Unlocking the College Scholarship Mystery Sally Coonin Project

® Unlocking the College Scholarship Mystery Sally Coonin, Project Manager, The College Funding Project (CFP) sally@standbymede. org $tand by Me is a partnership between the State of Delaware and United Way of Delaware CFP is a partnership between $tand By Me and the DE Higher Education Office www. collegefundingproject. org www. standbymede. org

® Purpose: Get you on the road! • Help you to understand the types of scholarships available. • Offer tools and advice for finding college scholarships. • Give you tips on scholarship essay writing. Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 3.

It’s like a marathon!

Everyone’s journey will be different

® What is the difference between a scholarship, grant and a loan? Loans get paid back. Grants and Scholarships do not! Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved.

Types of Scholarships and Loans: ® Federal State Institution Private Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved.

® Need Based Grants (Determined by FAFSA): Federal Pell Grant Federal SEOG Grant Need/Merit Based Grants (Must Apply): State of Delaware Scholarships/Grants Institutional Scholarships/Grants Private Scholarships/Grants Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved.

® Federal Grants- FAFSA • Free Application for Federal Student Aid determines eligibility for Federal funding programs, including Grants and Loans • For More Information: – www. collegefundingproject. org – www. delawaregoestocollege. org – www. fafsa. gov Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 9.

® State of Delaware Financial Aid Programs Delaware Scholarship Compendium • www. delawaregoestocollege. org • Common Merit Application due March 19 for state programs! • FAFSA also required for State Programs Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 11.

® A few things you need to know about yourself: • • What do you want to study? SAT Scores Class Rank Cumulative Grade Point Average Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved.

® Things to Look For: • • CLASS RANK and GPA WHAT IS OFFERED? DEADLINES IS IT RENEWABLE? NEED BASED? Income requirements? REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS? NUMBER AWARDED? Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 14.

® Sample- State of DE Memorial Scholarships: Charles L. Hebner: – Common Merit App, March 19, FAFSA, upper half of class, 1350 SAT – Major in in humanities, social sciences or political science. – Full tuition, room, board, fees, books at UD or DSU. – 1 Awarded. – Renewable. Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 15.

Other State Memorial Awards Bradford Barnes: – Common Merit App, March 19, upper quarter of class, FAFSA, 1800 SAT. – Full tuition, room, board, fees, books to UD. – 1 Awarded. – Renewable. Herman Holloway, Sr. : – Common Merit App, March 19, FAFSA, upper half of class, 1350 SAT. – Full tuition, room, board, fees, books at DSU. – 1 Awarded. – Renewable

® Delaware Scholarship Incentive Program (Sc. IP) • $700 -$2, 200/year based on GPA. • Must demonstrate financial need – FAFSA by April 15 – Full time college enrollment in a nonprofit college in DE or PA. – Maintain a 2. 5 GPA Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 17.

® SEED: UD Associates Degree or DTCC Associates Programs-Full Tuition. 2. 5 GPA FAFSA No felonies Graduate from a DE High School Attend College Full Time UD January 15 -Regular application DTCC April 15 https: //www. dtcc. edu/admissions-financial-aid/financialaid-scholarships/types-aid/seed/faqs http: //www. cas. udel. edu/associateinarts/Pages/default. aspx • • Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 18.

® INSPIRE: DSU Associates Programs-Full tuition. • • 2. 75 GPA FAFSA DE graduate No felonies Full time Community service Due March 15 Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 19.

® Diamond State Scholarship: • Upper quarter of class • Combined 1800 • Full time • 3. 0 • $1, 250 year • Renewable for 3 years • Deadline March 19. Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 20.

® . Undergraduate Professional Incentive Programs • Forgivable loans at the rate of 1 year for each year of state employment: – Teachers (Christa Mc. Auliffe and DE Teacher Corps-work in De pubic schools) – Nurses (DE Nursing Incentive Program-work at DE state-owned hospital) – Multiple awards given. – Deadline March 19 Copyright 2012. Delaware Finan cial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 21.

® College Scholarships: • Also determined by FAFSA. College will determine amount. • BUT-Individual departments have discretionary funds to lure students to their programs: – Academic-STEM – Music – Athletics – Arts Copyright 2013. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved.

TM ® Private Scholarships The Delaware Scholarship Compendium at www. delawaregoestocollege. org lists scholarships from: • Corporations • Nonprofits • Sororities and Fraternities • National and Local Service Organizations • National and Local Trade Organizations Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 23.

® Surfing for Scholarships! The Internet is the #1 source for scholarships. Search for potential funds based on: • Major • Ethnicity/Nationality • Religion • Interests • Location Copyright 2012. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 24.

® Recommended Websites: – bigfuture www. bigfuture. org – Career Cruising www. careercruising. com/ssp – Career One. Stop www. careeronestop. org/Education. Training/Pay/Scholar ships. aspx – College. Net www. collegenet. com – Fastweb www. fastweb. com – Fin. Aid www. Fin. Aid. org Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 25.

® • • • Latino College Dollars www. latinocollegedollars. org Scholarships. com www. scholarships. com Student. Advisor. com www. studentadvisor. com School Grants Blog www. schoolgrantsblog. com Delaware Department of Education www. doe. k 12. de. us • Zinch www. zinch. com Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 26.

Words to the Wise • Be specific in your search. • Check to see if scholarships are renewable! • What are the requirements to KEEP or renew the scholarship? • Small amounts can add up! Don’t overlook them! • Read carefully. Don’t waste your time! • Never pay to access scholarship info or apply for a scholarship!!!!!!!!

® The dreaded application/scholarship essay. Difference between the two? How do I choose an essay? What do they want from me? Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 29.

® A college wants to know what you will bring-talents, skills, academic and leadership abilities. A scholarship reader wants to get to know you as a person! Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 30.

® Choosing an Essay Prompt • Look for one that reflects your personality, experience, knowledge, skills and interests. Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 31.

® Every generation is different from the previous generation in important ways. How is your generation different from that of your parents? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer. Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 32.

® If you could invent something new, what product would you develop? Use specific details to explain why this invention is needed. Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 33.

® Discuss a book that strongly influenced you Hint: Every book you have ever read has had a moral or lesson. Choose one you liked and explain how it taught you that lesson and how you applied the lesson. Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 34.

® Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you and describe that influence. Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 35.

TM ® • What do they want to know about you? – Your views and opinions. But back them up! – Your values-what’s important to you? – What you have learned in life and how you have applied those lessons? – Your creativity! – How tied are you to your community, the country and the world? Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 36.

® Essay Writing Tips: • Choose wisely. Choose an essay prompt that will best reflect you, your knowledge and experience. • Start early. Give yourself plenty of time to think and organize your thoughts, and to reorganize and rewrite – several times. • It’s all about YOU! Your mom is amazing, but don’t write about her or anyone else. Write about what you have learned from them. Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 37.

® • Don’t plagiarize. • Don’t brag. Let your essay tell about you, not your resume. • Get an editor! A second, third pair of eyes is crucial! • Counting, Spelling and Grammar count! • Use good style and narrative. You’re telling the story of you, and you are interesting in your own way. Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 38.

® Complete the FAFSA DE Scholarship Compendium Look for Scholarships online! Be Yourself! Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 39.

We will all get to the finish line!

® JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST FOR USEFUL INFO, REMINDERS, SUGGESTIONS AND TIPS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR! Send your email address by text message. Text the word STANDBYME to 22828. • Message and data rates may apply. Copyright 2010. Delaware Financial Empowerment Partnership. All Rights Reserved. Slide 41.