1. SCHOLARSHIPS
THE GREAT SEARCH

3. Cost of College
In 2015, 68% graduating seniors at public and private nonprofit colleges had student loans.
Ohio graduates owed an average of $30,239 in federal and private loans combined. (data from The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS)
Plan for the 4 year cost!!
Affordability
Merit scholarships, talent awards, need-based monies
Branch campuses, two year – four year transfer
ALWAYS FILE THE FAFSA
Sophomore scholarships
Declare a major – more opportunity for scholarships;
FAFSA NIGHT October 18, 2017
If you can’t make it and need help, contact me.
96% of freshmen receive aid
Opportunity Costs – based on time to graduation and lost earnings from not being in the job market.
Only about 56% of students earn degrees within six years. The National Student Clearinghouse, a nonprofit verification and research organization, tracked 2.4 million first-time college students who enrolled in fall 2007 with the intent of pursuing a degree or certificate.
The completion rate was:
highest (72.9%) among students who started at four-year, private, nonprofit schools
lowest (39.9%) among those who started at two-year public institutions.

4. OVERVIEW Literature Review –looking for new information!
Basic Strategies for Winning Scholarships
Searching for Scholarships
Tips on Winning Scholarships
Pitfalls and Dangers
After You Win a Scholarship
Scholarship Resources

5. The Facts on Scholarships
A scholarship is a sum of money awarded to eligible student to assist with paying for college.
The money can be applied to tuition and/or living expenses and it does not need to be repaid.
Scholarships are available for many reasons:
Merit
Athletics
Community and volunteer service
Academics
Financial need
Special interests (hobbies, club memberships, activities).
And, yes, unusual scholarships (finaid.org/scholarships/unusual.phtml)

6. Guaranteed Scholarships
A guaranteed scholarship is an award as student receives from a college/university based on GPA and test scores.
Academic performance scholarship/merit
All these are based on GPA & test scores on file with your application.
Some schools will have deadlines for improved scores to be sent.
Check the college websites.
Some colleges have scholarship search engines for the school’s scholarships.
Type “scholarship search” into the search box.
Look for departmental scholarships

7. Facts about scholarship awards
Better GPA
Better test scores
More lucrative majors
Career-specific scholarships and career-specific grants.
High-need fields of occupations. (nursing, education, etc.)
Fields of emerging technology. They are designed to bolster innovation and scientific advancement.
For women and ethnic minorities, there are abundant scholarships available in places like:
SMART Grants
National Science Foundation
Department of Homeland Security

8. Searching for Scholarships
Start searching as soon as possible
If you wait until spring to start searching, you will miss half the deadlines
There are many scholarships available to students in grades 9, 10 and 11, not just high school seniors
There are even scholarships for students in grades K-8 and to current college students
Use a free scholarship matching service (see handout)
Fastweb.com; chegg.com; fastweb.com
Look for scholarship listing books at the library or bookstore, but check the publication date
Many families wait until the spring of the senior year in high school, missing half of the deadlines.
If a scholarship listing book is more than one or two years old, it is too old to be useful. About 10% of scholarships change in some material way each year, such as a change in address or eligibility requirements. That is why the web is the best place to go.
One of the advantages of online scholarship databases is the ability to update the database more frequently than in a book.
Web sites are updated frequently, some as often as daily and the site will send you when there is a new scholarship that matches your profile.

9. Searching for Scholarships
A large percent of scholarships are awarded through colleges.
Private colleges are more generous because of their endowments.
Generally are merit-based or need-based.
Search the college website to find the listings
First year student scholarships
Undergraduate scholarships
Transfer student scholarships
“Scholarship search” site
Check to see if scholarships are renewable and what the criteria are for keeping the scholarship.
Use the net price calculator on the school web site to get an approximate cost of school.
Go to the college’s web site first. Use the search terms above to find the list of scholarships. Some colleges have an internal search engine for you to use for all scholarships available at that institution (OU, BGSU, UK are examples).
There are scholarships that colleges award based on test scores and GPA. Some schools now are looking at other qualifiers such as rigorous coursework, completeness of the college application., or the quality of the essays written. There is so much high quality competition for the dollars that colleges are awarding that they are looking for additional qualifiers for “automatic awards”. Make sure your student has completed the application thoroughly and carefully, paying attention to detail. Watch the deadline date. It is the date when the completed application has been received. There is usually a list of what documents are needed to have a complete application. Be cognizant of deadlines!
There is a net price calculator on every college website. The calculator is sometimes not very visible so you will need to use the search box to find it. The calculator is like a mini FAFSA. Information will include GPA, test scores, family’s adjusted gross income. The results will show what an estimated COA will be and may include potential Federal monies, state monies and college awards. This can be a rough estimate. Applying to the school, completing the FAFSA and receiving the financial award letter will be the definitive answer.

10. Searching for Scholarships
BHS now has weighted and unweighted grades on the college transcript.
Colleges usually use the unweighted GPA for admission but used the weighted GPA for scholarships.
BHS offers local scholarships to students through the Local Scholarship application (opens in February & remains open for 1 month). Students can access the form on-line at the guidance office page.
List of general scholarships are listed on the Guidance office web page.
Look at Guidance Office Blog Page
Scholarship search books in Guidance Office.
BHS sends the weighted a and un-weighted grades on the college transcript.

11. Tips for Winning Scholarships
It’s a numbers game
To win more scholarships, apply to more scholarships, but only if you qualify
Scholarship essay with >1000 words = <500 applicants
Scholarship with easy application = 5,000 applicants
You can’t win if you don’t apply
One in four students never applies for financial aid
It gets easier after the first 6 applications
Look for less competition
Apply for smaller monetary scholarships
Narrow eligibility requirements – local, community foundations, etc.
It is very difficult for scholarship sponsors to choose between two extremely talented finalists for a scholarship, so the decision can often be arbitrary. Often there is no wrong choice for a winner. Skill gets you selected as a finalist, but the final choice of who wins may be purely random. So applying to more scholarships (for which you are qualified) will increase your chances of winning a scholarship.
Small is the new Big – Apply for smaller monetary scholarships. If you spend 1 hour and apply for 10 scholarships and you win one, you have made $500 an hour for your work.

12. Scholarship Tips
Every dollar you win in scholarships is a dollar less you have to borrow.
Your chances of winning a small scholarship are greater than your chances of winning a more lucrative scholarship because they are less competitive
Winning several small scholarships can add up to big money.
Essays can often be reused on multiple scholarship applications with slight tweaks.
You have to WORK at applying for scholarships….a part time job!

13. Tips on Winning Scholarships
Prioritize your applications by deadline and the expected value of the scholarship
Use a calendar and checklist to get organized
Tailor your application to the sponsor’s goals
Read and follow the instructions
Make your application stand out from the crowd – personalize!
Ask to be nominated
Practice on a copy of the application form
Personal Assessment Worksheet –an “accomplishments resume”
Expected value is the product of the chances of winning the scholarship with the amount you get if you win the scholarship.
A less competitive scholarship with a lower top prize may have a higher expected value because your chances of winning are better.
The Personal Assessment Worksheet can help you complete the scholarship application and improve your awareness of your strengths and interests. It can also help your teachers write better letters of recommendation.
Some scholarships require a counselor, teacher or Principal to nominate you. Give the nominator time to do their part.

14. Tips for Winning Scholarships
Personal Assessment Worksheet
An “accomplishments resume”
Open a word document and answer all the questions.
A record of your activities and your accomplishments including service.
Complete this in a word document then you have all the information to use to apply for any number of scholarships
Just cut and paste as needed for applications.
Build your personal brand. You need to sell yourself!
This is like a brag sheet but in much more detail. It summarizes your best qualities and lists what you do and what you have done.
Ask at least 2 people to name three adjectives that describe you. Ask a peer and an older person. If you aren’t sure of why someone used a word to describe you, ask them. These adjectives describe your character.
Make a list of your accomplishments – academic, athletic, community service. Community service plays a large role in many scholarships. Update this list as needed.
This serves as an outline when writing essays. It also saves you time when applying or writing essays because the information is already there. Just cut and paste!
Building your “Brand” – Write down your story, a narrative of your life. Look for recurring themes,, your personality traits (personal assessment worksheet) and write down the positives about yourself that you will want to emphasize and share.

15. Writing a Winning Scholarship Essay
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 or have someone else review your essay for content, sentence structure and spelling.
Most people can speak and think at a rate of 100 to 200 words per minute, but type or write at a rate of 35 to 60 words per minute. The act of writing interferes with the flow of thought. After you transcribe the recording, you can revise the essay to add structure through an outline of your thoughts. Such an essay will be more fluent and passionate, making it more interesting and lively.
You should proofread a printed copy of the essay because it will be easier to find errors when you are looking at the essay in a different format. Don’t rely too much on the spelling and grammar checkers that are built into the word processing software, as these programs miss a lot of errors, such as valid-word spelling errors (e.g., its vs. it’s, though vs. through, principal vs. principle).
Have someone else proofread your essay as well.

16. Do’s and Don’t in Writing an Essay
Don’t repeat the essay prompt.
Don't introduce yourself in your essay
Don’t use quotes.
Satisfy all the requirements.
Stick to the word limit.
Proofread.
Submit early.
Don’t give up! (

17. More Ways of Searching for Money
Employers – parents & your workplace
Organizations.
Church.
The Library.
The Web
Your College or University's Financial Aid Office.
The Chairperson or Head of the Department at your College.
Answer the optional questions on a scholarship matching service for twice as many 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
Have your parents check with HR at their place of work, and if you work, check there as well.
Do your parents (or you) belong to any organizations?
The Library. Another really obvious source! Ask the librarian to help you research sources of scholarships. Ask the librarian at the for the Directory of Associations.is book lists every kind of non-profit and professional organization in America. You can write to all the organizations that had something to do with your field of study.
The Chairperson or Head of the Department at your College.
Check with the head of the department you are studying in. They may have information available on scholarships and grants, possibly even internship opportunities that the financial aid office does not have.
You can double your chances of winning a scholarship by being thorough in answering all of the questions in the background profile. Students who answer the optional questions match twice as many scholarships, on average, as students who answer just the required questions. The optional questions are there to trigger the inclusion of specific scholarships. It takes a little extra time to list all your hobbies, activities, affiliations and other attributes, but it is worth the effort.
Students often don’t apply for small scholarships and essay contests, saying that they are not worth the effort. But it is precisely because fewer students apply that these scholarships are easier to win.

18. More Ways of Searching for Money
Look at professional organizations within your major.
Check out the web sites for possible scholarships.
What can I do with this major?
Click on a major, then click on the Links and Print Version.
Under links, there will be a list of professional organizations linked to that specific major.
Search those web sites for possible scholarships.

19. Searching the Web Choose a scholarship search site (See handout)
Choose a few scholarship search sites.
Complete the questions. If there are optional questions, answer those as well.
These sites keep very current with deadlines for scholarships.
Search the web – Google
Use a “Magic” word/words to search.
Foundation
Scholarships for…… (diabetics, orphans, etc.)
Grants
Financial Aid
Use singular and plural (scholarship vs. scholarships)
Choose a few (2-4) online scholarship search websites and complete the questions. If there are optional questions, answer them as detailed as possible. This information is used to send you possible scholarships based on the detail.
Use different words to google scholarships. Sometimes you get more results with different combinations of words.

20. Tips for Letters of Recommendation
Ask the teacher whether he/she can write you a great letter of recommendation
Give the recommender at least 2 weeks to write a great recommendation.
The recommendation should be relevant to the scholarship sponsor’s goal
Provide the recommender with a copy of your brag sheet or personal assessment form.
Provide the recommender with all required forms
Thank the recommender for writing the letter
When you need a great recommendation, give your recommender adequate time to write about you.
Give the recommender a copy of your brag sheet.
Be sure to thank the people who help you because you may want to ask them for more help later. It is very rare for students to say thank you, so by being polite you will stand out and make a good impression.

21. Other Scholarship Application Tips
Use a professional address, such as
Clean up the content of your Facebook account, removing inappropriate and immature material
Google your name to see what shows up
Make a photocopy of your application before mailing it
Many scholarship applications and essays are completed and sent online. Some still require you to mail the application by certified mail, return receipt requested or with delivery confirmation.
If rejected, ask for the reviewer comments
Please take time to have a professional address. Don’t use
As you check Facebook also look at your twitter account. Anything you write in the internet is out there forever.
Remember that the more work you put into finding scholarships, the better the chances you'll be awarded at least one scholarship -- resulting in less money you owe your college each year.

22. 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

23. 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
Many colleges will ask you to list the scholarships awarded to you. If you are awarded a number of outside scholarships, the college may only allow you to keep the institutional scholarships up to the cost of COA (cost of attendance).
It is a wonderful idea to send a thank you note to scholarship sponsors. It reinforces the idea that you are worth it! They may have a renewable scholarship and they will remember your appreciation.

24. 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
Some of the data presented today has been taken from presentations done by Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Fastweb and FinAid

25. FAFSA CHANGES – a word or two
FAFSA start date is October 1, 2017
You will use your 2015 taxes (already filed).
You can use the Data Retrieval Tool to access the IRS web site and transfer your tax data to the FAFSA.
If there is a change in your income data from 2015 to 2016 you will need to complete a “special circumstance appeal form”.
The Financial Aid Office can assist you with that process.
Please register for your FSA ID prior to completing your FAFSA.
The student and parent each need their own FSA ID’s and separate addresses.

26. College Access Advisor
QUESTIONS?
Linda York-Tortorici
College Access Advisor