Understanding Scholarship Applications Scholarship Workshop - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Understanding Scholarship Applications

St Strategi gies s for Su Success ss

Financial Literacy Series 2018

Overview

• Application
• List of Scholarships
• Essay
• Letter of Recommendation
• Thank You Note

Scholarship Workshop

How has participating in TRiO benefited you both academically and personally? Why are you attending college? What is your academic goal? What have you overcome? What is your career goal? How will earning your degree help you reach your career goal?

Scholarship Workshop

Scholarship Workshop

5 Tips for Completing a Scholarship Application

• 1. Do you qualify?
• 2. Input accurate information.
• 3. Tell your story.
• 4. Answer all sections clearly.
• 5. Sign and date your application.

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Application

• Read the entire application.

* Do you qualify?

• Understand all the requirements.
• Be aware of the deadline.
• Input accurate information.
• Attach/Upload all documents requested.
• Sign and date your application.

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Application Where do I find information about my degree or GPA? Log into LoboWeb. Click on Student Tab

• Student Information

ª Certificate or Degree Program ª Class ª Graduation Date

• Advisement transcript (unofficial)

ª GPA ª Official Transcript vs Unofficial Transcript

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Application

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Application

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Application

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Application

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Application Where do I find information about my financial aid? Log into LoboWeb. Click on Financial Aid Tab

• Overall Status of Financial Aid

ª Satisfied vs Unsatisfied ª Awarded

• Award Package

ª Cost of Attendance ª Initial Need ª Need (also referred to as Unmet Need) ª Financial Aid Awarded by term

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Application

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Application

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Questions regarding the application processes?

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List of Scholarships

• Institutional

ª UNM Taos various scholarships

• Departmental

ª Associate of Nursing, UNM Taos

• Local/Regional Organizations

ª LANL Foundation ª Taos Lions

• National Organizations

ª Hispanic Scholarship Fund

• Requires membership/participation in program/organization

ª TRiO (SSS, UB, VUB, EOC, TS) Ø

SSS Grant Aid, TRIO NM, TRIO SWASAP

ª PTK

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Types of Financial Aid

• Scholarships

ª Awarded usually based on achievement/merit that does not need

to be repaid.

• Grants

ª Financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid (unless, for

example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund).

• Work Study

ª a work program through which you earn money to help you

pay for school.

• Loans

ª borrowed money for college or career school; you must

repay your loans, with interest.

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/ https://www.fastweb.com/financial-aid

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Questions?

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Essay Always have another person read your essay!

• Follow directions.

ª Is there a word limit? Tip: Do not go over the word limit.

• Answer the question(s).

ª Does your essay answer the question being asked of you?

Tip: Change your essays if applying to multiple UNM Taos Scholarships

• Connect with the reader.

ª Tell your story. Answer the question(s) with your story.

Tip: Do not introduce yourself in the essay. (i.e. My name is…)

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Essay Always have another person read your essay! Use Word in Microsoft Office to write your essay.

• Why should I use Word to write my essay?

ª

Save your work.

ª

Come back to your essay later.

ª

Use as a starting point for another scholarship application.

ª

Spellcheck your essay.

ª

Online applications can time out = losing your essay.

• Cut essay from Word and paste into the application.

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Questions regarding the essay?

Letter of recommendation

• Ask early!
• Provide details about the scholarship.

ª Who and what does the scholarship fund? ª When is the deadline? ª What is required of the recommender?

• Tell why you are applying for the scholarship.
• Follow up with your recommender.
• Sealed envelope. Do not open!

Tip: It is your responsibility to ensure the letter arrives on time.

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Question regarding letters of recommendation?

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3 Tips before Submitting your Scholarship Application

• 1. Check to verify all sections are complete.

ª Check that all documents are uploaded/attached. ª Remember to sign and date your application.

• 2. How do I submit my application?

ª Refer to instructions on application to understand how you

must submit your application (i.e. online, send via mail, etc)

• 3. Submit by the deadline!

Thank you

• Use a business letter format.

Tip: Find a template in Word-Microsoft Office.

• Refer to the name of the scholarship i.e. Quail Roost
• Tell the committee how this scholarship is making a

difference in your academic life.

• Sign and date your letter.

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Bella Rodriguez Program Advisor taostrio@unm.edu Avelina Martinez Program Manager tasotrio@unm.edu

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TRiO-SSS Students If you need assistance from TRiO-SSS staff you must set up an appointment early.

Also e-mail us to ask about TRiO-SSS Grant Aid which will be due in March

Tip: Do not wait until the day the scholarship application is due! We may not be able to assist you in a short time frame.

Chad Eline Program Advisor taostrio@unm.edu

Contact TRiO-SSS taostrio@unm.edu 575-737-3776

Find Success at UNM-Taos with TRiO-SSS We will guide you from your 1st day as a UNM-Taos student to your graduation!

Are you the first in your family to attended college? Do you receive the PELL grant? If you said yes to either of these questions, then you may be eligible to join TRiO! Also students with a documented disability may be eligible. If you are working towards you Certificate and/or Associate degree program please stop by the TRiO-SSS offices in Padre Martinez to find out more information about the eligibility & application process. Opportunities only offered to UNM-Taos TRiO-SSS Students:

• Campus Visits to 4 Year Colleges
• Cultural Activities all-expenses paid
• Textbook Lending Library
• Strategies for Success Workshops
• Math Tutoring
• Reserved Study Space
• Advising Aligned with Career Goals
• Scholarship & Financial Literacy