Scholarship WorkshopHOW TO FIND SCHOLARSHIPS

INTERNET SITES DO NOT PAY FOR SEARCHES AND AVOID FREE OFFERS www.finaid.org www.fafsa.ed.gov (Application for Federal Aid) www.collegeanswer.com (SallieMae) www.students.gov (U.S. Government) www.utahsbr.edu (Utah System Higher Ed.) www.savingforcollege.com (529 Savings Plans)

www.scholarshipcoach.com (Ben Kaplan) www.studentaid.ed.gov (Federal Student Aid) www.ed.gov (U.S. Department of Education) www.collegeboard.com www.utahmentor.org www.cashforcollege.com (Cynthia Ruiz & McKee) www.fastweb.com

USING LDSJOBS.ORG TO FIND SCHOLARSHIPSStep 1: Go to LDSJobs.org. Sign-in. (You need your Church membership number to create an LDS Account first. Your Ward Clerk can help you with this.)

Step 2: On the My LDSJobs tab Select Education Resources in the “SELECT” window tab

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Step 3: Next select “Search for a School” button and “Search for online schools only” box and hit “Search”

Step 4: The Search will bring up many scholarship Step 4 opportunities. Please note those items numbered 1-8 for excellent scholarship information. Items 4 and 5 are websites maintained by BYU. There are excellent scholarships on these web pages. (You DO NOT have to be a BYU student to apply for these scholarships.) (Make sure you click on “Website” to the right of your choice)

SCHOOL RESOURCES Check with guidance & financial aid counselors, or even other schools in your area.

FAMILY & FRIENDS They may be aware of scholarships offered by companies they work for or organizations they are affiliated with.

BOOKS & DIRECTORIES Winning Scholarships for College, Marianne Ragins Scholarships, Ben Kaplan Scholarships, Grants and Prizes, Peterson Ultimate Scholarship Book, Tanabe How To Go To College Almost For Free, Ben Kaplan Scholarship Sleuth, Ben Kaplan Scholarship Handbook, College Board Cash for College, Cynthia Ruiz & McKee

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Encyclopedia of Associations Check Your Local Library

YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITYContact local service organizations like veterans associations, fraternal lodges (Rotary, Kiwanis, etc.), businesses, radio and television stations, newspapers, banks, etc for additional scholarship opportunities.

NOTES:

HOW TO COMPETE WHAT COMMITTEES LOOK FORSubject Criteria: Stated requirements, service to others, academic achievement, extracurricular activities, leadership, traits specific to that scholarship, goals or values of the organization.Personal Qualities: Hard work, overcoming obstacles, teamwork, perseverance, individual initiative, passion & enthusiasm, responsibility, civic duty, purpose, character.PREPARE REUSABLE MATERIALS

1- Themes that describe you2- Power statements

Master application Cover letters Essays

Letters of recommendation Master lists Transcripts of grades Awards and certificates Extracurricular or civic activities

DEVELOP 3 OR 4 THEMESA good theme helps others understand who you are and what you care about. Develop the 3 or 4 “themes” that describe you best. Make sure that readers can recognize the themes.Use no more than 2 themes in any application. Let power statements crystallize your themes. Possible themes include: service, creative talent, survival, academics, community action, entrepreneurship, leadership, science, athletics, ethnic identity, music, outdoors, etc.

ADD BREADTH & DEPTH:Breadth: Select at least three areas where you developed the theme. For example, our service theme includes service at church, in the community and at school. A sports theme could include 3 different sports; an academic theme could include 3 subject areas.

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Depth: Wow them with specific illustrations using power statements. Power statements provide a specific example and a measurable result. For example, “As chairman of our school’s Sub-for-Santa committee, I supervised 26 students. We raised $12,000 and provided Christmas for 25 disadvantaged families.”

Theme Title

Sub-Divisions for Breadth

Power Statements for Depth

SERVICE

Church Service Made 25 quilts for elderly women Spent 110 hours preparing church buildings Mowed widows yard for 3 years for free

Community Service

Prepared 500 kits for Humanitarian center Sorted 500-800 cans at food bank Painted 200 addresses on curbs

School Service Helped raise $12,000 for Sub-for-Santa: 25 families served Raised $600 for pep club Fingerprinted 1,100 kindergarteners for Key club

TRANSLATE CHURCH OR OTHER JARGONChurch experience is a great source for power statements, however, most scholarship organizations will not understand Church jargon. You must translate the jargon for them by changing some words and language.For example: “Laurel Class President” becomes “President of Community Young Women’s Service Group” “Teacher’s Quorum President” becomes “President of a Young Men’s Service Group” “District Meeting” becomes “Staff Meeting” “Lessons taught” or “baptisms” become “productivity”

REUSABLE MASTER APPLICATION Do it immediately Get 3 different applications (Internet or a school counselor) Gather and verify your information Make sure to use themes applicable for that scholarship Edit and perfect your answers Spelling and grammar Message that sparkles Accuracy, completeness, and neatness Ask 2 people to review and edit

REUSABLE EMAIL/COVER LETTER TEMPLATE (In your own words)Introduction: (3 sentences) “Please accept my application for the ( ) scholarship.” “It would be an honor to represent ( ) as a recipient of this award. ) “My experience in ( ) and ( ) meet & exceed your guidelines.”Body: List point by point how you meet the requirements Use themes and power statements for emphasis and sparkleConclusion: (2 sentences) “I will represent ( ) well if I receive the award.” “I look forward to hearing from you.”

ONE WEEK LATER ---- send THANK YOU NOTE (in your own words)

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Thank you for letting me apply I think what you are doing for our community is wonderful I can’t wait to hear from you

REUSABLE ESSAYS (prepare 5-6)Typical Essay Topics:

Future Career Aspirations Your Greatest Achievements A Person You Admire Solve A Pressing Issue Patriotism, Freedom or Liberty Growth Experiences Benefits of the Sponsoring Organization’s Product or Service

Use Essays You Have Already Written: Use essays you have already submitted, to a teacher for a grade Tweak for each scholarship application

REUSABLE RECOMMENDATION LETTERS Prepare the Letter Writer:

Cultivate relationships throughout life Effectively communicate what you want Tell the person the purpose of the letter Describe your thematic approaches Give lists of awards, power statements, or honors to refresh their memory Remind them of specific stories or examples they may include in the letter Obtain electronic copies for multiple use Ask permission to adapt the letter for specific applications as needed Offer to let them review changes

Sources of Letters: School: principals, counselors, and teachers Work: supervisors, managers, or co-workers Church: presidents, bishops, and other leaders, advisors or teachers Community: heads of organizations where you have volunteered Family & friends: influential or respected individuals

REUSABLE AWARDS, CERTIFICATES AND TRANSCRIPTS Awards you received Competitions you won Certificates you earned Official high school transcripts Official college transcripts Certified on-the-job training or apprenticeship hours

USE SEVERAL COACHES Friends Young Men/Young Women leaders Quorum/Relief Society leaders

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Ward & stake employment specialist School guidance or financial aid counselors Employment resource services Parents (these people could cause irritations)

MY PERSONAL PLAN OF ACTION Identify, record, and research all possible local, regional, national, academic, and other scholarships. Develop 3-4 possible themes. Add breadth and depth using them in your application process. Create reusable master application information by merging information from 2-3 scholarship forms. Request letters of recommendation from 4-5 people. Keep the originals safe and make copies to send with your

applications. Request transcript information from all schools you have attended. Keep the originals safe. Gather essays that you have already written. Get copies to your parents or teachers for suggested edits. Create additional essays as needed to address theme topics. Select and meet with your scholarship coaches for the first time. Discuss your strategy and how often you should meet

as you work your personal action plan.

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POSSIBLE POWER STATEMENTS TO EMPHASIZE THEMES FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

Service I enjoy helping others. I spent 20 hours reading to a blind lady in a care center in our community. It made her feel

better because all of her family lived out of state, so she had very few visitors. For my Eagle Scout service project, I supervised 6 boys in 120 man-hours repairing 20 picnic tables in a

campground in our mountains. I contacted 9 building supply companies to donate the $860 worth of materials needed for the repairs.

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Leadership I served as president of a young women’s community organization. We held 2 meetings each week, providing

service to 5 community agencies, and helped the women improve their family, social, and school lives. As a result of my leadership we increased participation in our program by 14%

As the chair of our school’s sub-for Santa program, I supervised 26 committee members. We raised $12,000 and provided Christmas to more than 250 families.

I was captain of our high school football team. We lost the first two games of the season. Morale was very low. I had several talks with the team and showed an extra effort myself. We rededicated ourselves to tougher practices and more determined play. Not only did we with a winning season, but we made it to the regional playoffs.

As president of our concert choir, I managed the fundraisers that earned $22,000 so that the choir could perform at Disneyland. We also won highest honors at the state choral competition.

Academics I maintained a 3.8 grade point average (4.0 being highest) while working a part-time job and serving as leader of a

community youth group. I took 6 advanced placement classes and 4 concurrent enrollment classes during my junior and senior years of high

school. As a result, I will begin college with 23 hours of college credit. I won our school’s science fair and took 2nd place in the regional competition involving 27 students from 9 high

schools. I was nominee from our high school for our state’s highest academic award in languages.

Athletics I am a well-rounded athlete. I lettered in four sports while in high school: football, track, basketball, and wrestling. Not only did I play 5 sports in high school, but I also maintained a 3.6 grade point average, while working a part-

time job. I was a member of our high school soccer team that broke 5 school and 2 regional records during my senior year.

Creative I produced, directed, and edited two award winning videotapes during my junior and senior year of high school. I choreographed 2 dances involving a total of 36 dancers in 2 school dance recitals. I was the cartoonist for the monthly Chamber of Commerce newsletter during my senior year of high school. I sold 6 illustrations to a silk-screen company that used them on shirts and other items sold to 9 high schools.

Survivor I survived an accident that left me paralyzed from the chest down when I was 5 years old. I have had 8 surgeries in

the 13 years since then. In spite of this, I was in a dance recital, learned to drive, was officer in our Key Club and another community young women’s program.

My father died when I was 4. My mother worked full-time and suffered from ill health. I had to prepare meals, clean the home, and care for my 4 brothers and sisters for 9 years.

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