Financial Aid Information

Do NOT pay anyone to find scholarships for you!!  They cannot guarantee private scholarships.  You can search for scholarships easily on the internet. 

Financial Aid is a complex topic, so the best information can be gleaned by attending our school Financial Aid Workshop offered in the fall and spring of every year.  Below are some of the basics on this topic.

Merit Based Money

         www.SchoolSoup.com, www.Zinch.com, and www.FastWeb.com  are favorites used by many counselors and students.  These cover random topics as well as qualifications.  They are often smaller in amount ($250, $500, $1000) than the scholarships offered by the colleges.   Examples are:  Sunny Delight, Tylenol, Coke Cola, Duct Tape, left-handed, red hair, asthma, below 4'8" in height, over 6'5" in height, etc. 

         Academic Scholarships:  Offered by the college for a student with a higher GPA.  Often colleges will offer amounts based on a sliding scale using the GPA and/or the ACT/SAT score.  A student with a 3.5 or higher GPA receives more money than a student with a 3.0 GPA.  Likewise, a student with a higher ACT/SAT score will receive additiona money also.  Sometimes colleges will tell students to retake the ACT/SAT in hopes of getting a higher score and then more scholarship money. 

          Volunteer & Community Service:  Not only does it help the disadvantaged, it can provide money for your college eduation.  Keep a record of the hours you volunteered, where and with whom you worked, and tasks you performed while there.  Volunteering at the same place consistently often puts you in better standing for this type of scholarship. 

        Talent Scholarships:  Offered for areas such as Art, Athletics (including cheerleading at large colleges), Debate, Music, Theater, as well as others offered by individual colleges.

          College Major:  Ask individual colleges which majors offer scholarship money.

          ROTC Scholarships:  Army, Navy, Air Force, & Marines offer scholarship money. Check with the colleges that interest you to see which ROTC programs are offered; not all branches of the military are on every campus.  For more info, visit these websites:  www.armyrotc.com, www.nrotc.navy.mil, www.afrotc.com, www.mcjrotc.org. 

         Foundations & Service Organizations: Seek out foundations such as Beottcher and Sachs.  Service groups include Elks, Lions, Rotary, etc. 

          Church/Religious groups:  Ask your church if they offer a scholarship for students going into church work. 

          Employer Groups:  Employers may offer scholarship money to parents and students. It may not advertised in your company, so ask to see if such a program exists. Some of the larger companies who offer college money are:  Burger King, McDonalds, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Martin-Marietta, etc.

          Ethnic Scholarships:  Many scholarships exist for those of Asian, African-American, Hispanic and Native American descent.  Search on the internet and ask your perspective college about these.

NOTE:  Scholarships often require a separate application, require an essay, vary as to competitive level, and vary in amount.

Other Sources: 

          College Opportunity Fund provides a tuition stipend for students completing undergraduate course work either full or part time at participating public or private colleges/universities in Colorado.  Sign up at:  www.collegeincolorado.org  

          College Invest provides a downloadable list of over 100 College Scholarships each year.  View it at:  www.collegeinvest.org

         Other reliable sources:  www.finaid.org, www.students.gov, www.princetonreview.com/home, www.collegeboard.com, www.actstudent.org/finaid, www.nasfaa.org  

Need Based Money

          This is figured by using your most recent tax forms filed during the senior year ofyour high school student.  Do an estimate of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) in the fall of senior year by going to:       www.ACT.org/fane/index.html   or  www.finain.org/calculator.

          You will need a PIN # to complete the official FAFSA forms.  Register and receive your PIN # (your electronic signature) as well as other information at:  www.fafsa.ed.gov. 

          Obtain and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in January or early February:  www.fafsa.ed.gov.

          Check with colleges about other forms needed.  Find out the name of a person in the Financial Aid office so you can connect with the individuals who are making decisions that will affect your financial aid package.   

Other Money Sources

          Loans:  " There are two categories of loans available: federal and private. Generally, your first choice should be federal—these loans usually have better interest rates and they’re backed by the government. Private or alternative loans may be a good option for students who need extra funding beyond the federal loan limits or for those who have established good credit and do not wish to complete the FAFSA. And remember, not all loans are the same. Be sure to read the fine print and ask the tough questions." (http://www.collegeinvest.org/default.aspx?pageID=14)

          If loans are "need based", interest may be deferred.  Information on student loans may be obtained from Colorado Student Loan Program:  303-305-3000.   Find out more about Federal Stafford Loan (subsidized and unsubsized), Perkins Loan, and Federal Parent PLUS Loan, as well as others, at:  www.finaid.org

          Grants:  Grants are a form of financial aid, based on need, which you do not have to repay. Visit this website for information: 

www.finaid.org/otheraid/grants.phtml.     

Federal Pell Grant is based on income and is computed automatically when filing the FAFSA.  Family income generally falls into the lowest third in the nation  It is awarded up to  $4,731

with a minimum of $890.

          Work Study:  Work-study is a campus-based federal program. The colleges decide which students will qualify for job awards and the size of the awards. Aid packages include a dollar amount of wages that the student is allowed to earn under the program.   Be aware that obtaining an off-campus job may be more valuable than partcipating in a work study program.