1. Scholarships and Fellowships Freshman Year

2. What scholarships are available to me in my freshman year? 0 Short answer: not many 0 Freshman year is the time to prepare yourself to be competitive for scholarships in your the next few years 0 Waiting until sophomore year is too late. Start now.

3. So what should I be doing now? 0 Keep your grades up. 0 Form relationships with faculty 0 Research 0 Volunteer 0 Make plans to study abroad 0 Leadership, Leadership, Leadership

4. Grades 0 4.0 not required for most scholarships 0 However, to be competitive for most scholarships, a GPA of at least 3.7 is necessary 0 Earning a high GPA in your first year will make it easier to finish with a high GPA

5. Faculty 0 Professors are very important as mentors and as potential references 0 Professors can provide academic and career guidance 0 Make it a policy to visit all of your professors during their office hours at least 1 time per semester, and get to know a few faculty members well

6. Research 0 Students interested in graduate schools, particularly those in the STEM areas, must perform research to be competitive 0 Research opportunities in all fields 0 Research very good prep for jobs 0 Can be even better than internships

7. Volunteering 0 As an honors student, you are required to volunteer 0 Look for areas relevant to your academic, career, or personal interests 0 Be strategic in selecting volunteer opportunities 0 Don’t see an area you like- find one!

8. Study Abroad 0 College is probably the most affordable time to study abroad 0 Multiple opportunities of funding are available 0 Studying abroad will enhance your academic experience and make you a more marketable candidate

9. Leadership 0 Join organizations with an eye towards taking on leadership positions 0 Better to hold a leadership position in one organization than to be a member of many

10. Campus Resources 0 Career Services Career Services 0 International Programs International Programs 0 Counseling Services Counseling Services 0 Multicultural Student Center Multicultural Student Center 0 Student Government Association Student Government Association 0 Center for Academic Excellence Center for Academic Excellence

11. Campus Resources Cont… 0 Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research 0 University Writing Center University Writing Center 0 Financial Aid Financial Aid 0 Clubs and Organizations Clubs and Organizations 0 Veteran and Disability Support Services Veteran and Disability Support Services

12. External Resources 0 UNCF UNCF 0 Writing the Personal Statement Guide Writing the Personal Statement Guide 0 Linked In Linked In 0 NCHA NCHA 0 NSF REU NSF REU