Scholarships: Tips and Strategies for Finding and Being Competitive - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Scholarships: Tips and Strategies for Finding and Being Competitive for Winning Them

Tania Rachkoskie NACAC

Real Deal or No Deal

• Are you the next American idol? Write and

submit an original song with lyrics and music.

• Win a contest as an athlete with an amazing

milk mustache.

• February 1865 was the only month in history

not to have a full moon. Take a test on random and useless facts.

Real Deal or No Deal

• Are you the next American idol? Write and submit

an original song with lyrics and music.

– John Lennon Scholarship

• Win a contest as an athlete with an amazing milk

mustache.

– Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year Award

• February 1865 was the only month in history not

to have a full moon. Take a test on random and useless facts.

– Common Knowledge Scholarship

create a scholarship guide that includes scholarship opportunities for any specific student match students to appropriate scholarship resources and opportunities based on their needs and interests develop and implement post-secondary lessons focused on scholarships

WELCOME

Session Objectives

Upon completion of this session participants should be able to:

Welcome!

• Scholarship Lingo
• Institutional Awards
• Tips and Tricks
• Outside Scholarships
• Questions

Money Talk

• Need Aware
• Need Blind
• Meeting full

demonstrated need

• Gapping
• Net tuition revenue
• Discount rate
• Ability to Pay vs.

Willingness to Pay

$- $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $80,000 $90,000 $100,000 $9,088 $31,698 $50,627 $78,457 $111,919 $134,077 $172,791 $177,571 $238,976 $325,366

Ability and Willingness to Pay for Private College, by AGI, 2016 (4727 cases reviewed)

ability to pay per year willingness to pay per year

Data care of Moody’s Investments, 2016

Private institutions piped nearly half of every dollar charged in tuition and fees back into scholarships and grants for freshmen.

Institution-Specific Scholarships

• Why universities give scholarships
• What does it mean to be meritorious?
• Merit is in the eye of the beholder. ☺
• Application-based programs
• Honors Programs, Fellowships, etc.
• Merit aid vs. financial aid

Institution-Specific Scholarships

• Guaranteed

scholarships with publicized criteria

• General scholarship

pools “automatically considered by applying to the school”

Behind the Scenes Tips and Tricks

• Early Decision Programs & Merit Aid
• Admissible vs. Meritorious
• Financial Literacy- Big Awards at Schools with

Big Sticker Prices

Behind the Scenes Tips and Tricks

• Test Optional Programs and Merit Aid
• Bartering & Negotiating
• Applying for aid or scholarships as

demonstrated interest

Telling Questions to Ask

• What’s your total financial aid budget?
• What percent of your aid budget is used for merit-based

aid?

• What were your average aid packages for last year’s

incoming class?

• If I receive an outside scholarship after I receive my initial

award, what happens?

Reflection

• What are some of the challenges you face

when helping your students find and/or complete scholarships?

• What do you currently do at your school to

help students find and complete scholarships?

Finding Scholarships & Creating a Scholarship Guide

Lots of Information Available

You Don’t Have to Start From Scratch!

You Don’t Have to Start From Scratch!

• Visit the individual scholarship websites to

verify that the scholarship is still offered

• Gather critical information students need to

know about each scholarship

• Deadline
• Requirements (e.g., citizenship, GPA, standardized test

scores, etc.)

• Organize the information in a way that works

for you and your students Creating a Student Friendly Guide

Creating a Student Friendly Guide

Name of Scholarship Website Important Dates Minimum Requirements Application Requirements Award Amount Coca-Cola Scholars Scholarship http://coca-colascholars.org/ Deadline: October 31st, 2014 3.0 GPA (unweighted) Requires you to list:

• Grades
• School and community

activities

• Employment

No essays or additional materials are required

• $20,000
• 150 awards

Elks National Foundation – Most Valuable Student Competition http://www.elks.org/ENF/scholars/mvs.cfm Deadline: December 5, 2014

• ACT score
• Transcript
• Essay
• 2 first place: $50,000
• 2 second place:

$40,000

• 2 third place: $30,000
• 14 finalists: $20,000
• 480 runner ups:

$4,000 Print and Graphics Scholarship Information http://www.printing.org/pgsfapplication Application

• pens: November

1st, 2014 Deadline: April 1st, 2015 Pursuing a career in graphic communications, printing technology, printing management

• r publishing
• ACT score (photocopy

acceptable)

• Official transcript
• 2 Reference Forms
• Photocopy of course of

intended study

• Average scholarship =

$2,000

• $5,000 scholarships

also awarded Scholarships are renewable

George M. Pullman Educational Foundation Scholarship (up to $5,000 per year!)

• Requirements:
• GPA = 3.0+ unweighted
• You must be eligible to complete FAFSA
• Website: https://www.pullmanfoundation.org/become/eligible/
• Not open to DREAMers
• DUE: February 10, 2015

Buick Achievers Scholarship Program (good fit for those interested in automotive)

• Requirements:
• Plan to major in one of the following: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math,

Business Administration, Finance, Marketing, or Designs

• Be interested in pursuing a career in the automotive or related industries
• Website: http://www.buickachievers.com/
• Not open to DREAMers
• DUE: February 27, 2015

One Million Degrees Scholarship

• Requirements:
• GPA = 2.0+
• Planning to enroll at one of the following community colleges: Malcolm X,

Richard J. Daley, Harold Washington, Wright, Olive-Harvey, Kennedy-King, Truman, Prairie State, or South Suburban

• File FAFSA
• Website: http://www.onemilliondegrees.org/
• Not open to DREAMers
• DUE: February 28, 2015

100 BMA Scholarship

• Requirements:
• GPA = 2.5+
• Completed 50 hours of community service in the last 12 months,
• r will complete 50 hours after being awarded
• Leadership involvement (position in a club or organization,

captain of a team, etc.)

• What you need to turn in to complete the application:
• Completed application
• 500 word essay that answers these 2 questions:

1. Why do you need financial assistance in the form of a scholarship? 2. How would a scholarship specifically benefit you during your college enrollment?

• Official Academic Transcript
• Verification of Financial Need Letter (need two letters, can be

from a teacher or counselor)

• Recommendation Letter (one letter from a teacher, counselor,

coach, etc.)

• Website: http://www.100blackmen.org/education.aspx
• Open to DREAMers: YES
• DUE: February 28, 2015

Creating a Student Friendly Guide

Matching Students to Scholarship Opportunities

Meet Esmeralda

Esmeralda is a senior at a public high school who is eligible to receive free or reduced lunch. She is a US Citizen, identifies as Latina, and will be a first generation college student. Esmeralda has a 3.3 GPA, volunteers at church, and has been an active member of Senior Committee where students plan senior activities. She is extremely passionate about pursuing a career as a Special Education teacher because she loves helping her younger brother who has a learning

• disability. She would prefer to attend a 4 year university, but she is

worried that she won’t be able to afford it so she has come to you for advice on scholarships.

• What are the important things to consider as you help Esmeralda

find a scholarship?

• Are there any scholarships or organizations that come to mind?

Scholarships and Organizations to look into for Esmeralda

• Burger King Scholars
• Elks National Foundation Scholarship Programs
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund
• TheDream.US National Scholarship

Meet Willie

Willie is a senior at a public high school who is eligible to receive free

• r reduced lunch. He is a US Citizen and identifies as African
• American. Willie has a 2.0 GPA and is on the basketball team at
• school. He tends to goof around a lot in class and many teachers

question his motivation for coming to school. He has come to your

• ffice privately to disclose that he wants to attend college and would

like to hear about some scholarships that could help him pay for it.

• What are the important things to consider as you help Willie find

a scholarship?

• Are there any scholarships or organizations that come to mind?

Scholarships and Organizations to look into for Willie

• 100 Black Men of America, Inc.
• Black Excel
• HBCU Network
• United Negro College Fund (UNCF)

Scholarship Lessons & Activities

Sample Lesson: Financial Aid Choices Game adapted from UC Berkeley

Grade Level: 9 – 12 Time: 50 min Lesson Objectives:

• Students will be able to recall definitions of basic

financial aid terms (e.g., FAFSA, grant, loan, scholarship).

• Students will be able to distinguish between

proactive and passive approaches to securing finances for college. ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors:

• B-SMS 5. Demonstrate perseverance to achieve

long- and short-term goals

• B-SS 7. Use leadership and teamwork skills to work

effectively in diverse teams Materials:

• Game board sheets (one for each group) like Chutes

and Ladders (google Chutes and Ladders template and you will find one online)

• Game pieces (one for each player)
• Game cards

Lesson

• Introduce key terms that students will need to know in
• rder to understand the situations on the game cards.
• Financial aid
• FAFSA
• Grant
• Loan
• Scholarship
• Letter of Recommendation
• Script for introducing game: “How many of you worry

about how you are going to pay for college? Stand up. Thanks for being honest, you may be seated. The truth is that many students believe that they can’t go to college because they don’t have the money. Today you will play a board game that will get you thinking about the different ways you can pay for college. You’re going to see that there are many different ways to pay for college and in order to maximize the amount of free money you get, you will likely have to make difficult decisions and sacrifices. For example, it might be in your best interest to stay after school to work on scholarship applications instead of going to weight lifting club with your friends.”

Sample Lesson: Financial Aid Choices Game adapted from UC Berkeley

Game instructions:

• Have students get into groups of 4.
• Facilitator establishes a rule to decide who goes

first (e.g., birthday closest to January 1st, but not before). That student goes first and then follow clock-wise order.

• When it’s your turn, pick a card and follow the

instructions.

• Explain to students that you expect them to have a

conversation about why that student had to move forward or backward after every turn.

• “You are worried because you think you can only

apply to scholarships if you have good grades, so you ask a teacher for help.”

• Move forward two spaces.
• “This student moved forward because rather

than not doing anything and continuing to worry, the student decided to ask his teacher for help.”

• The first one to reach the end of the game board

wins! Debrief (could instruct groups to answer these questions after the game and have them share out)

• Were there any game cards that surprised you?
• Were there any game cards you could relate to?
• What are your worries/concerns about applying for

scholarships? Things to consider:

• Original lesson (on next slide) was shared in 2010 –

review and revise game cards as needed

Sample Lesson: Financial Aid Choices Game (2 more sets of game cards on website)

http://collegetools.berkeley.edu/res

• urces.php?cat_id=125

Sample Lesson: Scholarship Scavenger Hunt

Grade Level: 9 – 12 Time: 50 – 55 min Lesson Objectives:

• Students will demonstrate that they can effectively use

the internet to locate necessary scholarship details.

• Students will recognize that there are scholarship
• pportunities that match a variety of student interests

and abilities. ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors:

• B-LS 5. Apply media and technology skills
• B-LS 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to

learning Materials:

• Scholarship Scavenger Hunt worksheet

Bellringer (5 min) – allow students a couple minutes to respond to the following question and ask for volunteers to

• share. Discuss and provide feedback for their responses.
• List a scholarship you’ve heard of before. Do you know how

students are selected to receive that scholarship?

Lesson

• Introduce students to three important details when

exploring a scholarship opportunity: award amount (is it renewable?), eligibility criteria, and application deadline. (5 min)

• Distribute the Scholarship Scavenger Hunt worksheet and

walk students through expectations for completing this exercise (decide whether you want them to work independently, in pairs, or in small groups – could make groups responsible for completing different scholarship on page 1). (5 – 10 min)

• Model how to search for a scholarship and find the

award amount, eligibility criteria, and application deadline.

• Allow students time to get started on the Scavenger Hunt.

(25 min)

• Come back together as a class and have students share
• ut responses, especially responses to “a scholarship that

interests YOU”. (10 min) Things to consider:

• Be sure to include some scholarships without GPA and

standardized test score requirements, as well as scholarships that are open to DREAMers

• Could award prize to winning group/individual

Sample Handout for Lesson: Scholarship Scavenger Hunt

Sample Lesson: Requesting Letters of Recommendation

Grade Level: 9 – 12 Time: 50 – 55 min Lesson Objectives:

• Students will be able to describe what a letter of

recommendation is and why it is important.

• Students will be able to explain the school’s procedures for

requesting a letter of recommendation.

• Students will employ effective communication skills as they

request letters of recommendations from adults. ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors:

• B-SS 1. Use effective oral and written communication skills

and listening skills

• B-SS 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert

self, when necessary Materials:

• Letter of Recommendation Request

Bellringer (5 min) – allow students a couple minutes to respond to the following question and ask for volunteers to share.

• What is a letter of recommendation and why is it important?

Lesson

• Introduce students to the concept of letters of
• recommendation. Ask students about potential uses for letters
• f recommendation (e.g., scholarships, college applications,

internships, jobs, etc.) and why scholarship panels request

• them. (5 min)
• Walk students through the Letter of Recommendation Request

and discuss appropriate information for each section. Ask students for examples. (10 – 15 min)

• As a class, brainstorm a list of adults who might be good
• recommenders. (5 min)
• Ask for a student volunteer to help you demonstrate how to

ask for a letter of recommendation. (10 min)

• Facilitator could play the student first and you could demonstrate

how to not ask for a letter of recommendation. Then ask students why that was not a good approach to asking for a letter. Follow with demonstration of how to ask for a letter. OR

• Could ask for a student volunteer to demonstrate how he/she

thinks a student should approach a teacher to ask for a letter of

• recommendation. Afterwards, engage the students in a discussion

and provide feedback.

• Allow students time to get started on filling out their Letter of

Recommendation Request Forms. (10 min) Exit ticket (5 min) – students turn in list of 3 adults they will ask

Sample Handout for Lesson: Requesting Letters

• f Recommendation

Sample Exit Ticket for Lesson: Requesting Letters

• f Recommendation

Name: ______________________ Date: __________ 1. What is a letter of recommendation? ___________________________________________ 2. Why are letters of recommendation important? ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ 3. Name 3 adults you plan to ask for a letter of recommendation: 1. ____________________________________ 2. ____________________________________ 3. ____________________________________

MAS Scholarship Workshop Exit Ticket 2/17/15 Name: _________________________________ Scholarships I have already completed:

• 1. _____________________________________
• 2. _____________________________________
• 3. _____________________________________

Scholarships in progress:

• 1. _____________________________________
• 2. _____________________________________
• 3. _____________________________________

Today I plan to finish ______________________ _______________________________________ Exit Statement: I feel confident that I can finish my 3 scholarship applications by March 24, 2015. □Strongly agree □Agree □Disagree □Strongly Disagree I still need help with ______________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________

Monitoring Student Progress on Scholarships

Student Self-Monitoring of Scholarship Progress

Scholarship Name Amount Source Due date Requirements Date App Submitted Status Follow-up Notes

Runner’s Scholarship $500 Aunt May 3/15/12 *Essay (started 2/15/12) *Letter of rec (requested 2/15/12) *will hear back in June *prefer females Couch Potato scholarship $1,000 theWash bBoard.o rg 12/15/11 *application (started 10/10/11) 12/1/11 Offered 2/1/12 *must submit transcript & proof of enrollment by 4/15/12 *thank you letter sent 2/14/12 *will need to provide student ID number

Sample Scholarship Workshops Calendar for Students and Parents

Some National Scholarships

• Burger King Scholars
• Carson Scholars Fund
• Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
• Comcast Leaders & Achievers Scholarship Program
• Elks National Foundation Scholarship Programs
• Gates Millennium Scholarship
• Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund
• Horatio Alger National Scholarship
• Jack & Jill of America Foundation
• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
• Que Llueva Café
• Questbridge National College Match
• Say Yes Tuition Scholarship
• TheDream.US National Scholarship
• The Hubertus W.V. Willems Scholarship for Male Students
• UNCF STEM Scholars Program

Tania Rachkoskie, M.A., M.Ed. Director of Education & Training trachkoskie@nacacnet.org