THE SCHOLARSHIP CHASE Presented by: Terri Bryson, Scholarship Administrator Calhoun Community College
Today we’ll discuss Ideas Tips Instructions Resources for landing scholarship money
Meet with your High School Counselor
Include your parents Go prepared Have your resume mapped out Outline your resource list
Test, Test and Retest Take the PSAT your Junior year Take an ACT prep Course Take the ACT early – at the beginning of your senior year Take the ACT again Take the ACT again The average student can raise their ACT score by 4 points
Raise your GPA
Most scholarship awardees are selected based on: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
ACT Score Graduating GPA (not your GPA at the time of application) Area of Major Essay Demonstrated history of measureable success Unique qualifiers
Leverage your:
Leverage your Organizational Skills: • Apply on Time
• Some deadlines come as early as October of your senior year. If you are a senior now, you have roughly 3 weeks left in this year’s scholarship season.
• Follow directions to-the-letter
• Missing the deadlines and not following directions is the #1 reason good students don’t get picked.
• Write the Essay
• Most students pass on writing assignments with scholarships
• PROOF READ your application • Take the ACT on time
Leverage your Organizational Skills: • Complete your FAFSA by March 1 (use estimated data if necessary)
• Keep copies of all your applications
• Follow-up to make sure they arrived • Follow-up with a letter whenever you can • Solicit reference and recommendation letters – get them in on time
• Keep a Scholarship Application Folio and Calendar
• Keep all return correspondence • Schedule key dates, deadlines, to do lists • Review with your parents, counselors, teachers – this will motivate them
Make your application standout • Focus on leadership not membership
• Better to be President of the Spanish Club than a member of SGA
• Doing one thing phenomenally is better than a laundry list of clubs with no results. • Demonstrate outcomes not hours spent • Planned and implemented new XYZ program resulting in a savings of $11,000 • Reduced time to complete ramp construction by 30% • Increase in number of calls completed by 300 over the previous year • 42 new blood donors
• Include Advanced Placement (AP) coursework
Understand the difference between • Inside Scholarships
• Institutional vs. Foundation
• Outside Scholarships • Grant-based Scholarships • Federal Financial Aid
Understand the difference between • Merit-based Scholarships • Need-based Scholarships • Combination Scholarships
Merit vs. Need • Potential increases if you have both • Everyone needs to fill out the FAFSA (even if you don’t qualify for Pell Grants, you may have unmet need)
• Selection Committees use this information either way
Never Give Up • 2nd, 3rd and 4th year awards abound • Get involved at your college • Become the Teacher’s Pet • Improve upon something important to the college, division, program or research • Pick a high demand field • Become a results-driven member of the organizations that make awards
Never Give Up •
Meet with your college advisor every semester: • • •
Graduation requirements change New awards become available Proactive students get the referrals, recommendations
Pick a High Demand Field •
This will increase your award potential • • •
STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Alternative Energy Studies Going Green
Or Be the Best at a Low Demand Field • Costume Design • Weird Science • Solve a Problem
Search for the Scholarship You Want Costume Design and Duck Calling To Welding and Fly Fishing Awards
Do Your Homework
Where to Start • • • • • • • •
At the colleges you want to attend Associations that represent the field you want to study The affiliations your family holds Your own reference points: where you work, awards you won (i.e. HOBY) Check out local organizations Feed off of your Guidance Counselor Talk to your High School’s Career Coach Internet Searches
How to Conduct an Internet Search Check out sites such as: fastweb.com meritaid.com collegeboard.com Studentscholarshipssearch.com brokescholar.com ftc.gov/scholarshipscams
Also Search for National • • • • • •
Association of ______ Institution for _____ Affiliation of _______ Scholarship for _______ Grants for ________ Tuition Support for ________ and fill in your key words….. female, costume designer, cancer survivor, asthma patient, cross country runner, etc.
Then Think Creatively • • • • •
The child of a one parent household Hold a Discover Card Bank at Redstone Federal Credit Union Shop at Publix Own a Ford Vehicle
Once You Land a Scholarship
Make certain you understand: • Requirements for keeping it •
Grade obligations • •
• •
Never get a “C” Probationary Periods
Is the award renewable? What do you have to do to renew it?
Weigh the True Value of an Award $2,500 at a Community College goes farther than $20,000 at a University Plus, you will qualify for transfer scholarships if success at a Community College. So ask‌. Is my university award one year or four years? What will it pay for? How much does it cost to go there? What do I have to do to keep it?
Calhoun Community College
Will award more than 300 Scholarships this year Deadline: March 1 www.calhoun.edu
Terri Bryson, Scholarships Administrator tbb@calhoun.edu