1. Welcome to Scholarship and Financial Aid Information Night
January 23, 2018
Forest Lake Area High School

2. Tonight’s Agenda
Welcome: Stephanie Ward, Dean of Students and District Scholarship Coordinator
Scholarship Overview: Stephanie Ward
Community Scholarship Foundation Info: Joe Lefto, CSF Board Member
Financial Aid information and paying for college: Tom Larson, financial planner and college funding expert from Thrivent Financial

3. Scholarships Presented by Stephanie Ward, FLHS District Scholarship Coordinator and Dean of Students

4. Welcome! Introduction Overview of types of scholarships
Overview of local scholarships
Tips for applying and crafting an essay/personal statement

5. High School / School District
Types of Scholarships
High School / School District
Community/business
Academic
Athletic
Military/ ROTC
College Specific
Ethnic or Race-Based
Corporate
Religious

6. Independent Local Scholarships
There are approximately 25 independent local scholarships.
These scholarships are listed on the district Scholarship webpage:
The Forest Lake Area Independent Scholarships are individually-funded opportunities with their own specific criteria. Paper applications are mailed in to the various donors.

7. Independent Local Info, cont.
Review the specified criteria for each scholarship; apply to all possible.
Many utilize the general “Forest Lake Area Scholarship Application”. Some of these scholarships have their own applications. All are available on the website.
Deadlines for these scholarships vary, so look closely!

8. The Tozer Scholarship
The Tozer Foundation was created under the will of the late David Tozer in 1947.
Mr. Tozer directed in his will that a charitable corporation be formed to assist young people to obtain a college education from Washington, Kanabec, and Pine counties.
Applications are online (
Tozer scholarships are $2,750 per year, renewable for four years.

9. Additional Tozer Information
Applicants must be a resident or attend high school in stated counties.
Submit online application and Page 1 of the FAFSA SAR by mail to the Tozer Foundation by 2/20/2018.
PRINT a copy of the completed application to submit to FLHS. Transcripts and counselor rec forms will be provided by FLHS staff.
Do not turn in letters of recommendation. A COMPLETED application must be submitted to Vicky Monzel in the Student Services office by Friday, February 9, 2018, by 3:30 p.m. No late applications will be accepted.

10. Community Scholarship Foundation
Website:
Foundation began in 1973; community businesses, organizations, and individual donors pool money for these scholarships.
One online application makes students eligible for almost 100 CSF scholarships.
Online application deadline: March 17, 2018
Welcome: Joe Lefto, CSF Board Vice- President

11. Application Tips
Scholarships are available in many forms and to all types of students; students should apply for ALL scholarships for which they are eligible.
Avoid procrastinating and submit on time.
Take time on applications and give enough time for essays and personal statements.
Collect strong letters of recommendation; these come best from teachers.

12. The Essay/ Personal Statement
Stay within the prescribed length or word limit.
Draft, edit, peer review, and revise these statements. They often make the difference in who gets the scholarship.
Avoid “over sharing”. While this is a chance for the selection committee to get to know the applicant, avoid sharing too much information that may detract from the point of your essay.

13. Questions?
Stephanie Ward, Dean of Students and Scholarship Coordinator

14. Welcome Tom Larson, financial planner from Thrivent Financial