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Scholarship 101

Scholarship 101. Don’t Break the Bank !. Lisa Plesha Associate Director-Self Help Ashley Bohnett Central Washington University Barge Hall Room 103 Phone (509) 963-3005 Fax (509) 963-1788 scholar@cwu.edu www.cwu.edu/~scholar/. Overview. Is it worth my time to apply?

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Scholarship 101

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  1. Scholarship 101 Don’t Break the Bank!

  2. Lisa Plesha Associate Director-Self Help Ashley Bohnett Central Washington University Barge Hall Room 103 Phone (509) 963-3005 Fax (509) 963-1788 scholar@cwu.edu www.cwu.edu/~scholar/

  3. Overview Is it worth my time to apply? How do I get scholarships? How do I complete the GSA (General Scholarship Application)?

  4. Is it worth my time to apply? There IS money out there! Last year, CWU students earned $2,570,130.77 In private donor scholarships $723,781.19 In CWU scholarships

  5. That’s a total of $3,293,911.96 Which equals in-state tuition ($7,050) for 467 students

  6. Scholarship Hunting Scholarship hunting is a skill set that will come in handy after graduation: Meet an application deadline Follow application instructions closely Identify your strengths and express them to others Prepare materials for others’ review Compete against other qualified candidates Learn to persevere through disappointment

  7. Scholarship “Hunting Season” It starts early! Most scholarship deadlines are from October to March for funds to be used the following school year

  8. Two Sources of Scholarships Institutional Private Donors CWU General Scholarship Application Departmental Awards Community-Based National Awards Group Affiliation

  9. Community-Based Scholarships Local groups give scholarships to students in their own town/area Dollars for Scholars Service Organizations like Kiwanis or Rotary Fraternal Orders/Masonic Lodges Community Education Foundations

  10. Community-Based Scholarships Many of these community-based organizations don’t come up in web-based scholarship searches The easiest way to find out about these scholarships is to ask around!

  11. Group Affiliation Ethnic Groups Gender Groups Religious Groups Labor Unions Clubs Social Organizations Political Organizations

  12. National Awards National Educational Foundations such as the National Merit Scholars or Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Usually merit- or need-based Many large awards Competitive

  13. Search the Web • www.theWashBoard.org • A non-profit scholarship matching service • Enter your criteria and the search will return scholarships that you qualify for • www.cwu.edu/~scholar/ • Upcoming deadlines for outside scholarships • Announcements of brand-new CWU scholarships How do I find scholarships I might qualify for?

  14. Other Websites for Scholarship Searches www.fastweb.com www.TheWashBoard.org www.scholarships.com www.educationgrant.com www.finaid.org www.studentscholarships.org www.college-scholarships.com www.scholarshiphelp.org www.collegeboard.com www.collegetocareers.com www.scholarshipexperts.com www.financialaidfinder.com www.scholarships4school.com

  15. www.theWashBoard.org Create your profile

  16. www.theWashBoard.org Check your matches

  17. www.theWashBoard.org Complete your applications

  18. CWU General Scholarship Application CWU Foundation raises funds for scholarships October 1st – March 1st every year ONE Application through your Safari Account= Dozens of awards

  19. Who Gives Money to the Foundation? • CWU Alumni • Community Members • Local & State Businesses • Current CWU Students • Student Impact Scholarship • Legacy Impact Scholarship The generosity of people who care about CWU is what makes YOUR scholarship possible!

  20. CWU GSA – Where Do I Begin? Visit www.cwu.edu/scholarships

  21. Step 1: READ THE LISTINGS

  22. Step 1: READ THE LISTINGS

  23. Step 2: MAKE YOUR LIST Make a list of each scholarship you qualify for that requires supplemental materials Refer to the GSA Organizational Tool handout

  24. A Helpful Tool!

  25. Step 3: PREPARE YOUR MATERIALS Essays Letters of Recommendation Resumes Various Documentation

  26. Strategies for Successful Essay Writing Make sure you qualify for the award Start early—don’t write your essay at the last minute Stay within the essay topic and word limit Think about what everyone else will write…and then write something different

  27. Letters of Recommendation Ask EARLY! Give your writer plenty of time to complete your letter Ask for several copies Letters of rec do not need to be submitted in sealed envelopes—you can attach them to your application

  28. Check with the Career Center for help writing your resume Search online for samples of resumes Resumes

  29. Step 4: COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION Log into your Wildcat Connection Go to Safari Navigation: Self Service Campus Finances Scholarship Application

  30. Download the PDF step-by-step Guide

  31. Step 5: COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION Read the instructions page Really?! YES! Click Continue to access the 7 tabs of data

  32. TAB 1: Personal Data You can’t make changes on this tab…all info is pulled from your student record

  33. Demographics • GPA • Major • Intended Major • Financial Aid info TAB 1: Personal Data Trouble Spots

  34. TAB 2: Scholarship Questions

  35. Get familiar with… The magnifying glass icon Refer to the step-by-step guide for how to look up pre-determined categories

  36. Get familiar with… The Plus Sign Refer to the step-by-step guide for how to add extra information to your application

  37. TAB 3: High School Activities Complete this tab, even though you are now in college Pre-determined categories—use magnifying glass icon to look up your activities (use free-form description area to enhance the information) Select your grade levels that apply to the activity Click the plus sign to add more categories

  38. TAB 3: High School Activities

  39. TAB 4: College Activities Same format as the High School Activities Tab Pre-determined categories—use magnifying glass icon to look up your activities (use free-form description area to enhance the information) Select your grade levels that apply to the activity Click the plus sign to add more categories

  40. TAB 5: Volunteer Activities Free-form entry of information Dates of service must be in MM/DD/YYYY format

  41. TAB 6: Scholarship Selections Use your friends, the magnifying glass and the plus sign, to find your scholarships Refer to your list of scholarships that you qualify for that require supplemental materials Attach your documents directly to your application! No Supplemental materials means you automatically will be looked at for that scholarship!

  42. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS Electronic Attachments Paper or E-mail Submission Quicker Easier Editable Save on postage Assurance that we received it Wastes paper Cost of postage Unsure whether we received it Can’t make edits once you turn it in

  43. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS Attach Word or PDF files Essays: Word file or PDF Letters of Recommendation: PDF of scanned letter with original signature and letterhead Documentation: Scanned PDF Refer to step-by-step guide if you have trouble attaching!

  44. TAB 7: Certification Optional checkbox: Authorize CWU to publicize your name if you win You MUST click “Submit” on this tab to complete your application Come back and edit as many times as you want before March 1st You’ll receive e-mail confirmation of completion

  45. CONGRATULATIONS! That’s all you need to do to apply for GSA Scholarships!

  46. Frequently Asked Questions Q: How soon will I know if I won a scholarship? A: Mid-June at the latest Q: What are my chances of winning? A: It varies from scholarship to scholarship; ones that require supplemental materials always have fewer applicants. Q: Do I have to reapply every year? A: Yes, you do, but some of your application data is saved.

  47. Frequently Asked Questions Q: How will I be notified if I’ve won? A: Letter in the mail between March and mid-June Q: How will I be notified if I haven’t won? A: E-mail to your CWU account in late June Q: Can I call and ask for awarding information? A: No, we will not answer any questions about the process until it is complete in mid-June Q: Is there a paper application I can fill out instead? A: No, the online application is the only one

  48. Frequently Asked Questions Q: Is the GSA for both Grads and Undergrads? A: Yes, there are a few scholarships for grad students; most are for undergrads Q: If I win a scholarship and transfer to another school, can I take it with me? A: No, it can only be used at CWU Q: Can I use the scholarship for this current year? A: No, it’s only good for 2013-2014

  49. Frequently Asked Questions Q: I don’t see any scholarships for my major on the GSA; does that mean there aren’t any for me? A: Check with your department Q: Where do I get info on how scholarships affect my financial aid package? A: Visit the Financial Aid Office’s website at www.cwu.edu/financial-aid Q: If I need help filling out my GSA, where do I go? A: Consult the step-by-step guide; come to Barge Hall 103

  50. Visit us in Barge Hall Room 103 We’re on the ground floor of Bargein the Self Help Office!

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