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What you will learn in this chapter:
4 The importance of engaging in
“authentic conversations”
4 The importance of elementary and
middle school students getting an
early start on college and financial aid
planning
4 The percentages of students requiring
financial aid and student loans
4 Colleges where students leave with the
highest amount of student loan debt
4 How to avoid “undermatching” in your
choice of colleges
4 The four areas that impact college
admissions and scholarship
consideration
4 The five primary sources of financial aid
4 How to use the book to personalize
your plan
Overview:Who This Book is For
2 Overview: Who This Book is For
B e gi n n i n g t h e Co nve r s a t i o n
The documentary film, 2 Million Minutes, profiles the differences in attitudes of U.S. high
school students versus the attitudes of students from China and India in regard to the
amount of effort put into their high school course work and attitude toward their education.
Beyond the global comparisons of those students profiled, the film provides a cause for self-
reflection for any student with college aspirations, and particularly those students who are in
need of scholarship money to pay for college. As you begin the process of planning for college
and identifying the financial resources to pay for college, there are important truths that the
information contained in this book reveal:
• College admissions is highly competitive, particularly at those institutions that have
generous merit- and need-based financial aid policies
• Competition for such scholarships as the Gates Millennium Scholarship is 3 times
greater than the competition to get accepted into Harvard University, one of the
country’s most selective colleges
• Students who qualify for state-sponsored tuition scholarships at in-state public colleges
and universities, will still be responsible for as much as $15,000 per year in room, board,
fees, and books
The conversation begins with you. Completing the Student Profile Form on the opposite page
begins an important self-reflective examination of your academic achievement and where you
have committed your time. Does your grades, course taking, and test scores distinguish you
academically? Does your involvement in clubs and activities distinguish you as a leader or a
student committed to community service? Does your personal qualities indicate that you have
overcome obstacles, developed your gifts, and been recognized for your achievements?
Completing the Student Profile Form either establishes you as a great college and scholarship
candidate or reveals important areas of improvement to which you must commit yourself
between now and when you begin applying for college admissions and college scholarships.
While you cannot become great at everything, you can become great at something. You can
commit to developing a great essay to tell your story. You can write a great poem to provide
insight into your journey. You can make a commitment to rise from the bench and earn a starting
position. Anything is possible if you have the will to succeed. I believe in engaging students
in ‘Authentic Conversations.’ You must be willing to engage in honest self-assessment, honest
college and scholarship evaluation, and honest planning for what is required for you to earnestly
pursue your college and career aspirations. While this book can prepare you for the race, only you
can strap on your shoes, get into your lane, and commit to running the race toward your dreams.
3Show Me The Money: Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Making the Right College Choice
Academics Extracurricular ActivitiesGrade ________ Class Rank____________School Type: [ ] Public [ ] Private [ ] Home SchoolProgram Type: [ ] General [ ] Magnet [ ] IB[ ] Dual/Joint Enrollment [ ] Early CollegeGPA (unweighted) _______ GPA (weighted) ________Total Classes: AP ______ IB _______ Honors ________SAT: Total________ Critical Reading (Verbal)________ Math____________ Writing_______________ACT Composite: ______ Math______ Writing _______Reading_______ English_______ Science_______SAT Subject Test: ____________________ Score ____SAT Subject Test: ____________________ Score ____Strongest Subjects:
Weakest Subjects:
Clubs, Organizations, and Activities: [ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
[ ] Member [ ] Officer
Personal Qualities IntangiblesAwards, Competitions, and Achievements: Race _________ Gender ______ Religion: ______________
State of Legal Residence ______ U.S. Citizen ________
Parent(s) is/are college graduate: [ ] Mother [ ] Father
Indicate college(s): ______________________________
Dependent Status: Military [ ] Government Employee [ ]
Foster Care [ ] Adopted [ ] Ward of State [ ]
Parent’s employer has a scholarship programs: [ ]
Company: ____________________________________
Planning to apply to: GMS [ ] Posse [ ] Questbridge [ ]
Preferred College: [ ] major university [ ] liberal arts
[ ] 2-year [ ] 4-year [ ] Will consider all options
College Major: _________________________________
Career Aspiration: _______________________________
Attach a résumé or summary of unique experiences (mission trips, pre-college programs, specialized training, etc.)
Student Profile Form for:
4 Overview: Who This Book is For
B e Pu r p o s e f u lI recently spoke to a group of Simon Scholars at Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo,
California. The group was comprised of recent high school graduates planning to begin college
in the fall and current college students who were recipients of the Simon Family Foundation’s
Simon Scholar Scholarship. The focus of my presentation was the importance of the students
“Purposefully” pursuing their college and career aspirations. During the presentation I shared
information from the Public Agenda report, With Their Whole Lives Ahead of Them: Myths and Realities About Why So Many Students Fail to Finish College, which notes that:
• nearly 3 million students enroll in some form of higher education each fall, however,
• only 20 percent of students at two-year colleges graduate within three years, and
• only 40 percent of students at four-year colleges and universities graduate within six
years
The report cites some of the challenges contributing to students’ low college completion
rates:
• Most students leave college because
they are working to support themselves
and going to school at the same time.
At some point, the stress of work and
study just becomes too difficult (p. 10).
• Young people who fail to finish college
are often going it alone financially.
They’re essentially putting themselves
through school (p. 9).
• Among students who don’t graduate,
the college selection process is far more
limited and often seems happenstance
and uninformed (p. 12).
• Students who leave college realize that
a diploma is an asset, but they may not
fully recognize the impact dropping out of school will have on their future (p. 14).
The important consideration for Simon Scholars is the same for you as you begin reading
this book—you must be committed to “Purposefully” responding to the challenges ahead.
Your answers to the following 3 questions will in part determine if you are likely to be among
With only 20 percent of students attending 2-year colleges graduating within 3 years and only 40 percent of students attending 4-year colleges and universities graduating within 6 years, students require much more purposeful academic preparation and parents require much more purposeful financial preparation!
5Show Me The Money: Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Making the Right College Choice
Despite the enormous number of students applying to college and for scholarships each year, few students do so ‘purposefully.’ As a result of poorly written essays, incomplete college applications, and missed deadlines, thousands of students sabotage their own admissions and are left with few college options.
those students who earn their college degrees
in the pursuit of their educational and career
aspirations:
• Are you purposefully committed to
expanding your college admissions and
financial aid knowledge?
• Are you purposefully committed to
applying what you learn to getting
admitted into the right college and to
acquiring the necessary financial aid to
pay for college?
• Are you purposefully committed to
preparing for the inevitable challenges
of succeeding in college and earning your degree?
O n l i n e R e s o u rce sDespite the enormous amount of information contained in this book, you will be required to
access much more information via the Internet. Our foundation website, www.accessandequity.
org, serves as portal to many resources such as books and materials, mini lessons, public
presentations, and partnerships with faith and community organizations. Throughout the book,
you will be directed to websites providing more detailed information in such areas as, government
and state sources of financial aid, private and institutional scholarships, SAT/ACT prep programs,
college planning support programs, careers and college majors. If you are working from the
ebook, you will be able to link directly to many college and scholarship websites.
G e t S t a r te d E a r l yThe ACT report, The Forgotten Middle: Ensuring that All Students Are on Target for College
and Career Readiness before High School, notes (p. 3):
The amount of progress toward college and career readiness that students have made by eighth
grade is crucial to their future success. Despite the fact that students may pass eighth-grade
exit tests, too many are arriving at high school so far behind academically that, under current
conditions, they cannot become ready for college and careers regardless of the rigor of the high
school curriculum, the quality of high school instruction, or the amount of effort they put into
their course work.
6 Overview: Who This Book is For
Students and parents must begin the college conversation long prior to students entering
high school. The conversation can begin with two simple questions:
• What must students do to prepare for college?
• How will the family pay for college?
It does not matter whether the student or the parent can answer either of these questions,
particularly if a student has just entered kindergarten. However, considering these questions
early, will lead to many important conversations over the course of each student’s journey from
preschool through high school:
• How can the gifts, talents, and interests,
oftentimes revealed during elementary
school, be nurtured and developed in
ways that will expand college admissions
and scholarship opportunities years
later?
• What after-school and summer program
experiences can be used to expose
and enrich students in exploring their
passions and developing their gifts and
talents?
• What course work, enrichment activities,
and extended learning opportunities
can provide opportunities for students
to deeply explore their academic and
creative interest in ways that will make
them well prepared and highly sought
after in the college admissions process?
• What are the in-state tuition costs, state
scholarship opportunities, and federal
programs that each family uniquely qualifies for to support a student’s college or career
aspirations?
Millions of students do not maximize their elementary and middle school opportunities
to participate in such activities as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, after-school programs, summer
camps, community service, and leadership activities as a result of their failure to engage in
conversations about how they are planning to prepare for and pay for college. Not only can
“I have loved running track since I began running the 50 meters, as a third-grader, on an AAU track team. Before I entered middle school, my parents and I knew that running track could be my pathway to a full college scholarship. By the tenth grade I was being recruited by colleges in the SEC and I eventually accepted a full scholarship offer from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.” Cierra D. — Freshman University of North Carolina
7Show Me The Money: Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Making the Right College Choice
students begin earning college scholarships during elementary and middle school, thousands
of dollars more will be awaiting those elementary and middle school students, who, as high
school seniors, have discovered their passion on basketball courts and athletic fields, in
theatres and concert halls, through creative arts and academic competitions, and through
their demonstrated leadership and many hours of community service.
S e e k H e l pThis book has been written for anyone who wishes to purposefully assist students in
pursuing their aspirations to attend college. However, students must accept responsibility for planning their own college pathway and seek help from parents, teachers, counselors, coaches, mentors, and even older siblings. A combination of students’ own initiative and the guidance of others familiar with the college admissions and financial aid processes, students will increase their chances of identifying the right colleges and identifying the many sources of financial aid to assist in paying for college. An important consideration for students, and those persons committed to assisting students, is that college research and financial aid planning should begin long before students enter high school, let alone 11th or 12th grade. Students who fail to develop a college readiness focus during elementary and middle school can find themselves far behind those students who enter high school with a clear pathway to academic, athletic, music, and performing arts scholarships.
Fi n a n c i a l N e e dAccording to the U.S. Department of Education report, The Condition of Education 2012 (p.
266), over 8 out of 10 undergraduate students entering college require some form of financial aid.
• 85.5 percent of students entering 4-year colleges and universities (41 percent of high
school graduates) receive financial aid:
• 73.6 percent receive grants or scholarships
• 58.7 percent receive student loans
• 75.5 percent of students entering 2-year colleges and universities (27 percent of high
school graduates) receive financial aid:
• 66.9 percent receive grants or scholarships
• 39.1 percent receive student loans
8 Overview: Who This Book is For
Th e R i g ht Co l l e g e C h o i ceMaking the wrong college choice or entering college without the appropriate financial aid
plan will put you at risk of becoming one of the 1,015,000 students attending 4-year colleges and universities who receive an average of $6,391 (per year) in federal student loans as part of their financial aid packages or one of the 424,000 students attending 2-year colleges who accumulate a nearly identical amount of student loan debt with an average of $6,253 in federal student loans
as part of their financial aid packages (Condition of Education, p. 264). The table illustrates how
the average amount of student loan debt widely varies by type of institution:
• 86 percent of students attending 4-year private for-profit colleges receive student loans
averaging $9,641 (e.g., University of Phoenix, DeVry, ITT Technical Institute, Strayer)
• 63 percent of students attending 4-year private nonprofit colleges receive student loans
averaging $7,466 (e.g., Yale, Davidson, Howard, Duke, Stanford, Baylor, Spelman)
• 50 percent of students attending 4-year public colleges receive student loans averaging
$6,063 (e.g., University of Georgia, Virginia Tech, University of Wisconsin, UCLA)
Borrowing an average of $6,000 to $9,000 to assist in paying for each year of college results in a staggering amount of money, whether or not a student ever receives his or her degree. The report by the Project on Student Debt, Student Debt and the Class of 2011, notes that
9Show Me The Money: Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Making the Right College Choice
average student loan debt ranges from a high of $32,440 in New Hampshire to a low of $17,227 in Utah. The number of students graduating with student loan debt also widely varies by state and by type of institution within the state (i.e., public, private, nonprofit, for-profit). Low-debt colleges varied from public universities like the former Augusta State University in Georgia ($7,779) (since merged with Georgia Health Sciences University to form Georgia Regents University) to highly selective private colleges like Williams College in Massachusetts ($8,801).
The answer to why so many students are
graduating from college with so much student
loan debt may be revealed in part by the College
Board’s report, Trends in Student Aid 2012 (p. 3),
which indicates that despite the fact that a third
of all students qualify for the Federal Pell Grant,
it is far from sufficient to cover the entire cost of
college tuition, room, and board:
• 9.4 million students (37 percent of all
undergraduates) qualify for the Federal
Pell Grant
• Students borrowed $105 billion in
federal student loans with federal loans
making up 38 percent of undergraduate
student aid and 67 percent of graduate
student aid
• Students borrowed $22.9 billion in private student loans
• 57 percent of students attending public 4-year colleges graduate with an average of
$13,600 in student loan debt
• 66 percent of students attending private 4-year nonprofit colleges graduate with an
average of $29,900 in student loan debt
As if the amount of student loan debt is not bad enough, the interest rate on federally-
backed student loans is subject to Congressional approval each year and the eligibility criteria
“We dropped Ryan off at Syracuse today. I learned the campus and the city quite well. Ryan said to me, ‘I belong at this college! This is where I was meant to be !!!!’ Now, does that summarize how happy and excited he is ... Our visit to the campus and meetings with several African American faculty members were just heartwarming! They were referred to me by a co-worker who is a Syracuse alum. Ryan has angels all around to support him there. I trust that they will take good care of Ryan and that he will do what is required. Thank you again for all of your help and many kindness!!! You have been a blessing to us!” Parent of 2014 Posse Scholar
10 Overview: Who This Book is For
for qualifying for student loans is subjected to annual changes by the U.S. Department of
Education. This alone, results in uncertainty as to how much interest can accrue on the billions
of dollars in outstanding student loans and whether year-to-year changes in the qualifying
criteria can result in thousands of students who depend on student loans as their primary
means of paying for college, can even return to college to continue in the pursuit of their
degree.
The Right College Match
Overwhelmed by the college admissions and financial aid processes, many high school
seniors (and their parents) are left questioning if college is affordable, let alone possible. Among
these students are those who are highly qualified to attend college, yet, without the benefit of
effective guidance, frequently make the wrong college choice and fail to receive the amount
of financial aid they are entitled to based on their academic record, gifts and talents, school
involvement, community service, and financial need.
In the paper, The Full Extent of Student-College Academic Undermatch, the authors note
(pp. 1-2):
Academic undermatch occurs when a
student’s academic credentials permit them
access to a college or university that is more
selective than the postsecondary alternative
they actually choose. Initial research shows
that undermatching is pervasive, especially
among lower-income students, minorities,
and first-generation college goers. In North
Carolina, 40 percent of students who were
highly qualified to attend a selective college
in 1999 did not enroll in one (Bowen et
al. 2009). In the Chicago Public Schools,
about two-thirds of the 2005 high school
graduating class undermatched (Roderick
et al. 2008). We also find that academic
undermatch affects students with a range of
academic credentials, but is more common
among those students from low socioeconomic status families, who live in rural areas, and
whose parents have no college degree.
“I was totally unaware of the types of colleges that I was qualified to apply to. I only knew of a few schools outside of the state of South Carolina and I had never even heard the term, ‘liberal arts colleges.’
I now know that my ‘Student Profile’ (i.e., salutatorian, lower income, and foster care) will qualify me for full-need based financial aid at Williams, Amherst, and Swarthmore.”
Mikayla H. — 12th Grader
11Show Me The Money: Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Making the Right College Choice
For students with financial need, getting accepted into the right college can be the key to having the lowest out-of-pocket costs AND avoiding student loans.
The College Board report, The CollegeKeys Compact—Getting Into College: Postsecondary Academic Undermatch, notes (pp. 7-9):
• 49.6 percent of students from lower-income backgrounds undermatch
• 34.0 percent of students from upper-income backgrounds undermatch
• 61.3 percent of students who undermatch, do so as a result of their failure to apply to
academically matched colleges
To increase your chances of making the right college match, begin by expanding your
conversations. For example, have conversations with your school counselor to assist in developing
a list of colleges and universities where you would be a strong candidate for admission. Expand
the conversations to parents, teachers, coaches, tutors, and mentors who can share their college
experiences to expand your list of colleges. Finally, carefully research colleges that have the
financial aid policies that will best meet your family’s financial needs and your educational and
career aspirations.
Financial Aid Options
Financial aid reflects all those sources of
financial support you receive to assist in paying
your college costs, such as tuition, room, board,
books, fees, and personal expenses. The financial
support to pay for college typically comes from
5 general areas:
1. Government: In the form of grants,
scholarships, work-study, and loan
forgiveness.
2. Institutional: In the form of merit- and need-based grants and scholarships.
3. Private: In the form of grants, scholarships, tuition reimbursement, loan forgiveness,
book awards, donations, and contest winnings.
4. Personal: In the form of personal savings, U.S. Savings Bonds, college savings accounts,
life insurance policies, retirement accounts, inheritance, gifts, and earnings.
5. Loans: In the form of federal student loans, private student loans, credit card debt,
home equity loans, refinancing automobiles, etc.
Your plan will be to maximize government, institutional, and private sources of funding
while minimizing, or eliminating, the need for personal money and loans to pay for your college
education.
12 Overview: Who This Book is For
Successful college planning involves developing strategies in four broad areas, as outlined in
A High School Plan for Students with College-Bound Dreams (p. 4):
• Academics: Course work, grades, class rank, test scores, enrichment programs, and academic honors
• Extracurricular Activities: Sports, clubs, student organizations, community service, volunteer hours, and work experience
• Personal Qualities: Contribution to your school or community; unique artistic, musical, athletic, mathematical or public speaking talent; or personal achievements, e.g., overcoming adversity, resiliency, integrity, worthy ideals, or innovation
• Intangibles and Other Influencing Factors: Ethnicity, gender, family background, geographical area, and things uniquely special about you and your life
The strategies, and resulting success, experienced within each of these areas combine to
influence how competitive you will be in the college admissions process and college scholarships
competition. For example, if you have a high Grade Point Average and you are a 3-sport varsity
athlete, you will substantially increase your college admissions opportunities and financial aid
Gifts &Talents
Sports
Art
Music &Dance
AcademicsExtracurricularActivities
Admissions &Financial Aid
Wh at ’s Yo u r P l a n
13Show Me The Money: Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Making the Right College Choice
dollars. However, the same will be true for a student who is a brilliant artist, musician, dancer,
or who has a history of demonstrated leadership. You must reflect on each of the four areas
and allow your gifts, talents, and individuality to guide your college admissions and scholarship
planning efforts.
E a r n i n g Yo u r D e gre eResearch indicates that removing the
financial stress and overwhelming burden
of paying for college will not only be good
for you and your family, but also will have a
positive impact on the college you attend and
communities in which you are involved. The
Institute for Higher Education Policy examined
the impact of being free of the financial burden
of attending college on students selected
as Gates Millennium Scholars. The report,
Expanding Access and Opportunity: The Impact of the Gates Millennium Scholars Program (pp.
1-2), notes:
• Scholars worked fewer hours, which
allowed them to become more
academically and socially engaged
during college
• Academic engagement during college
led to higher levels of civic engagement
both during and after college
• Scholars generally completed their
degrees more quickly
• Scholars were more likely than non-
recipients to enter graduate school
immediately on completion of their undergraduate degree
“Being a Gates Millennium Scholar has made all of the difference during my matriculation through Howard University. Without the burden of worrying about financial aid, I have been free to focus on my demanding studies, which have been very stressful. Not having to pay anything toward my college education has been a huge burden lifted from the shoulders of my parents. In 2015 I will graduate and continue on to medical school.” Brianna M. 2011 Gates Millennium Scholar
Website Web Address
Gates Millennium Scholars Program www.gmsp.org
14 Overview: Who This Book is For
The Posse Foundation’s partner colleges,
provide full four-year tuition scholarships
to students selected as Posse Scholars. The
Posse Foundation report, Posse: A Twenty-Year Retrospective, notes results similar to those
identified in the Gates Millennium Scholar
Program research:
• Posse Scholars have over a 90 percent
college graduation rate
• 70 percent of Posse Scholars start or
lead an organization, club, or academic
program on campus
These conclusions are further reinforced
by the report, Lifting the Fog on Inequitable Financial Aid Policies (p. 2), in which the authors
note:
“The typical low-income college student
must finance an amount equivalent to
about 72 percent of his or her family’s annual income each year to attend a four-year college
or university after federal, state, and institutional grant aid. Because of these high costs, low-
income students must work long hours and borrow heavily — negatively affecting their
chances of success — in order to meet the onerous financial demands of higher education.”
The Simon Scholars Program (currently operating in California, New Mexico, Georgia, and
Washington D.C.) is a 6-year scholarship program that begins during a student’s junior year
in high school and continues through 4 years of college. The program requires students to
maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA by the end of their junior year of high school. Students are provided
with a cash stipend, computer, social skills training, academic support, leadership training and
engaged in community service activities. Students also receive college-preparatory assistance
through ACT and SAT prep courses, college tours, and assistance in the application process
from college coaches. Upon graduating from high school and being accepted into college,
students receive a $16,000 college scholarship ($4,000 per year).
Website Web Address
Posse Foundation Scholars Program www.possefoundation.org
“As a Posse Scholar as part of the Syracuse University Posse, I have been actively involved in the Syracuse University student community. I felt right at home from the moment I walked onto campus and into my first Posse meeting. The other students in my Posse have become great friends and we are all matriculating on-time toward our respective degrees.” Eric N. — 2011 Posse Scholar Syracuse University
15Show Me The Money: Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Making the Right College Choice
While the Simon Scholars Program provides a much smaller scholarship amount than
the Gates Millennium Scholars and Posse Foundation Scholars programs, the Simon Scholars
Program works with students over the course of their final two years of high school providing
much needed assistance in helping students to qualify for a broad range of college scholarships
and expands students’ college admissions options to highly selective colleges and universities
with generous need-based financial aid policies. Increasing students’ college readiness and
expanding students’ sources of financial aid provides further evidence of the research findings
pertaining to students’ college success and campus involvement:
• 86 percent of Simon Scholars who have started college are still enrolled or have
graduated
• 97 percent of Collegiate Simon Scholars are actively involved in campus life
• 65 percent of Collegiate Simon Scholars are involved in community service on campus
A n O n g o i n g Tre a s u re H u ntEach year, many students successfully
navigate the college admissions and financial aid processes without support from parents, counselors, teachers, or coaches. However, for most students, identifying people and support programs within their school and local community is critically important if they are to significantly expand their college admissions and financial aid options. If you are such a student, you will discover that finding the money to pay for college is a treasure hunt, where billions of dollars are buried in books; over the Internet; in the knowledge and experiences of your high school counselor, coaches, teachers, and administrators; in local organizations; at local businesses; at the financial aid office of the colleges to which you are applying; and in the minds and experiences of friends, relatives, neighbors, and strangers. Literally, the information that can lead you to the treasure is everywhere. Each of the chapters that follow will guide you toward pieces of the treasure. However, keep in mind that the treasure hunt does not end with your college acceptance, it continues during undergraduate school and through the completion of your graduate or professional degree.
Website Web Address
Simon Scholars Program www.simonscholars.org
“Whenever my friends ask, ‘why do you know so much about college planning?’ I used to say, ‘Mr. Wynn says...’ Now I simply tell them to ‘read the book!’” Kimberly H. — 10th GraderClass Rank 1/407
16 Overview: Who This Book is For
Important websites are enclosed in boxes or placed into tables so they stand out (if you
have the ebook, then you can click onto the link). As I indicated in About the Author (you
probably did not read it did you?), I would really like to hear about how you use the book and
any “OMG” moments where you learn something new.
Please send me an E-mail [[email protected]] (along with a photo of you,
your scholarship or institutional award, and college acceptance letter) so I may share your story
with others.
As you proceed through the book, you must personalize your plan by identifying the types
of programs and opportunities best suited to your personality and circumstances. To assist in this
regard, checks and boxes are provided in each chapter:
4 Checks
q Boxes
The boxes represent areas you should check if they apply to you. The checked boxes relate to
“must do” areas you should not casually read over, but carefully consider as part of your college
admissions and financial aid plan. Activities are provided to further guide you through a step-by-
step process for performing important tasks and engaging in important research.
Examples of actual scholarships are placed into boxes, oftentimes accompanied by an
example of how to perform an Internet search to find other types of similar scholarships. Many
of the Internet searches will lead to several million results. Clearly, you will not have enough time
to research them all so you must narrow your search and prioritize your time by focusing on the
type of scholarship programs and colleges where you have the greatest chances for success.
Federal Employee Education Assistance Fund (FEEA): FEEA sponsors the only merit-based scholarship competition program open exclusively to federal employees, their spouses, and their children. More than 400 students from across 27 regions will receive scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,500.
Federal Employee ScholarshipsInternet Search:
Website Web AddressCollege Results Online www.collegeresults.org