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Applying for Scholarships
The Facts:
Scholarships are one type of
financial aid. There are thousands of scholarships
available. However, most of these scholarships have very specific
eligibility criteria. (e.g., a student must go to a particular college: be
in the top 5% of his/her class and have an ACT Assessment score of at least 28;
belong to a particular ethnic group, race or religion; have overcome a great
obstacle; have great leadership skills; have a specific major, etc.).
When it comes to academic scholarships, students generally must have an
outstanding GPA (3.5 or better), a high test score on the ACT (27+), excellent
recommendations, and involvement in extracurricular and/or community activities.
To receive an athletic or talent scholarship, a student must truly be
outstanding.
It takes a great deal of
time and hard work to apply for scholarships. However, if you do not apply
you have no opportunities at all. There really are thousands of
scholarship opportunities out there, funded by professional and business
associations, civic clubs, unions and employers. But you have to
look for them. There are many scholarship searches available for free.
There is no need to pay to have a scholarship search completed. If you do
not have internet available at home, there are many opportunities at school.
One computer in the counselor's office is dedicated for student use.
COMMENT: The
better your grades, the more activities in which you participate, the more
documented volunteer service hours, and the more leadership roles you have
during high school, the better chance you'll make a big impression on these
grantors. Many scholarship donors look for students who have academic
promise and are involved in the school and community.
Some scholarships base most of their consideration upon the type of volunteer
work you have done. If the scholarship is due in November, it is too late
to begin the type of project for which they are looking. If you need some
ideas about a project to compete for a scholarship such as the Discover Card
Tribute program, the counselor, librarian, advisors, and other community members
are happy to help you decide on a worthy project. Don't wait too long.
Deadlines are very important. You need to plan. No scholarship
should be turned in at the last minute. You are invited to bring your
application to the counselor's office to get help and make sure it is put
together well, edited correctly, and mailed in time. (Someone should proofread
your application. Any English teacher, the librarian, or the counselor
will gladly offer this service.) Deadlines are most often based on the
scholarship being in the donor's possession.
References are also quite important. Students should ask a number of
adults to write a letter of reference. Check with the adults as to how
they would like to handle copies. Give an envelope for each letter,
address it, and put a stamp on it. If the scholarship is for academics,
the reference should be a recent teacher/s. Most scholarships want to know
what relationship the reference is to the student. ASK EARLY. Early
is at least two weeks. Some teachers may have a number of references to
write. Be sure to thank your reference writer. Remember to remind
the reference writer at least three days prior to the deadline in case he/she
has forgotten. This will give them time to write a great letter and mail
it or give it to you before the deadline. (There are still adults who will
write letters for you at the last minute if you have a good reason for the
tardiness of the request--so if you are in a bind, check with the counselor, she
will help you locate one.)
You always want to make a great impression. This application is all the
reader knows about you. Committee members read many applications. Be
courteous and "put your best foot forward" Scholarships always make a
better impression and are easier to read if they are typed. If you need a
typewriter or help with the typing, ask the counselor.
A
Fairy Tale or Sob Story?
Many high school students are
deluged with mail from companies claiming to secure scholarship and grant money.
Some of these companies may be legitimate, but few experts recommend them
because these services are already available through scholarship searches
and college admission and financial aid departments--at no cost!
Beware
of an alarming increase in
scholarship scams, companies asking students to pay in advance for
scholarship and grant search services. Watch out, too, for companies that
charge for help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA)
form. Help for completing
FAFSA
is available free at any financial aid office and the counselor's office.
When
looking for scholarships, students and parents need to keep the following in
mind:
1) Colleges award
most of the scholarships.
2) Private colleges
generally award more scholarships than public
3) A one-year
scholarship is for one year only; a renewable scholarship can become a
four-year
scholarship.
4) Outside
scholarships must be reported to the college's financial aid office. Upon
learning that a student has received an outside scholarship, the college may
reduce the need-based aid that they've already awarded.*
5) It's important
to remember that most financial aid is not awarded in the form of
a scholarship.
6) Smaller, local
scholarships are often much easier to get than those sponsored by
large
organizations and businesses.
from How to Get Money for College by Linda O'Brien
*A student must
report outside scholarships to the college's Financial Aid Office. Many
students who receive outside scholarships also receive federal and state student
aid (grants, student loans, and work-study). It's possible that a student
who is awarded a private scholarship may have his/her aid package reduced.
If the student's total financial
need has been met, the college is required to reduce any need-based award.
Some colleges try to reduce the self-help portion of the package (student loans
and work-study). Other colleges reduce institutional grant aid, especially
if they've awarded the grant to help meet the student's financial need.
Since most colleges are unable to meet the student's full financial need, many
aid packages are not affected by outside scholarships.
American Education Services
(aesnews@aessuccess.org)
Scholarship List This list is only a partial list
of all scholarships available, but is a list of those most often awarded to AHS
students and includes those which are community-based. Check the
individual scholarship applications and
Calendar for important dates.
Honor Resume This
is a great way to put your scholarship information in order. Reference
writers and counselors love to have a resume to check over before writing.
The more information the student can give the reference writer, the better
prepared the writer will be. Don't assume everyone remembers everything
about you. However, the honor resume has many uses and has been designed
by the counselor but feel free to adapt it to your needs.
Essays Remember how many
times you rewrite essays for a grade in class? Start early enough to
polish your essay. You are not doing this for a grade but it does have to
potential to earn you a scholarship.
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
The
editors of the American Heritage dictionaries have compiled a list of 100 words
they recommend every high school graduate should know. "The words we
suggest," says senior editor Steven Kleinedler,
"are not meant to be exhaustive but are a benchmark against which graduates and
their parents can measure themselves. If you are able to use these words
correctly, you are likely to have a superior command of the language."
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