College is generally paid for by:
* Private funds, i.e., the Bank of Parents/Relatives
* Grants – based upon financial need
* Loans
* Work-Study
* Scholarships
Your family’s financial information is analyzed using the federal need formula.
You will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) which shows the expected family contribution
(EFC). Your EFC is an indicator of your family’s financial strength. It is sent to your state
scholarship agency as well as to the colleges you listed on the FAFSA. They use this
number to determine your financial aid award.
You’ll receive an award letter showing your “financial package,” which may consist of
scholarships, grants, loans and work study. You can decline all or part of it.
You’ll need to report information about private scholarships you’ve been awarded to the
university’s financial aid office. Your financial aid award may then be adjusted.
Dear Rufus D. Lion,
We have reviewed your financial aid application for the upcoming academic year 2013-2014 and are pleased to make
the following offer of financial assistance:
Your financial aid information was based on the following information:
Cost of Attendance (COA)
Tuition and Fees
$31,400
Room and Board
$ 8,500
Books and Supplies $ 1,000
Personal Expenses $ 2,500
Transportation
$ 600
Total Cost of Attendance (COA)
$44,000
Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
$ 5,468
Calculated Financial Need
$38,532
To assist in covering your calculated financial need, you are offered the following financial assistance:
Fall
Spring
Total
Paws & Claws University Grant $ 10,000
$ 10,000
$20,000
ABC Restricted Scholarship
$ 5,000
$ 5,000
$10,000
Subsidized Stafford Loan
$ 1,750
$ 1,750
$ 3,500
Federal Work Study
$ 1,500
$ 1,500
$ 3,000
Total Awards
$ 18,250
$18,250
$36,500
College
Local
State
National
Merit: Based upon academic index
(grades, class rank, test scores,
strength of transcript).
Non-Merit: Examples:
leadership, certain extracurricular
activities, community service.
• The most common type of scholarship.
• Check out a college’s website, catalog &
financial aid materials for information on the
scholarships it offers.
• Awards can be offered on a university-wide
basis or within a particular college or major.
• Your college may automatically put your name
in for its scholarships when you submit
financial aid forms. Check with the financial
aid officer to determine this.
• Apply early – first come, first serve
• Response dates for acceptance need to be
observed.
Local
Area businesses, churches, branches of organizations such
as Kiwanis or Rotary.
State
These are for students who will attend college in Arizona.
Examples include:
Flinn Foundation Scholarship
Wood Foundation Scholarship
National
Examples include:
National Merit Scholarship Corporation
Gates Millennium Scholars
Intel Science Talent Search
Subscribe to our College & Career Newsfeed by entering your e-mail. Every time
we update these, you’ll receive info about new scholarships, college recruiter
visits and more!
SCHOLARSHIP PROFILE
Complete your scholarship profile by completing the Google Docs form located
in our Counseling link.
The Red Mountain Scholarship Committee is asked to identify worthy students
for scholarships from a variety of state and local programs and organizations.
Your profile provides us with a snapshot of you – your goals, accomplishments,
interests and more. We are looking for well-rounded individuals with a strong
emphasis placed on academics, leadership in school, community or church,
service learning, and extracurricular activities
Set up a profile on at
least one scholarship
search site, such as
www.fastweb.com. It
will search a national
database of
scholarships for you.
More Ways of Searching for $$$
• Look for local scholarships on the library’s jobs
and careers section
• Look in the coupon section of the newspaper
• Answer the optional questions on a scholarship
matching service for twice as many matches
• Look for near-miss matches
• Pursue less competitive scholarships, such as
small awards and essay contests, since they are
easier to win, the money adds up and they help
you win bigger scholarships
Start your research early.
Read eligibility requirements carefully.
Don’t miss deadlines
Some scholarships have deadlines early in the fall of senior year. Mark the due dates on your
calendar and work your way backward to figure out how much time you’ll have to get each piece of
the application finished.
Get organized
Make a separate file for each scholarship and sort the files by application due dates.
You should also gather the items you’ll need to apply. You’ll need some or all of the
following:
High school transcript
PSAT, ACT, SAT scores
AP Scores
Resume of your accomplishments, including extracurricular activities, awards, etc.
Financial aid forms, such as the FAFSA
Parents' financial information, including tax returns
One or more essays
One or more letters of recommendation
Proof of eligibility for the scholarship (for example, proof of membership in a
certain group)
You might also need to prepare for an interview. And if you’re competing for talentbased scholarships, you’ll probably need to audition or submit a portfolio.
Practice on a copy of the application form.
Tailor your application to the sponsor’s goals.
Make sure you filled in all the blanks. You can contact scholarship sponsors if you aren't sure how
to fill out part of the application.
Make sure your answers are legible. If you can, fill out the application online. If you have to write
out the application, print neatly.
If you're reusing material (such as a cover letter or an essay) from another scholarship application,
make sure you haven't left in any incorrect names.
Proofread your application. Run spell check and grammar check on the application. Also, have
someone else read your essays to catch mistakes and give you feedback.
Remember to sign and date your application.
Use a professional email address, such as firstname.lastname@gmail.com
Clean up the content of your Facebook account, removing inappropriate and immature material
Google your name to see what shows up
Make a photocopy of your application before mailing it
Send the application by certified mail, return receipt requested or with delivery confirmation
If rejected, ask for the reviewer comments
Most Common Application Mistakes
• Missing deadlines
• Failing to proofread the application
• Failing to follow directions (essay length, number of
recommendations)
• Omitting required information
• Applying for an award when you don’t qualify
• Failing to apply for an award for which you are eligible
• Failing to tailor the application to the sponsor
• Writing a boring essay
Writing the essay
• Stick to the word limit for the essay. If supporting
materials are not requested in the application, don’t send
them.
• Answer the essay question orally and transcribe the
recording
• Use an outline to organize your thoughts
• Give examples and be specific
• Personalize your essay and be passionate
• Write about something of interest to you
• Talk about your impact on other people
• Proofread a printed copy of the essay for spelling and
grammar errors
Tips for Letters of Recommendation
Two to three are generally required.
Develop relationships with your teachers,
counselor and other key people who know you, i.e.,
coaches and volunteer supervisors. Allow them
to truly get to know you – your character, your
strengths and your accomplishments.
Ask the recommender if he/she can write you a
great letter of recommendation.
Provide the recommender with either Letter of
Rec Questionnaire (available in Counseling) and/or
resume which includes potential college
major/future plans. Also provide print-outs of
AP, PSAT, SAT & ACT scores.
The recommendation should be relevant to the
scholarship sponsor’s goal .
Ha-Ha & No-No!
Acing the Scholarship Interview
• Practice, practice, practice
• Videotape a mock interview and review the recording
afterward
• Wear appropriate business attire
• Visit the restroom before the interview
• Brush your teeth and wear deodorant
• Arrive 15 minutes early
• Pay attention to the interviewer’s name
• Be polite and send a thank you note afterward
After You Win a Scholarship
• Understand your college’s outside scholarship policy
and seek adjustments to the cost of attendance or
defer a scholarship if necessary
• If your scholarship is renewable, review the
requirements for retaining eligibility
• Tell the scholarship sponsors when you win a major
award or other recognition
• Understand the taxability of your scholarships
– Amounts for tuition, fees, books, supplies tax-free
– Amounts for room and board, transportation and
other living expenses are taxable
Stacking Scholarships
Case:
Jamie is awarded a merit scholarship for U of A for nearly the full cost of
tuition.
She also is awarded several other scholarships through U of A’s College of
Engineering, her father’s company and some private foundations.
This is an example of “stacking” – multiple scholarships that may cover a good
portion of the estimated cost of attendance.
You are required to report to the school’s financial aid office any scholarships
outside of the merit scholarship you’ve received. The university may then
choose to adjust your financial aid award.
Beware of Scholarship Scams
• If you have to pay money to get money, it is probably
a scam
• Never invest more than a postage stamp to get
information about scholarships or to apply for a
scholarship
• Nobody can guarantee that you’ll win a scholarship
• Do not give out personal information like bank account
numbers, credit card numbers or Social Security
numbers
• Beware of the unclaimed aid myth
Top Ten Most Prestigious Scholarships
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Marshall Scholarships
Rhodes Scholarship
Winston Churchill Scholarship Program
Harry S. Truman Scholarships
Henry Luce Foundation Scholarship
Morris K. Udall Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships
Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest
National Merit Scholarship Corporation
Top Ten Most Generous Scholarships
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10.
Intel Science Talent Search
Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology
NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program
Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student
Competition
Davidson Fellows
Intel International Science and Engineering Fair
Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships
Collegiate Inventors Competition
Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship
Gates Millennium Scholars
Top Ten Scholarships for Age 13 and Under
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10.
National Spelling Bee
National Geography Bee
National History Day Contest
Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Christopher Columbus Community Service Awards
Dick Blick Linoleum Block Print Contest
Gloria Barron Prize for Your Heroes
Patriot’s Pen
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
Top Ten Scholarships for Community Service
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10.
Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
The Do Something Awards
Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship
Discover Card Tribute Award
Echoing Green Fellowship
The Heart of America Christopher Reeve Award
Kohl’s Kids Who Care Program
Samuel Huntington Public Service Award
National Caring Award
Youth Action Net
Top Ten Scholarships that Don’t Need an A
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US Department of Education
AXA Achievement Scholarship Program
Horatio Alger Association Scholarships
Ayn Rand Institute
Girls Going Places Scholarship
Holocaust Remembrance Project Essay Contest
Americanism Essay Contest
AFSA National Scholarship Essay Contest
Red Vines Drawing Contest
Community Foundation Scholarships
Top Ten Most Unusual Scholarships
1. Scholarship for Left-Handed Students
2. Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Contest
3. David Letterman Telecommunications Scholarship
4. Zolp Scholarships
5. Patrick Kerr Skateboard Scholarship
6. Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year Award
7. National Marbles Tournament Scholarships
8. Klingon Language Institute Scholarship
9. National Beef Ambassador Program
10. Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship
11. Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship