Presented byPresented by

Ben KohlBen KohlAssistant DirectorAssistant Director

Office of Student Financial Office of Student Financial AssistanceAssistance

Kansas State UniversityKansas State University

• Ben Kohl will show you how Ben Kohl will show you how to:to:– Prepare for the scholarship Prepare for the scholarship

application processapplication process– Apply for scholarshipsApply for scholarships– Win scholarshipsWin scholarships

Office of Student Financial Office of Student Financial AssistanceAssistance

104 Fairchild Hall 104 Fairchild Hall Kansas State UniversityKansas State University

• You and your financial aid You and your financial aid officeoffice– Stop by during the “off season”Stop by during the “off season”– Create a relationship with your Create a relationship with your

financial aid advisorfinancial aid advisor– Use prepared resourcesUse prepared resources– Streamline your experienceStreamline your experience

Ben’s 6 Scholarship Search Ben’s 6 Scholarship Search TipsTips1. Create a portfolio1. Create a portfolio

2. Use the Web2. Use the Web

3. Apply for small scholarships3. Apply for small scholarships

4. Avoid mistakes4. Avoid mistakes

5. Stay Organized 5. Stay Organized

6. Never stop searching6. Never stop searching

• Sources for ScholarshipsSources for Scholarships– Academic AdvisorAcademic Advisor– Local businesses, churches, and Local businesses, churches, and

community service organizationscommunity service organizations– Hale Library and local librariesHale Library and local libraries– OSFA, Adult Student ServicesOSFA, Adult Student Services– Business and industryBusiness and industry

• Tools for the SearchTools for the Search– Google ToolsGoogle Tools• http://calendar.google.comhttp://calendar.google.com• http://docs.google.comhttp://docs.google.com• http://spreadsheets.google.comhttp://spreadsheets.google.com• http://checkout.google.comhttp://checkout.google.com• http://reader.google.comhttp://reader.google.com• http://www.google.com/alertshttp://www.google.com/alerts

• Tools for the SearchTools for the Search– E-mailE-mail• http://www.gmail.comhttp://www.gmail.com• http://www.yahoo.comhttp://www.yahoo.com• http://www.hotmail.comhttp://www.hotmail.com

– Web site and BlogWeb site and Blog• http://pages.google.comhttp://pages.google.com• http://www.wordpress.comhttp://www.wordpress.com

• Develop your personal brandDevelop your personal brand– Write your storyWrite your story– Key themesKey themes– InventoryInventory• InterestsInterests• ActivitiesActivities• MembershipMembership• Community ServiceCommunity Service

• Develop your personal brandDevelop your personal brand– Organize your brandOrganize your brand• Use spreadsheet and word Use spreadsheet and word processorprocessor

– Tell your storyTell your story• Share with friends and familyShare with friends and family

– Develop key words for Web Develop key words for Web searchsearch

• Your RésuméYour Résumé– Education & Scholastic AchievementEducation & Scholastic Achievement– Experience, Training, EmploymentExperience, Training, Employment– Honors, Awards, MembershipHonors, Awards, Membership– Leadership & Community ServiceLeadership & Community Service– Extra-curricular ActivitiesExtra-curricular Activities– Career Ambition: Statement of Career Ambition: Statement of

GoalsGoals– References or Reference LettersReferences or Reference Letters

• Web searchingWeb searching– 32 million options?32 million options?– Refine your searchRefine your search• Use your personal brand key wordsUse your personal brand key words

– Find 100 scholarships in a Find 100 scholarships in a weekendweekend• Put the application deadline in your Put the application deadline in your calendarcalendar• Apply for scholarships 30 min. a dayApply for scholarships 30 min. a day

• Web sitesWeb sites– www.k-state.edu/sfawww.k-state.edu/sfa– www.collegeanswer.comwww.collegeanswer.com– www.fastweb.comwww.fastweb.com– www.collegeboard.comwww.collegeboard.com–www.scholarshipexperts.comwww.scholarshipexperts.com– www.scholarships.comwww.scholarships.com

• EssaysEssays– Evaluate a significant experience, Evaluate a significant experience,

achievement, risk you have taken, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.and its impact on you.– Discuss an issue of personal, local, Discuss an issue of personal, local,

national, or international concern national, or international concern and its importance to you.and its importance to you.– Explain your career goals and your Explain your career goals and your

plans for achieving them.plans for achieving them.

• Essay TipsEssay Tips– Overcoming challengesOvercoming challenges– Highlight accomplishmentsHighlight accomplishments– Think of the donorThink of the donor– Make it personalMake it personal– Advisors can proofreadAdvisors can proofread– Academic Assistance, 201 Academic Assistance, 201

LeasureLeasure

• Avoid Scholarship ScamsAvoid Scholarship Scams– Anything with a required feeAnything with a required fee– Asking for non-relevant Asking for non-relevant

personal informationpersonal information– Guaranteed scholarshipGuaranteed scholarship– Receiving letters of potential Receiving letters of potential

scholarships you never applied scholarships you never applied forfor– “ “Free” seminars with an up-sellFree” seminars with an up-sell

• Avoid Scholarship ScamsAvoid Scholarship Scams– Asking for bank account Asking for bank account

numbersnumbers– Too good to be trueToo good to be true– Interviews in hotels or Interviews in hotels or

restaurantsrestaurants

• Thank the DonorThank the Donor– By letter or e-mailBy letter or e-mail• Short overview of who you areShort overview of who you are•Why the scholarship is importantWhy the scholarship is important• Educational and career goalsEducational and career goals

• State of Kansas ScholarshipsState of Kansas Scholarships• Complete FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov)Complete FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov)• Application (www.kansasregents.org)Application (www.kansasregents.org)• $10 processing fee$10 processing fee• Priority application date is April 1Priority application date is April 1• Resident of KansasResident of Kansas• Enrolled full-time in a qualified Enrolled full-time in a qualified undergraduate program at a Kansas undergraduate program at a Kansas college or universitycollege or university

• State of Kansas ScholarshipsState of Kansas Scholarships• Kansas Ethnic MinorityKansas Ethnic Minority• Kansas Teacher ServiceKansas Teacher Service• Nursing ServiceNursing Service• State of KansasState of Kansas• VocationalVocational• Kansas Osteopathic Medical ServiceKansas Osteopathic Medical Service• Kansas Optometry ServiceKansas Optometry Service

• Criteria for K-State ScholarshipsCriteria for K-State Scholarships– Grade Point AverageGrade Point Average– Involvement in major & Involvement in major &

departmentdepartment– Leadership involvementLeadership involvement– Community serviceCommunity service– Membership & HonorsMembership & Honors– Extra-curricular activitiesExtra-curricular activities

• K-State ScholarshipsK-State Scholarships– Priority application date is Feb. 1Priority application date is Feb. 1– Over 4,000 individual scholarshipsOver 4,000 individual scholarships– Over $11 million last yearOver $11 million last year– College & Departmental awardsCollege & Departmental awards–Apply onlineApply online• www.k-state.edu/sfa/scholarshipswww.k-state.edu/sfa/scholarships

• What Pays?What Pays?– Good gradesGood grades– Stay involvedStay involved– Good writing skillsGood writing skills– Stay organizedStay organized– PersistencePersistence

• Never Give UpNever Give UpNever give up.Never give up.

Never. Never. Never. Never. Never. Never. Never. Never.

In nothing, great or small,In nothing, great or small,

large or petty, never give up.large or petty, never give up.

Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill

Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United Kingdom

Commencement Speech at Harvard University, 1941Commencement Speech at Harvard University, 1941

Benjamin E. KohlBenjamin E. KohlAssistant DirectorAssistant Director

Office of Student Financial AssistanceOffice of Student Financial Assistance

Kansas State UniversityKansas State University

1-877-817-2287 (toll free)1-877-817-2287 (toll free)

finaid@k-state.edufinaid@k-state.edu

www.k-state.edu/sfawww.k-state.edu/sfa