Road to
College Night
College is generally paid for by
• Private funds
a.k.a- the Bank of Parents/Relatives
* Grants – based upon financial need
* Loans
* Work-Study
* Scholarships
FAFSA
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid
www.fafsa.gov
• Application available January 1, 2015
www.fafsa.gov
What can you do now to get ready?
1. Visit FAFSA website
2. Obtain a FAFSA PIN
3. Gather forms
And……..
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 2014-2015 and are
pleased to make the following offer of financial assistance based on the available information:
Cost of Attendance (COA)
Tuition and Fees
Room and Board
Books and Supplies
Personal Expenses
Transportation
$31,400
$ 8,500
$ 1,000
$ 2,500
$ 600
Total Cost of Attendance (COA)
$44,000
(EFC)
Expected Family Contribution
$ 5,468
Calculated Financial Need
$38,532
To assist in covering your calculated financial need, you are offered the following financial assistance:
Fall
Paws & Claws University Grant $ 10,000
ABC Restricted Scholarship
$ 5,000
Subsidized Stafford Loan
$ 1,750
Federal Work Study
$ 1,500
Total Awards
$ 18,250
Spring
$ 10,000
$ 5,000
$ 1,750
$ 1,500
$18,250
Total
$20,000
$10,000
$ 3,500
$ 3,000
$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.
• Apply early – first come, first serve
Local
Area businesses
churches
Kiwanis
Rotary
State
Flinn Foundation
Wood Foundation
National
National Merit Scholarship Corporation
Gates Millennium Scholars
Intel Science Talent Search
State
Local
National
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 the Student Advisor
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
Get organized
- High School Transcript
- PSAT, ACT, SAT scores
- AP Scores
- Resume
- FAFSA PIN/ Forms
- Letters of Recommendation
Make a separate file for each scholarship and sort the files by application due dates.
Don’t miss deadlines!!!!!
• 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
Keep copies of
everything!
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.
The Application:
Before you send the application in:
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 readable. 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
Tips for Letters of Recommendation
• Ask the teacher whether he/she can write you
a great letter of recommendation
• The recommendation should be relevant to the
scholarship sponsor’s goal
• Provide the recommender with a copy of your
accomplishments resume
• Provide the recommender with all required forms
• Give them two weeks notice
• Thank the recommender for writing the letter
Most Common Application
Mistakes
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•
Missing deadlines
Failing to proofread
Failing to follow directions
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
Acing the Scholarship Interview
• Practice, practice, practice
• Videotape a mock interview and review the
recording afterward
• Wear appropriate business attire
• Arrive 15 minutes early
• Pay attention to the interviewer’s name
• Be polite and send a thank you note afterward
•
•
•
•
•
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
Telephone and Webcam Interviews
• Conduct the interview in a quiet room
• Use a corded phone, nor a cordless or cell
phone, and do not use a speakerphone
• Clean the lens on your webcam
• Make sure there is nothing embarrassing
within view of the webcam
• Look at the webcam when you speak, not the
video of the interviewer
Top Ten Scholarships for Age 13 and Under
1. National Geography Bee
2. National Spelling Bee
3. National History Day Contest
4. Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich
Contest
5. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
6. Christopher Columbus Community Service
Awards
7. Dick Blick Linoleum Block Print Contest
8. Gloria Barron Prize for Your Heroes
9. Patriot’s Pen
10. Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
Top Ten Scholarships for Community
Service
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
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 Most Prestigious Scholarships
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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 Scholarships that Don’t Need an A
1. US Department of Education
2. AXA Achievement Scholarship Program
3. Horatio Alger Association Scholarships
4. Ayn Rand Institute
5. Girls Going Places Scholarship
6. Holocaust Remembrance Project Essay Contest
7. Americanism Essay Contest
8. AFSA National Scholarship Essay Contest
9. Red Vines Drawing Contest
10. Community Foundation Scholarships
Top Ten Most Generous Scholarships
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
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 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
Key Scholarship Resources
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www.fastweb.com
www.finaid.org/scholarships
www.finaid.org/websearch
www.finaid.org/scholarshipscams
www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams
www.finaid.org/taxbenefits
www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p970.pdf
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
If you have any questions please contact the Advising office at
480-472-8030.