long, long time,” Johnson said.