FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION – Fall 2010

 

!!!!!!!!!!Bad Deals and Scams: Know and Avoid Them!!!!!!!!!!

  • Fee-based scholarship searches. Bad deal. Commercial financial aid advice services may cost more than $1,000, but you should never have to pay for this information.   Here are sources that offer information FREE:
    • The Federal Student Aid Information Center. Call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243); TTY users can call 1-800-730-8913
    • Your State Website: http://www.csac.ca.gov/
    • A college or career school financial aid office
    • Your high school counselor
    • Your library's reference section
    • FREE online scholarship searches
    • Foundations and religious or community organizations
    • Ethnicity-based organizations
    • Your employer or your parents' employer
  • Fee-based FAFSA assistance. Bad deal. Lots of free help is available to help you fill out the FAFSA. Web sites that offer FAFSA help for a fee are NOT affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education. If you are asked for your credit card information, you are NOT at the official FAFSA Web site.
    Get assistance from these FREE resources:
    • The official FAFSA site
    • The financial aid administrator at your school
    • The Federal Student Aid Information Center. Call 1-800-4-FED-AID
      (1-800-433-3243); TTY users can call 1-800-730-8913
  • Protect your identity. Avoid scams. Be safe as you go through the financial aid application process to protect your identity. To reduce risk:
    • After completing your FAFSA online, exit the application and close the browser.
    • Don't tell anyone your Federal Student Aid PIN, even the person helping you fill out the application.
    • Review your financial aid documents and keep track of the amounts you applied for and received.
    • Never give personal information over the phone or Internet unless you made the contact. For questions about a solicitation or your student loan account, call 1-800-4-FED-AID.
    • Shred receipts and documents with personal information when you are done with them.
    • Immediately report lost or stolen identification to the issuer and to the police, if appropriate.
  • Report fraud and identity theft. For more information about financial aid fraud or to report fraud, visit the Federal Trade Commission's scholarship scams page. If you suspect that your student information has been stolen, contact one of these resources immediately:
    • U.S. Department of Education, 1-800-MIS-USED (1-800-647-8733)
    • Federal Trade Commission, 1-800-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338)

 

 Free scholarship search services - Look for scholarships by type, name, location or field of study at www.anycollege.com  www.iefa.org  and www.scholarships.com, www.sholarships4school.com

Register at www.fastweb.com  , www.collegeboard.com , www.collegebound.net  www.findtuition.com/ and http://www.collegeanswer.com/index.jsp for free scholarship matching services and college and career planning tips. Never pay for a scholarship search service!

 

WARNING – If you receive an invitation in the mail to attend a financial aid seminar or personal interview to “maximize your eligibility to receive financial assistance” for college, please contact the Guidance Office at guidancecounselor@connectingwaters.org  before attending. There are several companies in our area who are selling this service, which can cost you over $1,000. The information being sold can be obtained for free.

 

QuestBridge is a non-profit program that links bright, motivated low-income students with educational and scholarship opportunities at some of the nation's best colleges. Check out this amazing opportunity at: http://www.questbridge.org/

 

$11 Billion in merit-based scholarships is available from colleges.  The problem is, it’s never been easy to find…until now.  Go to www.meritaid.com and see what your college has to offer!

 

The following scholarships are being offered by www.scholarshipexperts.com for students 13 and older who must submit a written response.  Check it out:

"Education Matters" $5K Scholarship (October)
"All About Education" $5K Scholarship (April)
$1,000 Superpower Scholarships (March)
$1,000 Do-Over Scholarships ( June)
$1,000 Shout It Out Scholarships (September)
$1,000 Top Ten List Scholarships ( December)

 

Are you left-handed?  Check out this site for some unusual scholarships! http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/unusual.phtml Deadlines vary.

 

The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a program of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Students who are residents of WICHE states may enroll at participating two- and four-year college programs outside of their home state at a reduced tuition rate. WICHE states include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. For more information, visit http://wue.wiche.edu/

 

Veterans Fee Waiver Program: Children of disabled veterans may be eligible for the College Fee Waiver Program. Waiver only applies to California State Universities, University of CA campuses, and CA community colleges. Details may be found at: http://www.cacvso.org/

 

Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans provides $2,500 scholarships to seniors who have exhibited integrity and perseverance in overcoming personal adversity and who aspire to pursue higher education. Two hundred scholarships will be awarded in California.  Eligibility requirements include: must plan to enroll full-time in Fall 2006 at a 2 or 4-year college, have a strong commitment to pursuing a bachelor's degree, have demonstrated financial need, a record of involvement in co-curricular and community activities, minimum 2.0 GPA, must be a U.S. citizen or in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen. Apply online or download a paper application at:

https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/apply.cfm  Deadline to submit your application is October 30.

 

The Ron Brown Scholar Program awards scholarships to academically talented, highly motivated African American high school seniors who will pursue an undergraduate degree. Applicants must show exceptional leadership potential and make an impact on their communities through service to others.

A minimum of ten $40,000 scholarships will be awarded each year. For details and to apply, go to: www.ronbrown.org . Postmark your application by November 1 to be considered for additional scholarships.

 

Gates Millenium Scholars Program provides substantial scholarship awards to exceptional high school seniors of Hispanic, African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian Pacific Islander ancestry.

Eligible applicants must have a 3.3 GPA, demonstrated leadership skills, and significant financial need. More information and applications are online at http://www.gmsp.org/ .

The application is extensive, so don’t wait until the last minute to begin. Deadline is January 10, 2011

 

 

Christermon Foundation Beverage Industry College Scholarship Program has awarded 3.1 million dollars in college scholarships since 1987. Scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 will be awarded to seniors whose parent, grandparent or legal guardian currently hold full time employment with, or who are owners of, a company holding a valid California liquor, beer or wine license. This includes restaurants, hotels, retail & wholesale grocery establishments, airlines, breweries, wineries, distributors, etc. Must be planning to attend a 4-year college in Fall 2006, show evidence of community service and a strong academic record. Apply online at: http://www.christermon.com/scholarship/applications.php  . Deadline to submit application is February 1

 

Seniors: Be sure you are checking for scholarships offered at each college to which you apply. Nearly every college (including 2-year colleges and vocational schools) offers a scholarship program. This information is usually found on the school website under Financial Aid, Scholarships, or their Career Center. Some application deadlines may occur before you even know you’ve been admitted. Don’t miss out on free money!

 

Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology: Invent, Create, Discover, Enter – win big! High school students can enter to win scholarships of up to $100,000 for original research projects. Registration begins May 1 online at: www.siemens-foundation.org . Deadline for project submission is October 1.

 

Need help preparing for ACT and/or SAT exams? Check with your local library!  There are many resources available..just ask!  Practice exams usually include: SAT, ACT, ASVAB, Basic Skills, AP, EMT, Cosmetology, Firefighter, GED, etc. 

 

Free online PSAT/SAT/ACT Preparation: http://march2success.com

 

Important Information for Seniors-Class of 2011

Important Dates to remember!

Ø  September – contact private colleges for application deadlines, contact career schools for information, look for scholarships, do you need to take the SAT or ACT?  If you need help, contact us!

Ø  September 21, 9:30am – College Basics Workshop Online via Elluminate

Ø  October TBA on listserve– College Fair at your local Community College

Ø  October 22nd , 11am– attend the Scholarships 101 workshop online via Elluminate

Ø  November 30th – last day to apply for CSU (www.csumentor.edu ) and UC (www.ucop.edu/pathways )

Ø  December – last month, for most colleges, to take SAT (www.collegeboard.com ) or ACT (www.act.org )for UC or CSU entrance in Fall 2010.  Make sure to use our school code 053706 when you take the test. 

Ø  December – attend the Financial Aid Workshop at Waterford High School

Ø  March 2nd – last day to file CalGrant GPA Verification Form (needs to be requested from Mary Halter) and FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov )

Financial Aid and Scholarships:

Ø  FAFSA www.fafsa.ed.gov and CalGrant (GPA Verification form which must be requested from the Guidance Dept at CWCS) application period is Jan.1st  through March 2nd  .  Remember, Financial Aid is available for community college and vocational schools as well as universities!

Ø  Make sure to attend the Financial Aid Workshop at Waterford High School in December, more information to follow in listserves and newsletters

Ø  Read the Connecting Waters Newsletter online at the beginning of each month to learn about upcoming scholarships OR check our scholarship page, updated monthly at

Ø  Go to www.connectingwaters.org , then “School Departments”, then “Guidance”

Ø  “Scholarships/Grants”

Ø  “Current Scholarships”

Ø  Sign up for the student Listserve to get updates on information regarding financial aid, scholarships, college, college fairs, and more…..