Scholarship Information Getting in on the process…

Distribution of information… We will be distributing information regarding scholarships via Naviance. Please check this site regularly. Questions? Contact: Ms. Ware at deborah_ware@charleston.k12.sc.us or Ms. Taylor at donna_taylor@charleston.k12.sc.us or Ms. Bearden at celeste_bearden@charleston.k12.sc.us

The Scholarship Process Applying for scholarships can seem overwhelming. You might be wondering… “Where do I start the process?” or you might wonder how to get nominated for big endowments at universities? The answer is not simple and it is not the same for all colleges. So here’s how we will sum it up…

What is Merit Aid? http://www.thecollegesolution.com/9-things-you-need-to-know-about-private-college-scholarships/

Getting Started… The best place to start is by applying to the school of your choice. Check their websites/applications to determine if there is a separate application process for scholarships. Example – When applying to Vanderbilt University, you must submit a separate application for specific scholarships. This is from the website at Vanderbilt: Students interested in being considered for the Ingram, Cornelius Vanderbilt and/or Chancellor's Scholarship Program must submit the Student Information Form and the additional application form for the particular program(s) to which you are applying. Students interested in being considered for the Additional Merit Scholarships should submit the Student Information Form and the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship application. For some universities, once you have applied to the school, you are automatically entered into the scholarship “pool” (sometimes this is dependent upon applying by a certain date… For example, if you apply to Mercer University in Macon Georgia by Nov. 1st, you will automatically be considered for their scholarship pool).

Getting Started… Some universities have a separate scholarship application for specific scholarships, but will include you in their general scholarship pool once you apply. For instance, at Duke University, you must apply separately for the Robertson Scholarship. After completing your application, the university will notify you if you are eligible for other types of scholarships. For some schools, YOU HAVE TO INDICATE BY CHECKING A BOX THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING CONSIDERED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

Check your application carefully The process varies from institution to institution and you have to be careful when you apply. Read your application thoroughly and carefully Check for important deadlines and all required supporting documents Some scholarships will require interviews and visits to the campus if you make it past the first decision round

Competitive Institutional Scholarships Some scholarships require a separate application process, such as the Jefferson at UVA., the Morehead-Cain from UNC-Chapel Hill, the Robertson at Duke, the Park Scholarship from NCSU, the Levine Scholarship from UNC-Charlotte, or the John Montgomery Belk Scholarship from Davidson. For some of these scholarships, Academic Magnet can only nominate a limited number of students. There will be an announcement that we are accepting applications for interested students including an application deadline. A scholarship review committee will review the applications and will determine (through a blind review process) which students will best represent Academic Magnet in the scholarship process.

Competitive Institutional Scholarships Students who are not selected as school nominees are often eligible to self-nominate to several of these scholarships, like the Park for example. Students who elect to self-nominate would be directed to the scholarship portal and would be responsible for completing and following up with the process. Guidance will send transcripts for students who are nominated by the school for scholarships and for students who self-nominate. Those students should see their counselor for counselor recommendations and for the transcript.

Private Scholarships For private scholarships, including scholarships such as rotary scholarships, Coca-cola scholars, The Woman’s Club of Charleston, etc. all interested students are encouraged to apply. Scholarships that we become aware of are posted on Naviance under the Colleges tab. There is also a list of resources for scholarships and financial aid posted on the site under the post-secondary planning tab on our “Livebinder.” On this site, you will find many live links to various scholarship searching sites (E.g. Fastweb.com or Zinch) In situations where the school can only nominate one or two (or a selected number of) students for a scholarship, a committee will meet to determine eligibility.

What is Financial Aid? Source: www.thecollegesage.com

Financial Aid… Make sure to apply for Financial Aid using the FAFSA form. You might be eligible for federal student aid and this will come from the financial aid office of the university of your choice, but will not be available to you if you do not apply!!! There is a link to the FAFSA form on the Livebinder as well. Some schools will require that you fill out the CSS Financial-Aid Profile on the College Board site. You can find it at http://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile

Financial Aid Myths Myths My family won’t qualify My grades aren’t good enough I will have to have to accept the loans they give me There’s no negotiating my aid package I will have to spend money applying for aid Source: www.thecollegesage.com

Financial Aid Rules of Thumb Families over $180,000 income generally will not qualify for FAFSA aid Grades only matter for merit aid (scholarships and grants) You can refuse any loans as part of an aid package If you feel you should qualify for more aid, always call the college financial aid office FAFSA is free but the CSS Profile does cost money If you want an on-campus job, be sure to fill out FAFSA Source: www.thecollegesage.com