Senior
Scholarship Packet
1. AFTER
GRADUATION WHAT?
A.
College - two or four year
B.
Trade school or vocational school
C.
Technical school
D.
Apprenticeship
E.
Services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard)
F.
Work
2. THINGS
TO DO AS A SENIOR:
A.
Make an appointment to talk about your plans after graduation.
B.
Seek out information on financial aid for pursuing higher education:
1.
Where you can get help:
·
Scholarships
·
Loans
·
Grants
·
Work
Study positions
·
Work
3. THINGS
TO DO IF YOU ARE GOING ON TO COLLEGE:
scholarships will be due around April 1st. BE SURE TO CHECK!!!!!
4. THINGS
TO DO IF YOU ARE GOING ON TO A
A.
Study the courses offered
B.
Visit a school
C.
Write for information
D. Submit
application as soon as possible.
E.
Look into living arrangements
5. DO
NOT FORGET THE SERVICE: YOUNG MEN MUST
REGISTER WHEN THEY
ARE 18 WITH THE POST OFFICE FOR THE
SELECTIVE SERVICE.
A.
Study all programs offered.
B.
Visit with the recruiters.
C.
Plan your service obligation now.
D.
Take the ASVAB.
E. Look into the ROTC programs.
6. IF
YOU ARE GOING TO WORK:
A.
Check into the Federal Jobs/Federal Employment Service.
B.
Applying for work
1.
Create/Update Resume;
2.
References;
3.
Prepare for Interviews;
4.
Applications filled out
*OTHER THINGS TO DO
THIS YEAR
1.
Pass
all of your classes;
2.
Order
graduation announcements, cap and gown, and senior pictures;
3.
Keep
in touch with the career center for updates on scholarships, awards, deadlines,
etc.
HOW TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP
A.
Getting Ready
thorough lists of the following things:
(Do NOT make copies
of everything)
a. Grade point average, class rank,
courses selected (know areas of
emphasis);
b.
Letter of intent, stating goals and intentions;
c.
Copies of ACT or SAT test scores;
d.
School and community activities;
e. Honors or awards;
f.
Hobbies or interests;
g.
Volunteer experience (community and school);
h.
Work record from grade 9 and up.
2. Take appropriate tests if you
haven’t already. Many
and universities require the student take the SAT or ACT. This test
should be taken no later than December of your senior year.
3. Continue to examine your
personal goals. You may be asked to
write an
essay on these types of topics.
a . What are you education and
career goals?
b. Where do you see yourself
five years from now?
c. What are your three best
characteristics?
4. Contact three individuals to
act as references. Take down their addresses
and phone numbers. Check to see
if they would be willing to write a letter
of recommendation for you. (See
attached Form A).
B.
Beginning the Application Process
1. START EARLY. Most scholarship applications require an
application
form, a personal essay (150-500 words) and letters of
recommendation.
Allow yourself at least 2 weeks to complete this process.
applications available to make applying
even easier.
3. Often a school representative will
be required to complete a section of
your application
confirming your academic record and perhaps
recommending you. Give the Counseling Office or career center
at least one week to complete the school’s portion of your application.
4. Draft your essay. Don’t expect your first essay to be
perfect. Allow enough
time to evaluate and rewrite.
5. BE AWARE OF DEADLINES!
A late or incomplete application automatically
disqualifies you.
C.
Starting your essay.
1. You are writing for a
purpose. Be persuasive in showing the
reader you
are deserving of the award.
Remember your audience.
2. State specifically your goals
and major intentions for the future.
State
what college you will be applying to even if you are not completely
sure.
3. Make certain you understand
the question or the topic. Essays should
answer the question or speak directly to the given topic.
4. List all ideas--any
possibilities. Be creative, brainstorm
without censoring.
5. Sort through ideas and
prioritize. You can’t tell them
everything. Be
selective.
6. Choose information and ideas
which are not reflected in other parts of your
application. This is your chance to supplement your application with
information
you want them to know about you.
D.
Writing the Draft--Apply what you have learned in English class.
1. Develop paragraphs - one idea
at a time. Include topic sentence with
examples of your point or convincing reasons.
2. Make transitions between
paragraphs.
3. Select action verbs and avoid
the passive voice.
4. Use concrete examples. Often examples of behavior demonstrate an
idea
better than an adjective. (demonstrate how or why, don’t just tell)
5. Develop exact, concrete
language. Avoid vague references, wordy
usage
or cliches.
E.
Editing Your Draft
-
Does your introduction capture the reader’s attention?
- Are you consistent in your verb tense?
- Are you clear and coherent?
- Are you concise enough to
adhere to the limits in length?
- Have you checked for
grammatical and spelling errors?
- Does the essay present you as
you wish to be seen?
- Did another person review your
essay for possible mistakes?
- Would you remember your essay
if you read two hundred others?
- Does your closing paragraph
present you as you wish to be remembered?
F.
Completing your application.
1. Should you type it? Some applications list a preference typed or
hand-
written work. Regardless of the
preference, the application should be
neat and legible.
2. Be sure to include copies of:
Transcript(s), college acceptance letters,
letters of recommendations, list of awards and honors, your own letter
of intent, work record from grade 9 on up, SAT/ACT test results and any
other information pertinent to the individual scholarship for which you
are
applying.
3. Retain a copy for your
records.
G. Follow
up your application
1. Thank those who assisted you
in the application or write letters of
recommendation. A thank you note
would be especially nice.
2. Acknowledge the scholarships
donors. If you are granted a scholarship
be certain to keep in touch with the donors. It is especially crucial to
maintain contact if the scholarship is renewable.
have
your award renewed.
STUDENT FINANCIAL AID CHECKLIST
_____1.
Read the section on financial aid in the college catalog/bulletin of the
institution
you
plan to attend.
_____2. Research
scholarships and financial aid. http://www.collegeboard.com/pay
_____3. Call
or e-mail the financial aid office of the college/vocational
school you plan to attend requesting financial aid literature, applica-
tions, etc.
_____4. Visit
the
scholarships are announced and deadlines for applying.
_____5.
Check with your parents to determine if their employers, unions, lodges
or churches offer scholarships.
If so, apply. Check to see if you
have
to take the SAT or ACT to qualify.
_____6.
Do you have special talents in the arts, athletics, or vocational talents?
Check with the institution you plan to attend to determine if they offer
scholarships for these talents.
_____7.
Apply for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov as soon
possible AFTER JANUARY 1st.
Applying online is faster and easier than the paper
FAFSA, although you may still complete and
submit the FAFSA in paper form. A
FAFSA on the Web Worksheet is available
online (www.fafsa.ed.gov) or in the
signature) before submitting your FAFSA
application. This may be done PRIOR to
January 1st.
_____8.
Are you interested and do you qualify for ROTC and/or service academy
programs that pay for most or a major portion of your education? Tune
into deadlines and continuing obligations!
_____9.
Have you determined a major? If
so, contact the department head at
the college, vocational or technical school to determine if there are
scholarships available for these majors.
____10.
Middle of your senior year: It
may be appropriate to make a personal
contact with the financial aid
officers at the college, vocational or
technical school you plan to attend.
____11.
Interested in a loan? Guaranteed
Student Loans may be received only
if you apply for Financial Aid (FAFSA)
The loan is awarded through
financial aid.
____12.
Your bank may have a student college loan program. Check with them.
____13.
Saving money is like getting a scholarship!
*NOTE: Financial aid is granted to those students who
apply and are accepted
to the college of their choice.
SCHOLARSHIP
LIST FOR 2008
STUDENTS are responsible for making sure
scholarship applications are postmarked and/or received by the organization
offering the scholarship by the designated deadline. Contact information is listed for each
scholarship offered in this packet. The
Counseling Office is available to help you complete applications and to review
required essays. If you would like your
essays proofread, you must give the Counseling Office at least one week
so there is sufficient time for quality proofreading to be done. All local
scholarships must use the standard form for the application, unless otherwise
indicated in the listings. If a
scholarship has a specific application form, that will be indicated by “
Check
the lists of local, institutional, and national scholarships carefully. Confer with the
LOCAL
SCHOLARSHIPS
1.
Apple
Education Foundation
Awards: Many-various amounts
Deadline:
Application
Form: Specific form in
Criteria: Various (See scholarship brochure in
Mailing Address:
Attn: Scholarship Committee
2.
Community
Foundation of North
Guide to Scholarship
Award: Many-various amounts
Deadline:
Application
Form: Specific form in
Criteria: Various (See scholarship brochure in
Mailing Address: Community Foundation of NCW
3.
Chelan-Douglas
Home & Community Educators
Award: $600
Deadline:
Application Form: Specific form in
Criteria:
A.
High school senior girl or boy in Chelan
and
B.
Plans to attend
C.
Three (3) confidential letters of
recommendation
D.
Must include official high school
transcript.
Mailing Address: Scholarship
Committee
WSU Extension,