Scholarships & Financial Aid

The question on many people’s mind… How can we afford college? There are 3 primary ways to obtain money for college The government The college or university you plan to attend Private groups and organizations

Government Money FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov) FAFSA filing period opens October 1st and is open until March 2nd. Submit paperwork as soon as possible- the sooner the better! Cal Grant (www.csac.ca.gov) Our district now uploads Cal Grant info automatically, unless a family opted out of this. See your counselor to confirm! GPA verification forms must be uploaded by March 2nd

Colleges and Universities It is crucial to contact the Financial Aid Office at the school of interest…every school is different in what they are able to offer. Need Based eligibility is based solely on the assets and income of the prospective student and his or her family. Merit Based includes a variety of categories, such as academic, artistic, athletic, and more. Special Circumstances

Private Groups and Organizations Scholarships! Businesses, Clubs, Community Groups Criteria varies Many resources available for finding scholarships

Here are 5 things to jumpstart the process: The scholarship search is a significant undertaking…it takes time and patience Here are 5 things to jumpstart the process: Check your prospective schools Inquire with your academic advisor Research local community groups Try online Be aware of deadlines

Strategies for Winning Scholarships APPLY!!! You can’t win if you don’t apply (not enough students take advantages of the opportunities that are out there!) It’s a numbers game Even among talented students, who wins involves a bit of luck, not just skill To win more scholarships, apply to more scholarships…but only if you qualify Don’t miss deadlines

Searching for Scholarships Start searching as soon as possible If you wait until spring to start searching, many opportunities will be missed There are many scholarships available to all students, not just seniors Use a FREE scholarship matching service, like Fastweb, College Board, etc.- there are many trustworthy ones out there Look for scholarship listing books at the library or bookstores, but be sure to check the publication date Pursue less competitive scholarships as well…any amount of money helps

Searching for Scholarships at El Dorado Scholarship bulletin is updated often and includes numerous opportunities, ranging from large scholarships to scholarships targeted just for EDHS students Students should come by the Career Center on a regular basis to pick up the scholarship bulletin and/or some applications Scholarship bulletin (and some scholarship applications) can also be accessed online Scholarships www.edhs.org Counseling

School Determined Scholarships A small number of groups allow the EDHS scholarship committee to select recipients Student needs to fill out the “Local Scholarship” application senior year (will be available March 1; due April 7) Variety of factors are taken in to consideration when students are chosen Winners are announced at the Senior Awards ceremony on June 1

Tips on Winning Scholarships $ Prioritize your applications by deadline- use a calendar and checklist to get organized $ Complete a “Brag Sheet” or resume (start this in 9th grade) $ Obtain quality letters of recommendation if needed $ Read and follow the instructions- pay close attention to details $ Tailor your application/essay to the sponsor’s goals $ Make your application stand out from the crowd- packaging is important $ Recruit friends/family to review your application before submitting it $ Gather everything you need ahead of time (transcripts, test scores, letters of rec)

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 If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is

There’s a scholarship out there for everyone… Check out www.college-financial-aid-advice.com/weird-unknown-scholarships.html

Summary Pick up/access the EDHS Scholarship bulletin and check it often Fill out as many scholarship applications as possible- think of it as a part time job Search the internet Research opportunities through the college or university you plan to attend Fill out the FAFSA paperwork and submit early- make sure your Cal Grant info is uploaded (check Web Grant account)

Key Scholarship Resources www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org www.fastweb.com www.finaid.org www.gocollege.com www.wiredscholar.com www.scholarships.com http://roybal-allard.house.gov (go to “Student Resources”, then click on “Paying for College: Student Resource Guide”) www.edhs.org

BE CONNECTED! STAY INVOLVED! Athletics Activities Performing Arts Academic Competition Clubs

good luck in your scholarship search, Thank you for coming, good luck in your scholarship search, and GO HAWKS!!! “It seems the harder I work, the more luck I have.”   Thomas Jefferson