Scholarship SearchEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

ABOUT SCHOLARSHIPS

Long Beach Cal-SOAP

The Facts on Scholarships

The Facts on Scholarships

• A scholarship is a sum of money awarded to eligible students to assist with paying for college.

• The money is applied to tuition and/or living expenses, and it does not need to be repaid.

The Facts on Scholarships

Scholarships are available to students for many reasons:

• Sports• Community and Volunteer Service• Academics• After-school or summer jobs• Special Interests (hobbies, club

membership, activities, etc.)

The Facts on Scholarships

• Billions of dollars in scholarship money are available

• Only about 7 percent of college students take advantage of scholarships from private sources as a way to help pay for college

Getting Over Scholarship Hurdles

Getting Over Your Scholarship Hurdles

Hurdle #1: “What if I don’t qualify?”

Solution: There are scholarships available for everyone. Do

your research and you will find a scholarship that you are eligible for.

Example of a Real Scholarship!

Duck Brand Duct Tape "Stuck At Prom®”You and your prom date attend your senior prom dressed in formal wear you’ve fashioned out of Duck brand duct tape and submit a photo of yourselves to their website. Ten finalists are selected and visitors to the site then vote on them. Each of the two entrants that make up the couple who gets the most votes gets $3,000 towards college.

Getting Over Your Scholarship Hurdles

Hurdle #2:“Where do I find them?”

Solution:There are resources everywhere to help you search, like the internet , the library, and colleges.

Where to Start

• http://www.collegeboard.org• http://www.fastweb.com• http://www.csulb.edu/calsoap/

scholarship_information

Getting Over Your Scholarship Hurdles

Hurdle #3:“How do I begin completing the application?”

Solution:Create a personal assessment document that

describes WHO YOU ARE.

Assess Who You Are: Make a List!

• Strengths—Academic and Personal• Activities and Hobbies• Clubs• Sports• Community Service• Religious Affiliation• Academic Interests

Hurdle #4“What if I don’t have enough time?”

SolutionMake Time! Find ways to reuse essays, recommendation letters,

etc. for multiple scholarship applications.

Getting Over Your Scholarship Hurdles

How Scholarshipsare Awarded

How Scholarships are Awarded

Scholarships are awarded by:• Foundations• Corporations and labor unions• Churches, clubs, and groups• Individuals• Government• Colleges

How Scholarships are Awarded

Scholarships are awarded based on eligibility criteria:• Intended major• Where you live or your high school • Race, ethnicity, or religion• Type of college• Physical ability, disability, or disease diagnosis• Your job• Academics• Essay responses• Talents

How Scholarships are Awarded

Scholarships reward your character traits:• Talents• Ambitions• Responsibilities • Honesty• Goals• Leadership skills

Creating a Personal Assessment

Creating a Personal Assessment

What’s a personal assessment?• Summarizes your best qualities• Lists what you do and what you’ve done

What are the benefits?• Serves as an outline when writing essays• Improves your applications and saves

you time when applying

Creating a Personal Assessment

Begin creating your personal assessment with a list of the basics:• What you do: activities, interests, and

leadership skills• What you want to do: the college you want

to attend, the career you want to have

Creating a Personal Assessment

After the facts, think more broadly:• Your character• Accomplishments• Experiences—the good and the bad• Goals and ambitions

Creating a Personal Assessment

• The Personal Assessment Worksheet gives you a way to start.

• Create it any way you want, just be honest and reflective.

• Create it early and keep it updated—you can use it again and again!

Searching for Scholarships

Searching for Scholarships

Where to look? Who to ask?• Online• Books (look for the most recent publications)• Colleges’ Financial Aid Departments• Your parents, teachers, employers,

club leaders, coaches• Your Cal-SOAP Advisor & Website

http://www.csulb.edu/calsoap/scholarship_information/

Searching for Scholarships

At the library you can find scholarships in books. These are just a few of the books you might find:• How to Go to College Almost for Free• Free $ for College for Dummies• The Scholarship Book• Websites’ printed books– College Board Scholarship Handbook– Peterson's Scholarships, Grants & Prizes

Searching for Scholarships

Be Aware of Scholarship Scams• Don’t apply if there’s a fee• Be skeptical of a phone call• Look out for strange contact information• Be careful of endorsements• Watch out for “Guarantees”• Protect your personal information

Searching for Scholarships

For more information about avoiding scams, contact:• Federal Trade Commission Consumer

Response CenterH-240, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NWWashington, DC 20580

• Website: www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams

Applying for Scholarships

Applying for Scholarships

Scholarship applications ask you to broadly describe your interests, activities, and talents. They may also aim to gain more information about the way you overcome challenges and how you think and feel about the world.

• What makes you who you are• What you think and believe• What you’ve accomplished• How you’ve handled setbacks

Applying for Scholarships

Sample Scholarship Essay Questions• “Describe how you contribute to your

community and what you have learned from your experiences.”

• “Describe an academic challenge you have faced, and how you have overcome it.”

Applying for Scholarships

Tips for completing your applications:• Follow the directions• Proofread your essay• Ask a parent, teacher, or friend to proofread

your application• If applying via email, make sure the email

address used is appropriate (i.e., don’t use hotgirl2009@gmail.com)

Applying for Scholarships

Timeline for applying:• Start looking up to one year before you actually

need the funding• Apply for scholarships during your junior and

senior year of high school• Continue to search and apply for scholarships

every year you attend college

Questions?