The Scholarship Process

1. The Scholarship Process Information about how to apply for scholarships and the processes involved

2. Scholarships Have Three Basic Components • MERIT • FINANCIAL NEED • MISCELLANEOUS COMPONENTS Scholarships usually have one, two or three of these components. The combination and/or strength of these components will determine how competitive you are for scholarships.

3. Merit Merit consists of recent or current grades • Very High Merit is 3.75 and above • High Merit is 3.5 • Merit is 3.0 • Below 3.0 --there are very few scholarship opportunities and these almost always have financial need, gender, or ethnicity as the main component

4. Financial Need • There are two types of financial need in the scholarship process—FAFSA need and individual scholarship assessment

5. FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid • (www.fafsa.ed.gov) • Financial Aid Offices are required to utilize this government formula for federal and state grant funds and student loans. The FAFSA has a formula which uses income and income taxes, number of people in the household, age of parents and many other concrete measurements. • Some scholarships utilize this formula to determine need.

6. Individual ScholarshipNeed Assessment • Most scholarship applications will ask for an individual assessment of your budget. This is the place to discuss special issues that need to be explained in greater detail. If there is no place for it on the budget piece, attach a copy of the explanation to the application. IF the application states no attachments are allowed you may want to devote some time to the situation on the essay, if the essay allows for it.

7. Miscellaneous Components • Community Service/Volunteer Work - ANYTHING you do for others - at an organization such as a school, church, youth organization or non- profit facility; helping a neighbor or relative who is a senior or disabled • Preferences - ethnic minority, first generation (neither parent has a four year degree), single parent and female are common • Outside Work - part time or full time employment

8. Scholarships Have Three Basic Components • SCHOLARSHIPS INTERNAL TO THE UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE • LOCAL AND REGIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS • NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS

9. Scholarships Internal to the University or College These are scholarship offered by the college or university and are offered in general categories such as: • Merit • College or degree specific within a university • General college/university scholarships available to all students who meet the specific eligibility requirements • Applications processes vary by college or university from one application for all, an application for each scholarship or other various processes. Check with each school.

10. Local and Regional Scholarships • Local organizations - credit unions, churches, organizations in which parents or students are involved • Regional and state-wide organizations - such as labor unions, associations and non-profit groups

11. National Scholarships • These are highly competitive scholarships at a national level and more difficult to get • Apply for these if you are competitive or after you have applied for the university and regional scholarships

12. A Strategy for Locating Scholarships • BEGIN NOW • CALENDAR • ENTERING FRESHMEN • LOCATE SCHOLARSHIPS • DEVELOP AN ONGOING LIST OF SCHOLARSHIPS

13. Begin Now • There is no good or bad time to apply as the process is ongoing • Add it to your list for next year

14. Calendar • Develop a separate calendar to log scholarship data. Include scholarship name, date due, a back up date of six weeks to allow time to get an application and complete it, requirements of scholarship (application, transcript, essay, references) and additional comments (web)

15. Entering Freshmen • Locate scholarships at each college or university you are seriously considering. Apply for any scholarships for which you are eligible by the deadlines. In most cases you will have to be accepted into the university before you can apply. There are also regional and national scholarships designated for entering freshmen students. You can receive these only the first time you are entering college.

16. Locate Scholarships • Begin with the college or university you are attending. Locate all scholarships for your year group, major, ethnicity or gender and any other miscellaneous ones that apply to you.

17. Develop an Ongoing List • Realize that the process is ongoing. Develop a year round calendar. There is one available on the Scholarship/Resource web site in the “Scholarship Process” page.

18. Develop Yourself • INTERNSHIPS • VOLUNTEER WORK • MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE GRADES • CLUBS OR ORGANIZATIONS • Good in high school? Great. Build on it. Otherwise this is a chance to start anew!

19. References • TYPES • SELECTING THE REFEREE • PROVIDE AMPLE TIME • RESUME OR PERSONAL PROFILE • EXPLAIN SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA • DON’T FORGET THE DETAILS • Provide a resume or profile (web)

20. Types • Academic • One or two faculty members or teachers who know your work • Other • A supervisor who has worked with you in your work or volunteer time

21. Selecting the Referee • First, carefully select the person you think will write the best letter – and the best letter for the particular scholarship at hand. Your youth group counselor may remember and respect you but for a music scholarship, ask other people. Consider asking for a letter from your professor, mentor, supervisor, colleague, or associate in community or voluntary work. Family and friends are not appropriate. Ask for help if you are uncertain whom to ask. And don’t forget that occasionally a request for a letter of recommendation is declined. Be prepared to promptly ask another person.

22. Provide Ample Time • Second, provide ample time for your referee to compose the best letter possible, preferably four to six weeks. Your letter writer is likely to lead a full life and be busy writing other letters, especially in the spring. If you are attaching the letter to your scholarship application, ask to have it at least two weeks before the deadline. Call or e-mail a week or 10 days before the deadline if you haven’t received it. Even if the application specifies that letters should be mailed directly by the referee, you may ask for a copy – and don’t hesitate to do so if you have any concerns at all about the contents. Strong letters can really help, but weak recommendations always hurt.

23. Resume or Personal Profile • Give each referee either a resume or personal profile with all of your activities as each referee usually does not know all of your activities in detail

24. Explain Scholarship Criteria • Attach a copy of your application, if you choose, so the person will know exactly what the application requires and why. In any event, let them know the kind of letter needed and the qualities, skills, and abilities emphasized in the scholarship application. Let your referee know in writing: • When the letter is due • To whom the letter should be addressed • For what scholarship you are applying

25. Don’t Forget the Details • Include a stamped and self-addressed envelope. Double-check the address: does the letter go directly to the scholarship source or are you told to include it with your application, so the mailing address should be your own home? Did you provide accurate contact information to your letter writer?

26. Essay • The essay is the most important part of any scholarship application. • GUIDELINES • OUTLINE • PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES • STAND OUT • TELL OTHERS WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE

27. Guidelines • Each scholarship should provide guidelines as to the length and topic for the essay. A typical scholarship essay is short, generally from 250 to 500 words, typed double-spaced. • Remember, the scholarship selection committee only has the information you provide about yourself to assist them with the selection process. It is up to you to provide any relevant information through your essay and application.

28. Outline • This outline is a way to start thinking about your essay. You don’t have to follow this format if you have a more creative way to describe yourself to the scholarship selection committee.

29. Put Yourself In Their Shoes • The scholarship selection committee must look for reasons to put people in the “no” pile – but don’t let them do this to you.

30. Stand Out • In addition to basic information such as major/minor, explain what areas of emphasis you are pursuing in college and why. Explain what makes you unique and why you qualify for this particular scholarship. Tailor your essay to the specifics of each scholarship. Let them know what makes you a good investment. Be sure to include information about any strengths or skills you have and any obstacles that you have overcome. Share as much personal information as feels right to you. How will you stand out from the crowd?

31. Tell Others What Makes You Unique • Where do you come from? • What is your history? • What is your family history? • Are you the first generation in your family to go to college? • What did your parents do for a living? • If you are an older student, what have you been doing on your life? • Who are you now? • What are you doing with your life? • Where do you want to go? Why? • What are your educational plans and goals? • What are your career goals? • How will this scholarship help? • What is your dream for life?