Scholarships
You may get applications from the wall organizer outside the Career Center.
Questions can be directed to Mr. Van Nostrand in the Career Center 437-5200 x1130
or fill out a guidance request form.
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Many seniors and their parents have just completed all of the financial aid forms that prospective colleges require. For those of you who may have put these forms aside, now is the time to complete and submit the FAFSA, CSS Profile or any other institutional paperwork necessary. While it may be easy to sit back, relax and enjoy the first free moment you have had in months, there is still work to be done. While the wait for acceptance letters can be agonizing, this down time can be used to focus efforts on searching for additional funding, such as local scholarship opportunities. You don't have to wait to be accepted for admission to apply for financial aid. The College's Financial Aid Package Vs. Outside Scholarships When seniors receive award letters from the colleges they have been accepted to, they may include a variety of different aid options. While each entering college freshman is eligible for a $2,625 Federal Student Loan, the package may also include Federal grants or loans, Federal Work-Study, state grants, and/or institutional funds, grants or scholarships from the college itself. While each college will do its best to meet your need, in many instances there will be a gap that needs to be filled. The gap is the difference between what students need and what the college offers. For more details, click here to view January's edition. While there are many loan products available for both students and parents, local scholarship opportunities are a great way to minimize additional debt burden. Is it worth applying for these outside scholarships? Outside scholarships include any grants or scholarships awarded to the student from various organizations or charities. Outside of what the campus offers, these programs are intended to help with costs associated with higher education. Outside scholarships are sent directly to the college you are attending to help minimize the cost of attendance and the loan amount you may need.
There are many different organizations that
offer outside scholarships. A few of the largest databases of
scholarships can be found online at
www.fastweb.com,
www.scholarships.com, and
www.collegelink.com. We encourage students to apply. It is worth
your effort to research these scholarships, but remember that these
are national lists. Many high school seniors across the country may
be applying for them as well. For this reason, local opportunities
may present a much higher chance of award. Meet with your guidance
counselor to discuss local scholarship opportunities. These may
range from grants at local banks, American Legions, the Elk’s Club,
and local businesses or companies. Also, visit www.nh93.com to do a
local scholarship search.
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MARCH: Understanding |
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Many scholarship applications can be downloaded from their respective websites. The applications may require a personal essay, similar to those you have written for the college application. Whether you request a paper version or submit online, remember to complete the application fully and accurately. And as important as the deadlines were for admission and financial aid, scholarship deadlines are equally important. This Sample Scholarship Inquiry Letter is a great way to gain information about private student aid funds. You must first identify foundations and organizations that offer assistance. You can get help finding the names and addresses of sources of private aid from a reference librarian in your public library or by browsing the internet. Once you have obtained the information you will need to customize this letter to fit your own background and needs by replacing the text printed in boldface below. |
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Be Professional;
Use a Block Letter Format! |
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Be Clear and Concise!
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Consider enclosing a
self-addressed, stamped envelope. |
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Make sure to include
contact information! |
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www.nhcf.org: A terrific resource for local scholarships is the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. It represents the largest private provider of scholarships in New Hampshire. Only New Hampshire residents are eligible to apply, however these recipients can take this funding to out-of-state colleges. Merit and need based scholarships are available, including the Statewide Student Aid Program (Application deadline: April 22nd), Adult Student Aid Program (3 application deadline periods), and Career Aid to Technology Students (CATS – Deadline: end of June). Local businesses and organizations have joined forces to provide unique and specific scholarship opportunities for high school seniors in New Hampshire. Contact their student aid office in Concord at (800) 464-6641 or visit them on the web at www.nhcf.org. www.nh93.com: NH 93 is being launched as a pilot project with the NH Charitable Foundation and 17 New Hampshire high schools to assist students in funding higher education. NH93.com lets students create a personalized profile that can be matched against our database of local opportunities for New Hampshire students. Links to other scholarship sources and national search engines are also provided. Based on feedback, we plan to expand the pilot for participation by all high schools in the state and to continue to enhance its functionality. Therefore, we welcome your questions and comments at collegeplanning@nhheaf.org. www.nhjumpstart.org: As families attempt to meet the college’s cost of attendance, students will also begin to think about how to manage their finances for next fall. Financial literacy for youth has become a hot topic in recent years as students are being asked to handle a combination of jobs, credit cards, loans, and personal expenses more than ever. The New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition is a statewide, all volunteer, non-profit association dedicated to improving the personal financial literacy of students in the Granite State. Do not hesitate to contact their office about special events, programs, and speakers to help you better understand the importance of managing these costs. They can be reached at (603) 731-1812 or www.nhjumpstart.org. www.nhheaf.org: The New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation is also a terrific resource for financial aid information, direction and assistance. Our loan corporation offers loan products for students and parents. Next month’s newsletter will detail the products and services New Hampshire’s Higher Education Loan Corporation offers. Visit www.nhheaf.org for further information. |
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The key to covering the full cost of attendance at the colleges you have applied to, is to exhaust all of your potential resources and opportunities. Here is a quick reminder for students and parents who may have missed a step in the process: ♦ Submit the FAFSA form (www.fafsa.ed.gov) |
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If you are fortunate enough to be awarded
outside scholarships, the funds are typically sent directly to the
college you have chosen. Once you are notified of your award,
contact the college’s financial aid office to determine how they
will treat these outside scholarships. In many instances, the funds
will be credited to your balance. In other cases, however, colleges
may reduce the amount of award they have given you. This depends on
a number of factors, including your EFC (Expected Family
Contribution), your initial award package, and the college’s policy.
Do not let this possibility discourage you from searching and
applying for outside scholarships and grants. If receiving an
outside scholarship reduces your need to work or borrow, it is still
well worth the effort.
Utilize all of your resources Schedule a meeting with your high school
guidance counselor to discuss potential outside scholarships. Many
times, applications will be posted in the guidance office. Visit the
websites listed in this newsletter to find those that may be good
matches. And, as always, if you or someone you know doesn’t have
easy access to the web, call our office to speak with one of our
counselors to assist in your scholarship search, (800) 525-2577
x119. Searching for outside scholarships can be time consuming,
however, all of your hard work will be rewarded when a letter
congratulating you appears in your mailbox. Good luck! |
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www.destinationcollege.org:
For High School Juniors and their Parents. The NHHEAF Network Center
for College Planning is pleased to announce their 6th annual
Destination College, a statewide college preparatory convention. It
is scheduled for Saturday, March 19 at Plymouth State University in
Plymouth. The event is FREE and provides you the opportunity to
enjoy a variety of workshops, wonderful speakers, attend a college
fair, and participate in a scholarship raffle. For more information,
visit
www.destinationcollege.org. Please register by March 11 online
or by calling (800) 525-2577 x119. See you there!
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Do you have any friends already in college?
The NHHEAF Network has established a CEO scholarship fund. The College Equals Opportunity scholarships are open to current college students entering the junior or senior year. It is open to residents of New Hampshire, although students may attend college out of state. Current New Hampshire resident college students are eligible to apply for one of four $5,000 scholarships. The deadline for submission of all application materials is March 15, 2005. Four scholarship recipients will be notified by May 2, 2005. For more information or for an application, visit www.nhheaf.org |
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Your next CCP E-News will be sent in March. We
will break down the Award Letters and detail various options
to help you fill any unmet need. In the meantime, continue to search for local scholarship opportunities!
The NHHEAF Network Organizations are comprised of three independent,
non-profit organizations: The New Hampshire Higher Education
Assistance Foundation, which was established by the banking
community in 1962 to guarantee student loans; the New Hampshire
Higher Education Loan Corporation, which was designated by the State
of New Hampshire in June 1993 to be a lender and holder exclusively
for student loans; and Granite State Management & Resources, which
is the loan servicing arm of the NHHEAF Network. Collectively, the
NHHEAF Network Organizations offer complementing services to
families including information and materials about planning for
higher education, education loan funding and life-of-loan servicing.
The NHHEAF Network Organizations can be reached at |
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The following college scholarships have been received at the College and Career Education Center. Students may get applications from the wall organizer outside the Career Center located on the third floor of the Low Vocational Building (adjacent to the Guidance Office and across the hall from Special Education). Questions can be directed to Ralph Van Nostrand, Career Education Counselor, in the College and Career Education C
