Scholarship 101Marian Kendrick

College Access Fairfax

Basic Information

Merit- based vs. Need-based AwardsWhy should you apply?When should you apply?Not all scholarships are offered every year – need to do

continuous research of what is availableWhat are your chances of receiving merit aid?Will receiving a merit scholarship impact your financial

aid award?

More Basic Information Like the lottery, you have to “play” to winThere is no magic formula Look for local opportunities Likelihood of receiving an award

Amount of effort put into the application Academic Profile

Curriculum/Course Rigor Grades

Extracurricular Profile Quality of Involvement Quantity of Involvement Is there a running theme for involvement?

The Application Relevance/Quality of Essay

Choice of College Major

College Specific Scholarships Applicable only to specific school – look at individual school’s Financial Office/Scholarship

website Nomination may be required – what is your high school’s procedure for securing

nominations Types of awards:

Academic Merit Talent or Specific Skill Community Service Leadership Major/Departmental Awards ROTC Need First Generation/Special Circumstances Athletic

Renewable? Specified GPA may be required

Generic ScholarshipsApplicable to any college/universityMay or may not be renewableAward determined for a variety of reasons

Academic MeritTalent or Specific SkillCommunity InvolvementLeadershipMajorFirst GenerationSpecial CircumstancesNeed

Where can you find scholarship? Work with your school’s College and Career Center Specialist Individual College Websites for college/university-based scholarships Scholarship search engines/web sites

Fastweb Mach 25 Merit Aid Free 4-U.com InternationalScholarships.com

FCPS Family Connection Scholarship Database Local Community Organizations

Check with your College and Career Center Places of employment Google

Search on “scholarships for high school students” or a similar phrase

Making Yourself CompetitiveStart now!Scholarship criteria – do you fit the profile?Read and follow the directions closelyTailor your application to the specific scholarshipCreate a professional looking resume/activities sheetWrite one strong essay which can be tweaked to fit

more than one applicationHave recommenders on hand earlyProofread everything

Grammar and spelling are criticalIf applicable, practice for interviews

MythsOnly top academic students win scholarship.Only big, name-brand scholarships are worth

applying for.You must be a senior to apply.You must know where you will be applying/attending

college before looking for scholarships.All scholarship opportunities protect personal

information – beware of “lottery” type scholarship offers

No one ever wins – why apply?

Final ThoughtsTake time to prepare

Do your researchGive thoughtful consideration to your selection

Lesser value scholarships may be easier to win

Beware of Scholarship ScamsNever pay to apply for a scholarshipNever provide your credit card or bank

account informationDon’t procrastinate – Apply Early!!!

Questions?