Dells Scholars

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Dell Scholars Program Application Worksheet

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Funded by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF), a private foundationdedicated to enabling children and youth to achieve their potential, the DellScholars program offers an opportunity for under-served and lower incomestudents to realize their dream of a college education. $20,000 scholarships areoffered to students for full-time study to complete a bachelor's degree program.

The Dell Scholars Program places greater emphasis on your determination tosucceed than your academic record and test scores. We strongly believe beingadequately prepared for college also empowers you to achieve your dreams.

Criteria for Application

Graduating from an accredited high school this academic year Earning a minimum of a 2.4 GPA Demonstrated need for financial assistance Participating in an approved college readiness program for a minimum of two years Planning to enter a bachelor's degree program at an accredited higher education institution in the fall of the

coming year immediately following High School graduation

U.S. citizenship or permanent residencyCompleting the application is the first step in becoming a Dell Scholar. Once submitted, all applications will beassessed and a group of Dell Scholar Semifinalists will be selected. If you are selected as a semifinalist, you will beasked to submit a current copy of your high school transcript, a complete Student Aid Report (SAR) from yourcompleted FAFSA, and a recommendation. Only semifinalists that submit this information will be considered for thescholarship. After the semifinalist information is submitted, it is reviewed by an independent selection committee andthe Dell Scholars are selected. The new class of Dell Scholars will be announced April 10.

ContentsContents ................................................................................................................................................................. 1Important Dates ...................................................................................................................................................... 2Things You Might Need .......................................................................................................................................... 2

Working on Your Application ......................................................................................................................................3Hints for a Successful Application ........................................................................................................................... 3Application Sections ....................................................................................................................................................6You ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6School .................................................................................................................................................................... 8Responsibility ....................................................................................................................................................... 11Financial ............................................................................................................................................................... 13Home.................................................................................................................................................................... 14Recommender ....................................................................................................................................................... 17Terms ................................................................................................................................................................... 19


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Important DatesNovember 1 Application open to eligible students.

January 15 Application period ends.

February 1 Semifinalists are announced and the recommendation phase begins. Recommenders may loginto the website to complete recommendations for semifinalists. Applicants who becomesemifinalists should upload their transcript(s) and Student Aid Report (SAR) by the deadlinebelow.

March 10 Deadline for submission of transcript, recommendation and SAR.

April 10 Announcement of New Class of Dell Scholars.

Things You Might Need

To help save time in completing the application, you may wish to gather the following information beforehand:

The most recent federal tax return for your Parent or Guardian, if you are a dependent Your most recent federal tax return, if you file one Your high school transcript or report cards A unique email address that you check regularly

If you do not have all of the information listed, you may still begin your application and return later to complete anymissing information before the deadline.


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Working on Your ApplicationThe application consists of the seven sections

You School Responsibility Financial Home/Life Recommendation Terms

You may complete these sections in anyorder you wish.

You may leave fields empty on thesepages and continue to other sections ofthe application and come back later to

complete the empty fields. However, asyou leave each page, your answers willbe checked for errors, and you will berequired to correct any errors beforecontinuing to another page.

Once a section is determined to becomplete, a check mark will appear onthat section button in the navigationmenu. As you complete yourapplication, the menu will track yourprogress. Unless noted as optional (bythe [opt] notation to the right of the

field), all fields are required.

As you go through each section, youmay want to refer to your high schooltranscript or report cards to help youanswer the academic questions as wellas the most recent federal tax returns foryour Parent or Guardian, and you (if you

file one). Be sure to check out the Help Center for additional hints and answers to frequently asked questions.

You may leave the application using the Log Out and Return Later link at the top of every page and you may returnlater to work on your application until the deadline. All of the information that you have entered on a page andsubmitted successfully will be saved and ready for you when you return.

Hints for a Successful ApplicationHaving reviewed a large number of applications we offer you the following words of advice to consider whilecompleting your application.

Don't use abbreviations or slang in your answers. Proofread your essays.


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Use the essays to tell the rest of the story that other questions don't ask. Talk about your responsibilities andactions where possible.

Choose a recommender that will be able to answer questions about you from a personal and academicperspective.


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Application SectionsThis section will walk you through each of the application sections in detail. Remember that it is in your best interest tofill the application as completely as possible. If you prefer to answer on paper and then enter you answer into theapplication, we have provided a blank worksheet that you can use for this purpose.

You

Salutation(Required)

Select the appropriate salutation. This is used in correspondence from MSDF. Options available:Miss., Mr., Mrs., Ms.

Preferred Name(Required)

What you like to be called. First name only. For example, if your name is James, your preferredname might be Jim. We address correspondence using your preferred name.

First Name(Required)

This is for your record and may be used to help identify you.

Middle Name(Optional)

This is for your record.

Last Name(Required)

This is for your record and may be used to help identify you.

Suffix(Optional)

This is for your record and may be used to help identify you. A suffix on a name is something thatcomes after the formal last name such as Jr., Sr., III, etc.

Street Address(Required)

This may be used to send physical material to you and for identification. There are two lines that youcan use for this if needed.

City(Required)

This may be used to send physical material to you and for identification.

State(Required)

This may be used to send physical material to you and for identification. Options are available for allstates and Armed Forces US locations. Use other if your State/location is not listed.

Zip/Postal Code

(Required)

This may be used to send physical material to you and for identification. We accept zip or zip + 4 inaddition to overseas postal codes.

Country(Required)

This may be used to send physical material to you and for identification. If you are overseas, pleasebe sure to fill this out accurately.

Phone Number: Home

(Required)

(###) ### - #### This is the phone number in your permanent residence as detailed above. Thefield will also accept international phone numbers if you are overseas.

Phone Number: Mobile(Optional)

(###) ### - #### This is a mobile phone number, if you have one. We would use this number if wewere trying to speak with you over the phone and did not get an answer at your home phone. Thefield will accept international numbers if you are overseas.

Gender Used for demographics purposes. Options available are Male, Female.


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(Required)

Date of Birth (Required) Used for eligibility purposes. You must be a graduating senior to be eligible for this scholarship.

Citizenship(Required)

This scholarship is only available to US Citizens and Permanent Residents. Options available: USCitizen, Permanent Resident, Other


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School

High School(Required)

State, City, High School Name The data entry for this requires that you select these items inorder First state, which then populates the city drop down box. Selection of the city populates

the High School box from which you select the school you attend.

Expected Graduation(Required)

Month and Year that you expect to graduate.

Class Rank(Required)

Your ranking in your class. If your school does not rank students, check the box for "Schooldoes not rank. If you are unsure of what your rank and/or class size is, see your schoolguidance counselor.

College Readiness Program(Required)

You must be in an MSDF approved College Readiness Program in order to be eligible for thisscholarship. Applications will be verified with each program.

Program Advisor Name(Required)

First and Last name of your program advisor. They may be contacted to verify yourparticipation.

Program Advisor Email(Required)

Email address of your program advisor. Should be [email protected]. May be used tocontact your program advisor to verify participation.

Number of Years in Program(Required)

How many years you have been participating in the College Readiness Program?

Program learnings essay(Required)

How has this program better prepared you to be successful in college? Please provide someexamples of skills or strategies you will use. [100-1200 characters]

_____ on a ______ scale weighted/un-weighted

Cumulative Grade PointAverage (GPA)(Required)

Fields to complete: GPA, Scale, Weighted/Un-weighted. Options for Scale are: 4.0, 5.0, and100.0 weighted and un-weighted. If you are unsure of the scale your school is using, you canask your guidance counselor or college readiness program teacher. Select weighted if yourschool gives additional point values for honors, AP, etc. courses. In the 100-Point Scale, thegrade average is determined by adding all earned marks, dividing that number by the totalnumber of points possible, and multiplying by 100. This scale is also known as the 100% Scale.


Grade 9 GPA(Required) Fields to complete: GPA, Scale, Weighted/Un-weighted. Options for Scale are: 4.0, 5.0, 100.0weighted and un-weighted.


Grade 10 GPA(Required)

Fields to complete: GPA, Scale, Weighted/Un-weighted. Options for Scale are: 4.0, 5.0, 100.0weighted and un-weighted.


Grade 11 GPA(Required)

Fields to complete: GPA, Scale, Weighted/Un-weighted. Options for Scale are: 4.0, 5.0, 100.0weighted and un-weighted.


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Critical Reading (Verbal) : _______ Mathematics: _______ Writing (If Taken): _______

SAT Scores(Optional)

If you have taken the SAT, please enter your scores. If you have taken the SAT more thanonce, enter your best score as a whole (not your best individual scores on portions).

English: _______ Mathematics: _______ Reading: _______ Science: _______ Writing (If Taken): _______

ACT Scores(Optional)

If you have taken the ACT, please enter your scores. If you have taken the ACT more thanonce, enter your best score as a whole (not your best individual scores on portions).

Course Name Status Grade Honors AP IB Dualcredit

Other

English Grade 9

English Grade 10

English Grade 11

English Grade 12

Algebra 1

Geometry

Algebra 2

Trigonometry

Pre-CalculusCalculus

Other Advanced MathUS History

World History

Government/Civics

Economics

World Culture/Global Studies

Geography

PsychologySociology

Foreign Language

Other Social Studies

Earth/General Science

Biology

ChemistryPhysics

Anatomy

Physiology

Computer ScienceOther Science

If you have selected Other as a type, please indicate what that type is:

Transcript(Required)

Status and Grade are required entry for these fields. Options for status are: Not Taken, InProgress and Completed. Options for grade are: A-F and n/a (not applicable). You would selectn/a if you did not take the course or if you took the course pass/fail and passed. If you are inprogress for a course, estimate what your grade will be. If you have taken a course more thanonce, enter the highest grade you received for the course.

Intended College Major(Required)

What you are currently planning on majoring in college. You are not held to this for purposes ofthe scholarship.

College Name Applied (yes/no)

1st choice

2nd choice

3rdchoice

College Choices(Required)

Funds from the Dell Scholars Program can only be used at accredited 2 and 4-year institutions.


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College Selection Essay Required Please tell us what reasons you considered in selecting these schools as your topchoices.

Goals Essay Required What are your goals after you graduate college and how do you plan to achievethem? 100-1200 character essay. What do you want to use your education toachieve? Why is education an important part of your tools to achieve your

dreams? Will your goals require more than an undergraduate education? Is othertraining required? If you want to be an astronaut someday, how do you plan ongetting there?


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ResponsibilityThis section helps us understand the different responsibilities and commitments you have during the school year andover the summer. In your essays, please emphasize responsibilities you have rather than activities or involvement. MostDell Scholars have a high level of responsibility outside of school.

Use the essay space to provide important details about these parts of your life. What kind of responsibilities do or didyou have? What volunteer activities do you perform? Describe any leadership roles you performed. Focus on how youhelped others. Include important details that might help distinguish you from other candidates.

Classification: Weeks Avg hours Weeks Avg Hours

Freshman

Sophomore

Junior

SeniorUse the space below to provide more detail about your family responsibilities and how that has impacted your ability to manage academic responsibilities.

[100-1200 characters]

Home Responsibil ities(Required)

How many hours do/did you spend helping your family with domestic responsibilities (e.g.,preparing meals, taking care of siblings/relatives, performing household responsibilities)?


Freshman

SophomoreJunior

SeniorUse the space below to provide more detail about your community volunteer work. [100-1200 characters]

Community Volunteer Work(Required)

How many hours do/did you spend volunteering (without pay) in your community (e.g., church,community center, senior center, etc.)?


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FreshmanSophomore

Junior

Senior

Use the space below to provide more detail about your need to work or information about why you do or do not work. If working, how has that impacted yourability to manage school responsibilities? [100-1200 characters]

Work (Required) How many hours do/did you spend at work for pay outside of your home?


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FinancialThe information on this page helps us determine your level of financial need. Completion of the Free Application forFederal Student Aid (FAFSA) and receipt of a Student Aid Report (SAR) are required to receive this scholarship.

Parents Adjusted GrossIncome (Required)

Enter adjusted gross income from their most recent tax return. If no tax return was filed, enterthe amount that was earned in the last year.

Your Adjusted Gross Income(Required)

Enter adjusted gross income from your most recent tax return. If no tax return was filed, enterthe amount that was earned in the last year.

National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Yes ______ No ______Food Stamps/EBT or other food assistance program Yes ______ No ______Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Yes ______ No ______Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Yes ______ No ______Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or other utility assistance program Yes ______ No ______Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Yes ______ No ______

Medicaid Yes ______ No ______State / Federal Aid Eligibi lity(Required)

Are you or your family ELIGIBLE or currently receiving any of the listed assistance programs.

Student Aid Report NotificationI understand that if I am selected as a semifinalist, I will be required to submit a Student Aid Report (SAR) before thesemifinalist document deadline (March 10). I also understand that my financial need for the scholarship will primarilybe determined by my Pell Grant eligibility from my SAR.

You DO NOT need to submit your Student Aid Report at this time. For more information, visit www.fafsa.ed.gov.


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HomeThis section provides us with information about your life at home and your parents.

Mothers Marital Status(Required)

Your mothers current marital status. Options available for : Single, Married, Married to Father,Re-Married, Divorced, Separated, Widowed, and Unknown.

Mothers Education(Required)

The highest level of education that your mother completed. Options available for: Did NotAttend School, Elementary School, Middle School, Some High School, High School Graduate,Some College, Associates Degree, College Graduate, Masters Degree, Ph.D., I dont know.

Mothers Employment Status(Required)

Options available: Employed Full Time (list occupation), Employed Part Time (list occupation),Not Employed (seeking employment), Not Employed (homemaker), Not Employed (retired),Not Employed (disabled), Not Applicable (deceased), Not Applicable (unknown).

Fathers Marital Status(Required)

Your fathers current marital status. Options available for: Single, Married, Married to Mother,Re-Married, Divorced, Separated, Widowed, and Unknown.

Fathers Education(Required)

The highest level of education that your father completed. Options available for: Did NotAttend School, Elementary School, Middle School, Some High School, High School Graduate,Some College, Associates Degree, College Graduate, Masters Degree, Ph.D., I dont know.

Fathers Empl oyment Status(Required)

Options available: Employed Full Time (list occupation), Employed Part Time (list occupation),Not Employed (seeking employment), Not Employed (homemaker), Not Employed (retired),Not Employed (disabled), Not Applicable (deceased), Not Applicable (unknown)

Number of Family Members(Required)

The number of people that will be supported by your parents. Include parents, yourself andany other child in the family that meets the dependency criteria.

Family Members i n College(Required) The number of dependents in your family that will be attending college at least half time in aprogram that leads to a degree or certification. Include yourself in the count.

Residents in Your Home(Required)

The number of people living in your home. Includes family and non-family members. Includeyourself in the count.

Mother ____ Spouse ____Father ____ My child(ren) ____Step Parent(s) ____ Friend(s) ____Brother(s)/Sister(s) ____ I live in a group home ____Grandparents(s) ____ I live on my own ____Foster family ____ I do not have a home ____Other Relatives ____ Other ________________________

________________________________

You currently live with(Required)

Indicate the number of each type of person that lives in the same primary residence with you.

Primary Language Spoken atHome (Required)

The language that is most commonly spoken at your home between relatives. The firstlanguage that you learned.


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Family History (Required) Describe how your family history and relationships have shaped who you are today. [100-1200characters]

Adversity (Required) Explain any adversities or hardships you have had to overcome and what helped you toovercome these challenges. [100-1200 characters]

Personal Statement(Required)

Use this essay to give us more information about who you are and why you want to be a DellScholar [100-1200 characters]


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Yes ___No ___

Personal Character(Required)

Have you ever been subjected to disciplinary action (such as probation, suspension, or dismissal) byany school you have attended? Have you ever been convicted of, or have charges pending for, a

misdemeanor or criminal offense? If yes, please explain. Note that a positive response does notautomatically exclude applicants from consideration.

Ethnicity (Optional) This question is not included in the evaluation process but is helpful to the Dell Scholars Program inevaluating the composition of our applicant pool. The information you provide will be keptconfidential. Options available: American Indian or Alaska native, Arabic, Asian/Asian American,South Asian (Indian subcontinent), Black or African American, Caucasian, Hispanic/Latino, Spanishorigin, Pacific Islander, Other (please specify). You may select more than one if appropriate.


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RecommenderAll applicants who are selected as semifinalists are required to have a completed recommendation to be considered.Your recommender must be at least 21 years of age and must not be related to you.

A recommendation consists of a number of essays and some questions that are similar to the application to provideanother perspective on you that can be used to ensure we select the most qualified candidates to be Dell Scholars. If youare selected as a semifinalist for the Dell Scholars Program scholarship, the person listed below will be contacted inorder to provide a recommendation for you.

The recommendation must be completed online by your recommender. Remember that a completed recommendation isrequired to be considered for a scholarship. Please ensure that the information you provide below is correct.

Salutation(Required)

Select the appropriate salutation. This is used in correspondence from MSDF. Options available:Dr., Miss., Mr., Mrs., Ms.

First Name(Required)

This is for your record and may be used to help identify your recommender.

Middle Name(Optional)

This is for your record.

Last Name(Required)

This is for your record and may be used to help identify your recommender.

Suffix(Optional)

This is for your record and may be used to help identify your recommender. A suffix on a name issomething that comes after the formal last name such as Jr., Sr., III, etc.

Street Address(Required)

This may be used to send physical material to your recommender and for identification. There aretwo lines that you can use for this if needed.

City(Required)

This may be used to send physical material to your recommender and for identification.

State(Required)

This may be used to send physical material to your recommender and for identification. Optionsavailable for all states and Armed Forces US locations. Use other if the State/location is notlisted.

Zip/Postal Code(Required)

This may be used to send physical material to your recommender and for identification. Weaccept zip or zip + 4 in addition to overseas postal codes.

Country

(Required)

This may be used to send physical material to your recommender and for identification. If you are

overseas, please be sure to fill this out accurately.

Phone Number(Required)

A phone number where your recommender can be reached if necessary

Email Address(Required)

Used for correspondence and your record.

Employer(Required)

Where your Recommender works.


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Position/Title(Required)

What your recommender does at their place of employment.

Relationship to You(Required)

How do you know your recommender? Options available: School Teacher, School Counselor,School (other official), College Readiness Advisor, Personal Mentor, Clergy (Minister, Pastor,Rabbi, Imam, etc.), Friend of the Family

Years Known(Required)

Options available: Less than 1 year, 1-2 years, 2-5 years, 5-10 years, more than 10 years.

The recommendation provides a considerable impact on your application. Be very thoughtful about selecting who willbe your recommender.

Note that the best recommendations come from someone who can provide both personal and academic

information about you. A more thorough recommendation from someone such as a teacher, counselor, or

college readiness coordinator will give the selection committee more complete information typically than a

recommendation from a family friend.


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TermsThe last section of the application will require that you (and your parent if you are not 18) accept the terms of thescholarship.

To review the current Dell Scholars Program Application Terms, log in to the application and click on Help Center inthe top navigation. You will find a link to the terms in the Application Information section at the bottom of the page.

Documents

Dells Scholars