The Search for Scholarships

Purpose of Session

To limit student borrowing, encouraging students to search for scholarships and grants first is always a good idea.  This session will provide you organized methods, directions and resources to offer your students and also will allow time for sharing questions and best practice ideas with each other.

General Scholarship Information

Merit Based Scholarship Examples

•SAT/ACT scores – Many of these are for early applicants – due in the fall of senior year

•Race/Gender/Disability

•Community Service

•Talent, Sport, ROTC

•Specific Career Goal

•Characteristic

Need based scholarships For students with financial need.

Both For students who have need but also have merit characteristic

Need Based Scholarships

• Scholarship may ask for EFC or SAR• Some sponsors have their own forms to determine

need.• Need may be subjective according to scholarship

sponsor’s guidelines.– Example: One sponsor may want family income to

be less than $50,000.00, another $20,000.00 and yet another, $100,000.00.

Scholarships

• Four main resources:

– Local (work with school counselor / word of mouth)

– CFNC.org

– Institutional scholarships (visit their websites)

– National scholarships

• Scholarshipexperts.com

• Other suggestions?

• Other resources:

– http://e4fc.org/resources/scholarshiplists.html (undocumented students)

Local Scholarships

• Many have Spring deadlines

• High school counselor is always a good resource

• School Webpages

• Parent’s Employer

• Churches

• Civic Organizations – Raritan's, Kiwanis, etc.

• Community Foundations

• Booster Clubs

• Alumni Associations

Local Scholarships

Apply for small awards as well as larger awards

Small Awards can pay big dividends

•If a student spends 80 hours applying for scholarships and wins $5000, that’s $62.50 per hour!

Scholarships on CFNC.org

Scholarships on CFNC.org for students who complete Financial Literacy 101

CFNC.orgNC Forgivable Education Loans for Service

• Forgivable loan to qualified students who are committed to working in North Carolina in identified critical employment shortage professions – priority deadline April 1

• Current target employment areas

– Teaching– Nursing– Allied Health– MedicineMore information and applications at

CFNC.org/FELS

CFNC.orgProfessional Organizations

Institutional Scholarships

• Be sure that your school’s information is up to date on CFNC – work with Admissions office

Institutional Scholarships

• Information on both your school’s website and CFNC.org

National Scholarships

• There is no one stop shop for national scholarships

• I prefer www.sholarshipexperts.com but other good ones exist

• Good scholarship search engines do the work for the student; and are FREE!

• They should be continually looking for scholarships (particularly national scholarships) all year long – including while they are in college

• Scholarships aren’t just for high school seniors

• Never pay for scholarship information

Recommendation Letters

• Use people who students know (Not your parents or family members)

– Ex. Band instructor, coach, scout leader, employer

• Give these people a resume

– Can use CFNC.org for this!

• Give plenty of advance notice to writers of recommendation letters.

• Always thank the person with note and/or small personalized gift. At least acknowledge with an e-mail

– Can use CFNC.org for this!

Prepare Your Resume

• Your classes

– Highlight classes where you did well or had special project

• Your grades

– Junior year most important

• Clubs, sports, extracurricular activities

– Leadership roles important. Progression is good also

• Community activities and service

– Leadership and passion

Can use CFNC resume builder

under “Get a Job” in career section

Essays and Personal Statements

•Hook the reader in the first sentence.

•Use concrete details – who, what, when, where.

•Unsuccessful scholarships essays sometimes resemble laundry list of awards, accomplishments and activities - Not personalized.

•Reader should know the student when finished.

– Judges may have hundreds to read – yours must stand out.

•If writing is difficult, speak into a recorder and then copy from there. There are apps for your smart phone that can do this as well.

•Take the “Do What Your Are” Quiz on CFNC.org

Tips for Private Scholarships – Local, Institutional or National

• Research company or organization to understand goals/objectives. (Know your audience!)• Know about sponsor and include this type of information

in your essay• Previous winners’ essays

• Can sometimes find info on website or news releases• Find out who will be reading/judging applications - including

the scholarship committee from the school!• Gives clearer picture on what they are looking for• Most scholarships have committees who judge• Civic organizations select and interview their own

candidates

Every Year on CFNC.org

• Keep portfolios up to date!• High School Planning Portfolio

– Plan of study and high school results• College Planning Portfolio

– Future educational plans and college preparation

• Career Planning Portfolio

– Career and assessment results– Work experiences– Community service and leadership activities

Every Year on CFNC.org

Every Year on CFNC.org

Questions and More Information

• 866-866-CFNC (866-866-2362)• Visit CFNC.org

April Morey910 Regional Representative CFNC910-280-1883amorey@cfi.org