SHOW ME THE MONEY!

SCHOLARSHIPS

Getting ReadyCollege is generally paid for by:

* Private funds, i.e., the Bank of Parents/Relatives

* Grants – based upon financial need

* Loans

* Work-Study

* Scholarships

Complete the FAFSA!

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.

AFTER THE FAFSA IS FILED

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 $31,400Room and Board $ 8,500Books and Supplies $ 1,000Personal Expenses $ 2,500Transportation $ 600Total Cost of Attendance (COA) $44,000Expected Family Contribution (EFC) $ 5,468Calculated Financial Need $38,532To assist in covering your calculated financial need, you are offered the following financial assistance:

Fall Spring TotalPaws & Claws University Grant $ 10,000 $ 10,000 $20,000ABC Restricted Scholarship $ 5,000 $ 5,000 $10,000Subsidized Stafford Loan $ 1,750 $ 1,750 $ 3,500Federal Work Study $ 1,500 $ 1,500 $ 3,000Total Awards $ 18,250 $18,250 $36,500

SAMPLE FINANCIAL AID AWARD LETTER

TYPES OF SCHOLARSHIPS

CollegeLocal

StateNational

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.

COLLEGE

LocalArea businesses, churches, branches of organizations such as Kiwanis or Rotary.

StateThese are for students who will attend college in Arizona. Examples include:Flinn Foundation ScholarshipWood Foundation Scholarship

NationalExamples include:National Merit Scholarship CorporationGates Millennium ScholarsIntel Science Talent Search

So how can I access local,state and national

scholarships?

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!

Listen to announcements &check the wall outside Counseling!

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

SCHOLARSHIP PROFILE

RMHS Scholarships Link includes:

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

How to Apply for a Scholarship

Start your research early.

Read eligibility requirements carefully.

Get organizedMake 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 transcriptPSAT, ACT, SAT scoresAP ScoresResume of your accomplishments, including extracurricular activities, awards, etc.Financial aid forms, such as the FAFSA Parents' financial information, including tax returnsOne or more essaysOne or more letters of recommendationProof 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 talent-based scholarships, you’ll probably need to audition or submit a portfolio.

Don’t miss deadlinesSome 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.

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 materialGoogle 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

The Application

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 Ha-Ha & No-No!

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 .

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

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.

Stacking Scholarships

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

1. Marshall Scholarships2. Rhodes Scholarship3. Winston Churchill Scholarship Program4. Harry S. Truman Scholarships5. Henry Luce Foundation Scholarship6. Morris K. Udall Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships7. Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program8. Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship9. Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest10. National Merit Scholarship Corporation

Top Ten Most Generous Scholarships

1. Intel Science Talent Search2. Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology3. NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program4. Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student

Competition5. Davidson Fellows6. Intel International Science and Engineering Fair7. Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships8. Collegiate Inventors Competition9. Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship10. Gates Millennium Scholars

Top Ten Scholarships for Age 13 and Under

1. National Spelling Bee2. National Geography Bee3. National History Day Contest4. Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest5. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards6. Christopher Columbus Community Service Awards7. Dick Blick Linoleum Block Print Contest8. Gloria Barron Prize for Your Heroes9. Patriot’s Pen10. Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

Top Ten Scholarships for Community Service

1. Segal AmeriCorps Education Award2. The Do Something Awards3. Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship4. Discover Card Tribute Award5. Echoing Green Fellowship6. The Heart of America Christopher Reeve Award7. Kohl’s Kids Who Care Program8. Samuel Huntington Public Service Award9. National Caring Award10. Youth Action Net

Top Ten Scholarships that Don’t Need an A

1. US Department of Education2. AXA Achievement Scholarship Program3. Horatio Alger Association Scholarships4. Ayn Rand Institute5. Girls Going Places Scholarship6. Holocaust Remembrance Project Essay Contest7. Americanism Essay Contest8. AFSA National Scholarship Essay Contest9. Red Vines Drawing Contest10. Community Foundation Scholarships

Top Ten Most Unusual Scholarships

1. Scholarship for Left-Handed Students2. Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Contest3. David Letterman Telecommunications Scholarship4. Zolp Scholarships5. Patrick Kerr Skateboard Scholarship6. Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year Award7. National Marbles Tournament Scholarships8. Klingon Language Institute Scholarship9. National Beef Ambassador Program10. Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship11. Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship