3rd Annual College Prep FairScholarship Presentation

April 12, 2014

Hector TejedaAssociate Director, Education InitiativesUnidosNow

Getting Started

• Start by developing a personal statement− Summarize your passion, talents and interests – play to your strengths and

leverage what makes you unique− This will serve as a template for college applications as well as financial aid

applications− This will help you focus your efforts so that the process does not become

overwhelming

• Identify and prioritize scholarships using your personal statement as a guide • Develop a calendar to ensure timely and quality submissions

− Often scholarships don’t go to the most qualified but to the best prepared

Scholarship Criteria

Merit

Talent

Special Circum-stances

Financial Need

Scholarships come in many forms and virtually anyone can qualify for something; must make the effort to identify the right opportunities and submit quality applications

Scholarship Criteria

Merit

Unique Talent

Special Circum- stances

Financial Need

Usual Merit Guidelines:Very High Merit 3.75+ High Merit 3.5Merit 3.0

In addition to overall academic achievement, scholarships are given for specific majors:

− STEM (science/technology/engineering/math) − Healthcare− Others

It is challenging but not impossible to get scholarships with a GPA below 3.0; to overcome this obstacle, you must stand out in one or more of the other criteria

Scholarship Criteria

Merit

Unique Talent

Special Circum- stances

Financial Need

• Some scholarships use FAFSA results to determine financial need •Many scholarships require an

individual assessment of your budget – gives you the opportunity to explain special circumstances

Don’t assume that need-based scholarships are only for students from very low-income families. Eligibility criteria for some scholarships may be more flexible.

Scholarship Criteria

Merit

Unique Talent

Special Circum- stances

Financial Need

• Sports/Music/Art/Theatre/Writing

• Your talent may not always win you a scholarship but it may get you into a better school (the money will come later in the form of a higher salary)

You may not be blessed with the talent to win scholarships at major universities but there are excellent smaller schools that might value your talent.

Scholarship Criteria

Merit

Unique Talent

Special Circum- stances

Financial Need

• Diversity − Ethnicity/Gender/Sexual Orientation− Geographic (US/International)• Community Service/Leadership

− Club/Church/Youth Organization• Overcoming Obstacles

− First Generation− Disabilities• After-School Employment

There are many, many scholarships for students who offer diversity, a passion for helping others, leadership, or evidence of overcoming obstacles

Scholarship Criteria

Merit

Unique Skills/

Experiences

Special Circum- stances

Financial Need

Scholarships usually require one or more of these components. The combination and/or strength of these criteria will determine how competitive you are.

SOURCES OF SCHOLARSHIPS• Scholarships Internal

to a College

• Local and Regional Scholarships

• Federal and State Governments

• National Scholarships

Locating Scholarships

Check websites from the following sources for a list of scholarships offered and to understand the application process, criteria and timing • Targeted Colleges

− Speak to financial aid office• US Department of Education (“Financial Aid and Scholarship Wizard”)• Florida Department of Education (Bright Futures)• National/Regional/Local Foundations• Large Corporations/Banks• Ethnicity-Based Organizations• Your county school system/your high school/local library

− Speak to your guidance counselor and librarian• Other local, regional and state-wide organizations that offer scholarships

Corporations, banks, credit unions, churches, community groups, individuals, and other non-profit groups and associations

Much of the work has already been done for you since many of the websites have excellent summaries of scholarships available from multiple sources.• Manatee County Foundation• Sarasota County School System

Scholarship Search Sites

• FinAid on the Web• The College Board• FastWeb• StudentScholarship Search• GoCollege: The Collegiate Websource•MACH25• Scholarships.com• Embark.com

Do not fall for scams promising you scholarship money if you pay a fee. The following reputable websites are excellent sources of information and are completely free:

• Students with better grades are more likely to win scholarships, but B and C students do win some− Every scholarship sponsor is looking for students who best match their criteria. Instead

of academic talent, they might be looking for artistic talent or athletic talent or diversity

• Very few students win a completely free ride− Scholarships are part of the plan for paying for college, but not the entire plan

• There are scholarships with deadlines in every month of the year− Many families wait until spring of the senior year in high school to figure out how to pay

for college, missing half the deadlines for seniors

• Applying for scholarships is hard work− It gets much easier after your first half-dozen applications, since you can reuse and

adapt your previous application essays

• Some students don’t like essay contests and small scholarships, making them easier to win

• National scholarships are more difficult to get - apply if you are competitive or after you have applied for other scholarships

Final Thoughts