Scholarships Pathways to the Future 2014

Dana Armstrong

Counselor

El Dorado High School

The question on many people’s mind…

How can we afford college?

There are 3 primary ways to obtain money for college

The government

The college or university you plan to attend

Private groups and organizations

FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov) FAFSA filing period opens January 1st and is open until

March 1st. Submit paperwork as soon as possible- the sooner the better!

Cal Grant (www.csac.ca.gov) Complete Cal Grant GPA Verification Form and submit

to registrar in Counseling Department by March 1st. Our school does not submit these electronically- it is the student’s responsibility to send this form.

Government Money

Colleges and Universities

It is crucial to contact the Financial Aid Office at the school of interest…every school is different in what they are able to offer.

Need Based eligibility is based solely on the assets and income of the prospective student and his or her family.

Merit Based includes a variety of categories, such as academic, artistic, athletic, and more. Special Circumstances

Private Groups and Organizations

Scholarships!•Businesses, Clubs, Community Groups•Criteria varies•Many resources available for finding scholarships

The scholarship search is a significant undertaking…it takes time and patience

Here are 5 things to jumpstart the process: Check your prospective schools Inquire with your academic advisor Research local community groups Try online Be keenly aware of deadlines

Strategies for Winning Scholarships

APPLY!!!•One in four students never apply for financial aid- you can’t win if you don’t apply

It’s a numbers game•Even among talented students, who wins involves a bit of luck, not just skill

•To win more scholarships, apply to more scholarships…but only if you qualify

It gets easier after your first 6 applications•Essays can be reused and tailored to each new application

Don’t miss deadlines

Searching for Scholarships

Start searching as soon as possible

•If you wait until spring to start searching, you will miss half the deadlines and many opportunities

•There are many scholarships available to students in 9th-11th grades, not just seniors

Use a FREE scholarship matching service, like Fastweb, Zinch, etc.- there are many trustworthy ones out there

Answer the optional questions on a scholarship matching service for twice as many matches

Look for scholarship listing books at the library or bookstores, but be sure to check the publication date

Pursue less competitive scholarships as well…any amount of money helps

Searching for Scholarships at El Dorado

Scholarship bulletin is updated often and includes numerous opportunities, ranging from large scholarships to scholarships targeted just for EDHS students

Students should visit the counseling page on the EDHS website regularly to explore scholarship opportunities

Most scholarship applications can be obtained directly online

Local Scholarships = great opportunities!

www.edhs.org Counseling Scholarships

School Determined Scholarships A small number of groups allow the EDHS staff

scholarship committee to select recipients Student needs to fill out the “Local Scholarship”

application senior year (available in late January) Some Local Scholarships are for El Dorado students

only, others are for students in the local area Variety of factors are taken in to consideration when

students are chosen, not just academics Winners are announced at the Senior Awards

ceremony in May

Tips on Winning Scholarships$ Prioritize your applications by deadline and the expected value of the scholarship

$ Use a calendar and checklist to get organized

$ Complete a “Brag Sheet” or resume (start this in 9th grade)

$ Obtain quality letters of recommendation if needed

$ Read and follow the instructions- pay close attention to details

$ Tailor your application/essay to the sponsor’s goals

$ Make your application stand out from the crowd- packaging is important

$ Recruit friends/family to review your application before submitting it

$ Gather everything you need ahead of time (transcripts, test scores, letters of rec)

Writing a Winning Scholarship Essay Answer the question orally and transcribe the

recording Use an outline to organize your thoughts Give examples and be specific (good time to refer to

Brag Sheet/resume) 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- involve others

in this editing process

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

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is

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 qualified Failing to tailor the application to the sponsor Writing a boring essay

There’s a scholarship out there for everyone…

Check out www.college-financial-aid-advice.com/weird-unknown-scholarships.html

Summary

Visit the scholarship link on the EDHS website and check it often

Fill out as many scholarship applications as possible- think of it as a part time job

Fill out the FAFSA and Cal Grant paperwork- submit early

Search the internet Research opportunities through the college or

university you plan to attend Explore the “Paying for College: Student

Resource Guide” (available online)

Key Scholarship Resources

www.fastweb.com www.finaid.org www.collegeboard.com www.gocollege.com www.zinch.com www.cappex.com www.californiacolleges.edu http://roybal-allard.house.gov (go to “Info for

Students” to view the “Paying for College” resource guide)

www.edhs.org

Athletics Activities Performing Arts Academic Competition Clubs

BE CONNECTED! STAY INVOLVED!

Thank you for coming,good luck in your scholarship

search, and

GO HAWKS!!!“It seems the harder I work, the more luck I have.”  

Thomas Jefferson