Night Elf Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I'm curious about how a student gets scholarships. I only know to fill out the FAFSA. What happens when I hear that someone was awarded a full-ride scholarship? Are those separate applications? How on earth do we know what scholarships to fill out? Do we contact the college counselors and ask them what scholarships are available? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Many schools automatically consider applicants for pure merit scholarships based on their application (no connection to financial aid). Application deadlines usually come in to play and are early (Oct 15-Nov 1 for many of them). Other schools emailed separate scholarship applications after ds had been accepted. Still a 3rd path has included applying and being accepted into the honors college which lead to additional applications for fellowships (which include scholarships) from the honors college within a particular school. A 4th route has been reading about their different scholarships on their websites and simply applying for them individually. There are many scholarships available that are connected to need. Those scholarships require for whatever financial forms to be filled out (FAFSA, CSS, IDOC, etc) . I'm not sure if most require additional scholarship applications or not or if students are typically automatically considered. I would suspect it depends on the school. Most schools have web pages devoted specifically to their scholarships and the requirements for applying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 While wearing the college counselor hat, I spent many hours on the IPEDS College Navigator website. When you pull up a specific college, you can see the amount charged for tuition and fees but then also determine the "net price", i.e. the average price paid by students from various income groups. There is also a financial aid button that lets you see what kind of aid students at the school receive. Yes, these are statistical aggregates but they allowed me to see whether an institution gave large scholarships to a few students or smaller scholarships to more. Admittedly, perusing statistics is not everyone's cup of tea. The OP may find it more illuminating just to study the websites of the colleges to which her student is applying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 How on earth do we know what scholarships to fill out? Do we contact the college counselors and ask them what scholarships are available? You look on the school's website. Nowadays, all this information is available online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Full ride scholarships are not the norm. If a student is low income and highly wanted it's the most likely. You can totally go crazy sorting everything out. Some universities will offer a certain scholarship amount but if your child gets another scholarship they will decrease their aid go halfsies. There are often extra scholarships available in each institution. We found that everything wanted another essay.... Every offer is still negotiable . Dd was offered something more every time she asked. Often it was still not enough for us. Also saying a student is left with a certain amount of debt does not mean the parent is not expected to pay a portion or is left with parent debt. The whole process is exhausting! Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 College counselors are happy to talk with you, a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I'm curious about how a student gets scholarships. I only know to fill out the FAFSA. What happens when I hear that someone was awarded a full-ride scholarship? Are those separate applications? How on earth do we know what scholarships to fill out? Do we contact the college counselors and ask them what scholarships are available? Most scholarships have some sort of qualifications: a specific GPA or higher; financial need; entering a specific program or dept. at the college; first-in-family to go to college; specific race/gender/religious or ethnic background; special need: cancer survivor, Deaf/hearing impaired, foster child, etc. Check to see if there is an online application website at the college. At the least, colleges have a webpage listing all their scholarships, so you can see what the qualifications are. Talk to the college counselors for tips. Also, you may need to apply separately / additionally for the "free money" of federal grants / work study, or for special condition scholarships. Check with the department / program your student is going into and see if they have their own separate list of scholarships to apply for. In addition to the FAFSA, your college may require the more insidious and invasive CSS Financial Aid Profile, which, unlike the FAFSA, DOES require you to include things like your home as an asset and magically makes you like you have oh so very much more money to spend on college... :angry: The CSS does allow you explain extenuating circumstances, though, so for some people it can help. And, of course most of this advice assumes you already know where DS is going to college, and has been accepted. If still in the process of deciding, you and DS may need to move quickly in researching/applying, as schools DO have admission deadlines. Besides "inside" scholarships (money awarded by the college), you might also look for "outside" money (scholarships awarded by people and organizations OTHER than the college). Below is a "replay" of tips on how to search for scholarships from post #5 of the thread, Preparing for College, what scholarships/grants to apply for? One tricky thing about "outside" money to keep in mind, is to know what the college's policy is about "outside" money -- some school let you "stack" the "outside" scholarships on top of the "inside" money the school offers; other schools first deduct the amount of "outside" money your student has from what they would have offered as "inside" money, resulting in no net increase of scholarship money. You might also want to read through this past thread for creative/alternative ideas for paying for college: "s/o Cautionary Tale/High college costs -- a brainstorm $$ ideas thread!" Also, check out post #5 of the pinned thread at the top of the high school board: "Transcripts... College Prep/Applications, Scholarships/Financial -- links to past threads here!" QUITE a few threads on scholarships -- suggestions, financial aid tips, helps, and personal experiences. Happy hunting! :) Warmest regards, Lori D. _________________________________________ Compilation of Tips from WTMers! 1. SEEK "INSIDE" SCHOLARSHIPS The largest amount of "free money" (scholarships and grants) comes from the college/university itself. To access this financial aid: a. fill out the FAFSA online = http://www.fafsa.ed.gov Colleges base financial aid packages (loans, grants and scholarships) on family financial information provided in the FAFSA form. (See this article on the Sources of Financial Aid (article) = http://www.axa-equit...ncial-aid.html.) Not filling out the FAFSA may mean the student will not be considered for many scholarships. b. if you have not yet applied to a college, put in applications to school(s) of interest Colleges don't offer financial aid packages until they know you are interested in attending. c. apply for scholarships directly through the school Look on the school's website for the list of what they give out. Follow links to freshman scholarships, first-time college student scholarships, special needs, etc. -- whatever you are eligible for. If the school has one, use their online application for "one-time-each-year-apply-to-all". d. some college programs/departments have more $$ to give than others Knowing your intended major can help you more easily find scholarships. Especially science, engineering, medical and technical fields, green jobs research, and computer-based degree programs often have more monies and internships to award. Be sure to look specifically at the department through which you will be getting a degree for lists of specific scholarships. Also, if there are different majors that will get you to the same point, consider which path might be paved with more money. Sometimes, more than one department offers the same pre-requisite classes — go for the department that has more monies to offer. e. be sure to take the SAT or ACT High test scores bring in scholarship offers. 2. SEEK "OUTSIDE" SCHOLARSHIPS Theses are scholarships NOT from the school -- from organizations, the community, etc. a. assess your strengths Determine what factors will most likely help you earn a scholarship, and then focus your efforts in looking for scholarships with those requirements: - academic merit (high SAT/ACT test scores; high GPA; high AP test scores; nat'l honor society) - performance (special ability in sports, the arts, science, tech, etc.) - volunteering (meets community service/volunteer hours criteria for many scholarships) - extracurriculars (some extracurricular organizations offer scholarships) - connections (member of org., church, family profession, military) - innate qualities (race, ethnicity, gender, ancestry, disability, cancer survivor, etc.) - low income (family earns less than $40K/year; first generation college student) b. "project" scholarships often go unawarded Scholarships requiring a physical project (poster, video) usually have very few applicants, especially for an unusual or very specific topic. Also, scholarships requiring extensive community service hours are great for students who are already putting in many hours. 3. WHERE TO LOOK FOR "OUTSIDE" SCHOLARSHIPS a. local monies • parents' employers • parents' work unions • clubs of parents/relatives • fraternal organizations (Elks, Moose, American Legion, etc.) • corporate scholarships • local banks / credit unions • local utility companies • local businesses • local minority/ethnic groups • local contests • service organizations (Rotary Club, Lions, Kiwanis, etc.) • church / youth group • student leadership group • junior military group involvement (Civil Air Patrol, Sea Cadet, etc.) • scouting • Awanas • local theater/arts group • local sports clubs/leagues • 4-H b. local high school scholarship lists Do a web search for local high school scholarship lists. Try: "name of school, your city, state" and then the words "guidance", OR,"counseling", OR, "college prep", OR, "scholarship list". If there is no website availability, go in person to the high school guidance office near you and ask if you may have a copy of the scholarship offerings. During the spring, check every week for new listings. c. ask to apply as a homeschooler Many of the scholarships on lists from local high school students will say "students of ______ school district". Directly contact the organization offering the scholarship or running the competition and ask if homeschoolers are eligible to apply. d. scholarships JUST for homeschoolers: - Homeschool Buyers Co-op list = http://www.homeschoo...p-scholarships/ - Kimball Memorial Scholarship = http://www.learnatth...ol-scholarship/ - Homeschool.com website list of contests and scholarships = http://www.homeschoo...ips/default.asp - Eclectic Homeschool Online list = http://www.eclectich...p?articleid=199 - College Scholarships website list = http://www.collegesc.../homeschool.htm e. check out the "big book of scholarships" Many public libraries have big books of scholarships that are updated annually. (Example: Kaplan Scholarships: Billions of Dollars of Free Money for College, by Gail Schlachter.) Pay special attention to those with very specific requirements (ex: "children of Polish longshoremen", or, "children of retired military living in North Dakota"). f. search scholarship listings on websites Pros: based on the criteria you input, you get a list that matches qualifications. Cons: most are national awards, which drastically reduces your odds of winning. It also puts you on direct mail ad lists. Consider setting up a second email address just for scholarship search and avoid entering phone/postal address. - FastWeb = http://www.fastweb.com - Scholarships 4 Students = http://scholarships4...ol_students.htm CAVEAT: avoid scholarship scams! NEVER pay money to get money. Beware of seminars you PAY to attend that promise $$ and are a sales pitch in disguise. Beware of "billions in unclaimed money every year" myths; if you have to PAY for info, it's probably a scam. (see article at FinAid website =http://www.finaid.or...ips/scams.phtml) 4. CONSIDER A "SMART" SCHOLARSHIP or OTHER "WORK-FOR-TUITION" SCHOLARSHIP Some medical and science/tech/engineering companies will pay for some or all of tuition in exchange for you committing to work for them during and/or after graduation for a specified period of time. SMART Scholarships (http://smart.asee.org) are for students in STEM fields who, upon college graduation, work for the U.S. Department of Defense as civilian research scientists or engineers in exchange for the tuition monies. The scholarships are awarded to students at many different schools. Some hospitals or big companies offer tuition reimbursement programs. (NOTE: many require you to PAY BACK the tuition IF you leave before a specified period of time.) Examples: Bank of America, Citigroup, UPS, FedEx IBM, Home Depot, Best Buy, Circuit City. 5. IF YOU HAVE NOT SELECTED A SCHOOL YET: a. be an "interesting" student to match small colleges and their scholarships Find a college that is a good fit for your student, and awards scholarships for more than just AP classes or top SAT/ACT scores. Students who took on interesting projects or experiences can earn scholarships. Research small colleges and find out what they value: - College Data: find out how much merit aid a college gives out = http://www.collegedata.com - College Xpress: list of colleges that "go the extra mile to make it financially possible to attend = http://www.collegexp...-to-attend/352/ b. be a "big-fish-in-a-small-pond student" to land scholarships Consider a school that is of a slightly lower caliber where your good/above-average scores will now be considered "stellar". Your scores boost the college's statistics — and they award more scholarships. Read college profiles. Find schools where your student is above the crowd. (About.com: college profiles (including how they award financial aid), listed alphabetically = http://collegeapps.a...egeProfiles.htm) 6. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES - Homeschool Success: High School Planning for College Admissions Success: "Scholarships" = http://homeschoolsuc...-financial-aid/ - Home School Legal Defense Association: "Competition and Scholarship Awards" = http://www.hslda.org...cademics.asp#CA - The Home Scholar, Lee Binz: "Getting the BIG Scholarships" = http://www.thehomesc...arships-dvd.php - Kaplan Scholarships: Billions of Dollars of Free Money for College, by Gail Schlachter - Peterson's Scholarships, Grants & Prizes 2013 - The Insiders Guide to a Free Ride: Winning $500,000 of Scholarships by Marvis Burns - How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay by Gen and Kelly Tanabe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Lori, you better not ever leave this forum, as you are such a wealth of information!! :grouphug: Beth, when helping ds through the process, I scoured the website of each school he was interested in. The websites are (usually) very helpful. Some schools require the FAFSA for *any* scholarship, and some only require it for grants/financial aid. Most schools specify whether a separate scholarship application is needed, and some specify that students with certain stats are automatically entered into the running, in which case there is nothing more to do. Every school we looked at had separate departmental scholarships which required separate applications/essays. You know which ones to apply for based on qualifications. For instance, we could immediately discount scholarships that were based on things like race, heritage, living in a certain county, graduating from a specific high school, etc. Each scholarship will list the requirements of qualified applicants. I agree with Starr.... colleges are (usually) very helpful, so if there is one (or two) in particular, go ahead and contact them and ask for help. :grouphug: This is all so overwhelming, I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 From what I've seen so far, ask and ask and ask. Every school is a little different. We're probably looking at only merit aid, and most of those are evaluating GPA, transcript, and test scores. So pretty much if you apply, you will be evaluated for merit aid. One has an online application that asks questions to determine other scholarships your kid would be eligible for and then lists what they need to do for each one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juliegmom Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I wish I had known about these early deadlines. My dd is feeling frustrated that so many deadlines come before the estimated financial award statements are received. The gap between the college online price calculator and the actual award is much wider than anticipated. We are looking for scholarship opportunities, but so many deadlines have already passed. I am definitely taking notes for the next time around and will be so happy when we are all done with this process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I wish I had known about these early deadlines... We are looking for scholarship opportunities, but so many deadlines have already passed... Yes, there are also quite a lot of "outside" scholarships (money awarded by people/organizations OTHER than the college), that students can apply for all through high school -- some even down into middle school! So it CAN be a very long-term game of trying to accrue money for college... And, it's really a game of chance/risk, as a lot of colleges DEDUCT any "outside" scholarships the student has, before offering their "inside" scholarships, meaning all that work to earn scholarships results in NO additional monies than what the college would have offered... sigh... I am definitely taking notes for the next time around and will be so happy when we are all done with this process. Until next spring, when you have to reapply again to renew all the renewable scholarships... sigh... And, as you'll see from a post I just made on the college board, in spite of trying to be vigilant, we just missed an opportunity to apply for transfer scholarships (DS has been at the community college, and transfers to a 4-year university this fall...). Ug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwen in VA Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Best way to get scholarships -- 1) Be an passionate, interesting, highly-involved, high-achieving student. Colleges will line up to give that kid money. 2) Apply to colleges that give merit aid. Not all do, and some prefer to give a little money to a lot of students rather than a lot of money to a few. Investigate! 3) Remember that the best source of merit aid is the colleges themselves, so anything that makes your child stand out will make him/her more likely to receive merit aid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Best way to get scholarships -- 1) Be an passionate, interesting, highly-involved, high-achieving student. Colleges will line up to give that kid money. 2) Apply to colleges that give merit aid. Not all do, and some prefer to give a little money to a lot of students rather than a lot of money to a few. Investigate! 3) Remember that the best source of merit aid is the colleges themselves, so anything that makes your child stand out will make him/her more likely to receive merit aid. Ha! Quote worked for once! Gwen said, "...anything that makes your child stand out..." THIS is where homeschoolers have an advantage. Their school situation is very flexible and that allows them to do some very interesting, unusual things. Even those students without exciting test scores can be desirable to colleges if they are interesting people who have done interesting, unusual things. Full rides are not that common. Full tuition scholarships are more common. (Those require you to pay fees, which may be higher than the tuition itself for state schools, room and board, and books.) It is likely that you will wind up cobbling together a combination of savings, various sorts of loans, a monthly tuition payment, and scholarships. Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Argh! This all sounds so overwhelming. I'm thinking ahead for both of my teens. I'm aiming for ds (homeschooled but using an accredited online school) to enter college Fall 2015 and dd (public high school) in Fall 2016. Dd has been getting a plethora of college informational brochures becasue of taking the PSAT. She's overwhelmed and she's not even a Junior yet. We're trying to get her dual enrolled for her Junior year. My son has no interest in early college. Ds is adamantly opposed to living away from home which limits him to 3 state colleges, 1 is a 2-year. I will look at those college websites to see admissions and financial aid. Thank you for the links. This will keep me busy for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wimseycat Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 The best way to get a (non-athletic) "full-ride" is to do well enough on the PSAT your junior year and then have an SAT score that is comparable. What state are you in? Each state has a different cut-off for PSAT scores. You also need to have a pretty high GPA. Annika Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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