How to Search for Scholarships Using the Web

1. How to Search for Scholarships Using the Web Presented by Leanna McConnell

2. GRANTS: Free Money for educational expenses based on need PELL Grant Cal Grant LOANS: Money on loan which must be repaid with interest Subsidized Unsubsidized WORK STUDY: Jobs to help pay for school Employment at the Campus SCHOLARSHIPS: Free Money based on specific criteria On Campus Off Campus www.fafsa.ed.gov Financial Aid Get a PIN and Apply forFAFSA! You have between January 1 - March 2!!!!

3. What is a Scholarship? • Most student aid comes in the form of federal education loans and grants from colleges. However, scholarships — which don’t have to be paid back — get a huge amount of attention from students and their families. • Scholarships are available for just about every reason imaginable. • It is a good idea to continuously apply for scholarships before and throughout college.

4. How Do I Find Scholarships? Research Local Scholarships First Debbie Campbell overseas scholarships and has information posted on the Career Center link on ALHS website. http://alhs-cjuhsd-ca.schoolloop.com/ Be sure to check your School Loop mail regularly for updates on Scholarship information. Many of the local/in-house scholarships will become available in the spring semester, so be prepared.

5. Check Membership Organizations and Employers • Organizations of all types and sizes sponsor scholarships — leave no stone unturned. Explore categories you might not have considered, such as religious, community service, fraternal, military, union and professional. • And don't forget your parents’ employer. Many large companies offer scholarships or tuition programs for children of employees. • Don't overlook student jobs. Employers such as fast food chains, department stores and supermarkets often give scholarships. Awards related to student employment can come from unexpected sources.

6. Use a Free Scholarship Search Service • A scholarship search company collects information on hundreds of awards and compares your student characteristics with scholarship restrictions. • Based on your answers to a questionnaire, you receive a list of possible scholarships. It is up to you to decide which ones to try for.

7. Tips and Tricks to Maximize Your Fastweb Experience

8. Why Fastweb? • Access to the most scholarships you’ll find online, • with over 1.5 million scholarships worth over $3.4 • billion! • Daily alerts when new scholarships that match your • unique profile become available and deadline • reminders • Insider advice from some of the leading experts in • financial aid, scholarships and college admissions • Students receive a customized dashboard and tools to • stay organized. • It’s all 100% FREE!

9. Fastweb Homepage Start Your Scholarship Search Here! Start Your Scholarship Search Here!

10. Registration Step 1 To complete the first step in your search for scholarships, answer a few questions about who you are. Use the drop down box to select your major or intended academic major and don’t worry if you’re not sure, you can add as many as you like! Complete all the questions, scroll down and click continue! Remember to save work frequently. 10

11. Registration Step 2 Complete all of the questions in Step 2. You’re almost done! Use the drop down boxes again to select your intended schools.

12. Registration Step 3 Congratulations! Your registration is complete…but don’t go just yet. Start by gaining access to awards others won’t see by logging in and updating your Fastweb profile with more detailed information. Insider Tip! Update your profile any time you have changes or additions to get the best, most relevant awards . If you don’t, you could be missing out on money for college.

13. Scholarship Matches New Scholarships and Upcoming Deadlines Profile Progress Bar. Complete it and update regularly! Insider Tip! You can get rid of awards you don’t like, or mark them as a “favorite” to save them and find quickly later! Just select the “Manage My Scholarships” link and check any box and then click the appropriate button. Scholarship Matches and Brief Descriptions Calculators to help you plan how to pay for college! Refer a friend to win big! Jobs and internships to help you pay for college!

14. Manage Your Results Sort results by any column heading to help manage results. Click any scholarship to view the details, including the award description, Web site and more!

15. Scholarship Detail Detailed descriptions of scholarships, include the deadline, amount, number of awards, Web site, applicable majors and more. Add to your “Favorites” or discard from within the scholarship detail page.

16. Scholarship Deadlines Insider Tip! Never miss a deadline again! All your deadlines are stored in your calendar!

17. Notifications Step 1: click “My Profile” Step 2: click “My Account” Insider Tip! Get the latest news, insider advice, notifications as soon as new awards that match your profile become available and deadline notifications sent straight to your email inbox! Step 3: click “Subscriptions” then check the boxes for the notifications you’d like to receive and click “Submit”

18. New Scholarships • Fastweb adds new scholarships to our database dailyas they become available. • When a scholarship is made available that matches your Fastweb profile information, it is immediately added to your scholarship matches. • View your new matches by logging in to Fastweb and viewing your “Scholarship Matches” from within the Scholarships section. • Fastweb can send alerts straight to your personal email account! Alerts let you know when a new scholarship has been added, or when a deadline is nearing. • REMEMBER:The more of your Fastweb profile information that you complete, the more scholarships you’ll see! How to Take Advantage of New Scholarships!

19. How to Apply for a Scholarship To Get Money, You Have to Ask for It!! • The scholarship application process is very similar to the college application process. • First, you filter a large list of possible choices into a focused list that matches your needs. • Then you create compelling applications that are supported by your achievements, essays, recommendations and interviews.

20. Start Your Search Early • The more time you can put into your scholarship search, the more options you have. • You need time to research scholarships, request information and application materials, and complete your application — and remember, some scholarships have deadlines early in the fall of senior year.

21. Read Eligibility Requirements Carefully • If you have a question about your eligibility for a particular scholarship, contact the scholarship sponsors. • Remember you can also come see Mrs. Campbell for help too!

22. Organize All Scholarship Materials • Create a separate file for each scholarship and file by application date. Keep a calendar of application deadlines and follow-up appointments. • Many scholarships require you to provide some combination of the following: • Transcript • Standardized test scores • Financial aid forms • Parents' financial information, including tax returns • One or more essays • One or more letters of recommendation • Proof of eligibility (e.g., membership credentials) • You may also need to prepare for a personal interview. For students competing for talent-based scholarships, an audition, performance or portfolio may be required.

23. Scholarship Application Tips • There's a lot of advice out there about the best way to apply for scholarships — how to package yourself in your essay, what extracurricular activities to emphasize. • The truth is, much of this advice can vary widely, depending on the author — what works for one applicant may not necessarily work for another. • You'll discover that most of the scholarship secrets you read about boil down to using your common sense and following directions carefully.

24. You Will start With A Personal Inventory • Most of the information you are asked for on a scholarship is your year in school, citizenship, state of residence, religion, ethnic background, disability, military status, employer and membership organizations. • Beyond those questions, you should ask yourself: • Do I want to participate in a competition? If so, what are my talents and interests? • What subject do I plan to major in? • What career do I plan to pursue? • Do I want to apply for all types of aid or only scholarships? • Your answers to these questions help determine your scholarship eligibility. Take your time brainstorming and don't overlook anything — the more personal characteristics you discover, the more scholarships you could potentially apply for.

25. Don’t Forget • Proofread your applications carefully • Don’t leave items blank • Follow instructions • Make sure your application is legible • Make copies of everything you send • Double-check your application • Get your application in early

26. Can You Spot a College Scholarship Scam? Be a Smart Consumer You should never have to pay for scholarship information. If you're asked to pay a fee for "exclusive" scholarship leads, there's a good chance your scholarship service is really a scholarship scam.

27. Tell-Tale Signs It's a Scam • According to the Federal Trade Commission's Scholarship Scams, if you hear these lines from a scholarship service, you may be getting duped: • "The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back." No one can guarantee that they'll get you a grant or a scholarship. Refund guarantees often have conditions or strings attached. Get refund policies in writing — before you pay. • "You can't get this information anywhere else." There are many free lists of scholarships available. Start researching scholarships online or at the your high school or library before you decide to pay someone to do the work for you. Our free Scholarship Search is a good place to start.

28. Tell-Tale Signs It's a Scam • I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship."Never give out credit card or bank account numbers on the phone without getting information in writing first. It may be the set-up for an unauthorized withdrawal. • "We'll do all the work."Don't be fooled. There's no way around it. You must apply for scholarships or grants yourself. • "The scholarship will cost money."Don't pay anyone who claims to be "holding" a scholarship or grant for you. Free money shouldn't cost a thing. • "You've been selected by a national foundation" to receive a scholarship or "You're a finalist" in a contest you never entered.Before you send money to apply for a scholarship, check it out. Make sure the foundation or program is legitimate. • http://www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams • http://www.fraud.org/

29. General Scholarship Search • https://www.connectedu.net/ • http://www.californiacolleges.edu/ • http://www.meritaid.com/ • http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp • http://www.scholarships.com/ • http://www.collegenet.com/mach25/app Month to Month list of Scholarships • http://roybal-allard.house.gov/UploadedFiles/2010-2011_Paying_For_College-2.pdf

30. Ethnic Specific Scholarship Search • http://www.hsf.net/ • http://www.vietscholarships.org/ • http://www.blackstudents.com • http://www.apiasf.org/

31. Thank you!