Category: College Financials

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Scholarship Spotlight: Amazon Future Engineers Scholarship

Amazon Future Engineer awards 100 current high school seniors from underserved and historically underrepresented communities across the country with a $40,000 scholarship ($10,000 each year) to study computer science at a four-year college or university of their choice AND a guaranteed paid 12-week summer internship offer at Amazon after the completion of their freshman year. Students must plan to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering or other computer science related field. Scholarship recipients are selected based on academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, community involvement, work experience, future goals, and financial need.

https://www.amazonfutureengineer.com/scholarships

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Scholarship Spotlight: Questbridge National College Match Program

LATE SEPTEMBER deadline for the special Questbridge National College Match program where students can apply for free to the nation’s best colleges and be considered for early admission and a full four-year scholarship!

QUALIFICATIONS: any high school senior with strong writing skills, regardless of citizenship, in the top performing 5% of their high school in the US, with mostly A’s in Honors Level/advanced classes, 1260+ SAT or 27+ ACT (if taken), with a family income of less than $65,000 a year.

Previous year, 1,600 seniors were admitted early decision with all tuition, room, board, books and travel expenses covered — a completely full ride! Another 800 or so who didn’t make it in the early stage were admitted Regular Decision and received financial aid through the program. Start your application NOW, find two teachers from junior year to write recommendations, and answer everything thoroughly and thoughtfully!

https://www.questbridge.org/high-school-students/national-college-match/who-should-apply

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The Devastation of College Summer Melt

Did you know there are two types of “Summer Melt”? Why and how to avoid.

Very disturbing to watch happen…

The term “Summer Melting” is when a student is admitted to a college, accepts the offer but doesn’t show up. It is always disheartening to hear, especially when it’s avoidable.

Did you know there are two types of “Summer Melt”? “Melting” is used to label these different scenarios:

FIRST DEFINITION – MELTING DUE TO LOW SELF-CONFIDENCE OR SURVIVOR’S REMORSE:
First-generation students (first to attend college in their family), low–income students and students who do not encounter many college grads in their lives experience this type of melt the most. The feelings often have no basis except in their own anxiety. There are feelings of guilt, pessimism and/or defeat before even getting into “battle”. They worry about being the “only one” of whomever they are. They let doubtful remarks made by insecure, jealous people get under their skin. After–all, the people who are more typical to be in that college must know better, yes? NO!

The insecure will look for a last-minute reason not to attend college. They think not going will avoid pain. But what about the pain of not attempting to accomplish a goal? It’s a dream that they-themselves defer!

Can that Melting be Stopped: yes, it can be overcome, either by the student recognizing what they are doing to themselves and/or by sharing their fears with a trusted adult and getting help to work through it. They should seek out alumni and older students who share their background. TALK TO PEOPLE; DON’T KEEP IT INSIDE! It is so important that they face their hesitation BEFORE heading to college so that they walk onto campus confident, ready to face anything and feeling that they belong.

The college wouldn’t offer them a seat if it did not want them to come; it’s time-consuming for hard-working admissions officials to sort through applications and it’s expensive to lose and may not be able to replace a student who suddenly doesn’t show up. These melting students must not let IMPOSTER SYNDROME get them.

Once they’re on campus, do not stew in your juices alone; find people who help and don’t hinder. They should join groups on campus or in town that can be a safe space, where they can comfortably “be themselves”. Or, take initiative and start a group or activity! Build self-confidence and leadership skills that can make them successful in their future career while helping themselves and others in school.

SUGGESTION: repeat it and believe this: “Yes! I DO belong here!”

SECOND DEFINITION – MELTING DUE TO LACK OF FINANCIAL PLANNING:
Quite a few students accept a college offer but realize just before move-in day that they cannot afford the cost to attend college. This type of melt not only affects first-generation and low–income students; students ready to pay part of the costs often melt, too.

These students usually don’t understand their acceptance package’s financial aid report. Or they become really set on attending because the college is “perfect”, no other school comes close to being as dreamy and they think it will all work out, because it’s the dream school. Or, they are just bad at math. Unfortunately, if the gap is too big, the student will not be able to attend that school.

Can that Melting be Stopped: depends on when they realize they can’t pay, and how big the gap is. The closer to Move-In Day that it happens, the more difficult it’ll be to figure out how to fill the gap. Scholarship deadlines have likely passed. If they work, they should check if there’s an employer scholarship fund. Beware loans beyond the government student and government ParentPlus loans; private bank loans add up and require parents to put their credit in peril. It’s not worth losing the family home, either! Best bet is to contact the college to ask for more grants and arrange a payment plan. HOWEVER, these strategies will only work if amount owed can be realistically met. Melt alert!

SUGGESTION: Plan ahead, keep eyes open. The students who almost melt but manage to make it to school as freshmen will have to go through this precarious ordeal again in sophomore year if they don’t prepare. Strategy for the next year must begin the night of freshmen move-in day, at the latest.

WHAT CAN YOUNGER HIGH SCHOOLERS GAIN BY LEARNING ABOUT THESE SCENARIOS: Students and parents need more guidance in the college application and financial aid process but often they don’t receive it in a timely fashion. They must select a list of schools wisely, taking into account the family budget and the schools’ budget. A famous school name or rumor of generous financial aid does not mean that all students qualify for that financial aid.

Every summer, students are unnecessarily devastated upon finding out that they can’t go to college. It can happen to anyone who doesn’t have good advisors. It can end in heartbreak. Our “Talking College Search” course includes real-life scenarios, including one about a student who almost didn’t get to go to college. Learn how to make realistic decisions for education that will have lasting impact on your future. Get lifetime access to this three hour online course with bonus workbook for less than the cost of an application fee!

Enroll Now and avoid regrets later! Go to goodapples.teachable.com

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Our College Search Course is LIVE! Enroll Now!

Learn all aspects of the college admissions process with the “Talking College Search” online web course.

College admissions time! But how do you figure out how to apply to college? Drag your tired self to information sessions after a long day at school and work?

Pay to meet with high priced consultants to the stars who don’t know their clients and try to turn the students into something they’re not and could never be?

The time and energy and money can be spent much better by learning how to apply to college through our “Talking College Search” ONLINE course.

On-demand, unlimited access to 6 Topic Sections, 18 Lessons and with real-life experiences as examples:

  • how to create a list of colleges,
  • how to approach the essays,
  • how to find the schools more likely to accept you,
  • how to find the schools that are the best deals,
  • how to interpret acceptance and financial aid reward letters.

Take this Course to:

AVOID SURPRISES: learn how to take control and be prepared for the outcomes.

AVOID AGGRAVATION: learn about pitfalls so all goes smoothly!

KEEP FOCUSED: learn about all the deadlines, the forms, and the steps to take.

KEEP IT REAL: learn your advantages and your limits. That includes financial limits.

AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT: the end goal is to get into the college that is the best fit.

Bonus Workbook is included and contains worksheets, reference charts and definitions!

Buy for less than the price of one college application (you did know that there are application fees? If not… then you really need this course.

Go to goodapples.teachable.com. Do your college search journey right!

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Scholarship Spotlight: Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund

(image: from the website)

DEADLINE APRIL 29. Scholarships for $1,500 to $2,500 each year.

Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund (SCSF) is looking for applicants to benefit from their scholarship fund.

Students pursuing their first undergraduate degree or vocational school who are:
o High school seniors
o Students with GED diplomas
o Students enrolled in 2-year or 4-year undergraduate programs
o Students enrolled in vocational or trade schools

AND are:
– US citizen or Permanent Resident
– 25 years old or younger
– Minimum 2.0 GPA
– Household income not exceeding $75,000 USD

In the 2021–22 group of incoming scholars, 54% of the scholarship recipients had annual household incomes below $40,000 and 79% came from single-parent households. Scholars’ school will receive the payment (amount can be $1,500 to $2,500) directly for each year that the student is enrolled up to six years. The grant can be used to cover tuition expenses and related supplemental educational expenses such as books, lab fees, travel, and select costs of living.

Start your application early, be thorough and check for typos!

(And who isn’t aware that Shawn Carter and Jay-Z are the same person? Thank him for this opportunity!)

https://www.shawncartersf.com/scholarship-fund/
https://www.shawncartersf.com/scholarship-fund/
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Scholarship Spotlight: Ron Brown Scholar Program

(Image: from the website)

Ron Brown Scholar Program awards $10,000 each year for four years to economically-disadvantaged high school seniors of African descent who demonstrate a keen interest in public service, community engagement, business entrepreneurship and global citizenship. This is a great opportunity for qualifying students who have very high grades and test scores. Students chosen for these scholarships are very impressive: more than half of the Scholars end up attending Ivy League universities.

Ron Brown Scholar Program was established in honor of the late Ronald H. Brown, an attorney who worked for Senator Ted Kennedy, then as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and finally as Secretary of Commerce for President Bill Clinton. It was while serving in President Clinton’s cabinet that Brown perished in an airplane crash while on a mission to Eastern Europe. 

According to the website, recipients may use the renewable scholarships to attend an accredited four-year college or university of their choice within the United States. Ron Brown scholarships are not limited to any specific field or career objective and may be used to pursue any academic discipline.  Since the Program’s inception in 1996, more than 300 students have been designated as Ron Brown Scholars.

  • Must be Black/African American.
  • Must excel academically.
  • Must exhibit exceptional leadership potential.
  • Must participate in community service activities.
  • Demonstrate financial need.
  • Be a US citizen or hold a permanent resident visa card.
  • Be a current high school senior at the time of your application.  Current college students are NOT eligible to apply.

FINAL DEADLINE: usually first week of January.

https://www.ronbrown.org

NOTE: this scholarship is one of the few that requires a paper application to be MAILED! So make sure your materials, recommendations, test scores etc are all ready BEFORE Thanksgiving so that the package arrives in the RBSP office in plenty of time to be considered.

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Scholarship Spotlight: Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarships

Image: from website

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation was created by a philanthropist and funded by his estate. About 115 high school seniors receive scholarships that cover “unmet need”, meeting expenses after Pell grants and college grants. This means that some students can get scholarships up to $40,000 a year as long as they maintain a good average in college! Applications are filled out via the Common App and deadline is usually the first week of November.

From the website, among the criteria used in the selection process are:

  • Exceptional academic ability and achievement: Strong academic record, academic awards and honors, and substantive assessments by educators providing confidential recommendations. They consider:
    • unweighted cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above
    • participation in available advanced courses
    • commitment to learning
    • intellectual curiosity
  • Unmet financial need: We will consider applicants with family income up to $95,000. Last year’s cohort of new college scholarship recipients had a median family income of approximately $35,000.
  • Persistence: Determination and perseverance in the face of challenges, ability to set and remain focused on goals and to put in the effort needed to meet those goals in the face of obstacles.
  • Leadership: Ability to organize and positively influence others in school and out-of-school areas (family, religious community, sports, arts, etc.).
  • Service to Others: Purposeful and meaningful commitment to others which may be evidenced by participation in volunteer/community service activities.

It is a competitive process, but if you’re not in it, you can’t win it!

https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/college-scholarship-program/

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Scholarship Spotlight: Milken Scholars

(above: from their website)

High school seniors in Los Angeles County, New York City, and Washington DC: Nominations open mid-October for the $2,000 a year Milken Scholars Program. Students who maintain a 3.0 GPA in college will receive $2,000 each year! This scholarship also includes an expenses-paid trip to the annual event hosted by the Program.

What can you do with $2,000 a year if your costs and needs will be more (despite taking our “Talking College Search” course to help you choose the best-fit colleges)? The amount will make a dent. But that’s not why we’re doing a spotlight on this scholarship. Despite the “low” amount, the career connections made through the four years and at the Milliken Scholars’ annual three-day summits are more valuable.

Deadline is early November. Check their website for more information.

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Minimum grade point average of 3.6 (unweighted) or 90% in all academic high school subject areas;
• Active participation in community service activities;
• A record of leadership;
• Financial or Other Obstacles;
• Admission to a four-year college or university prior to final selection; and
• United States Citizenship, Permanent Residency, or DACA Recipient.

Because this program is an ongoing relationship of academic and career counseling with internship opportunities, the application has a more rigorous selection process than a “one-and-done” scholarship. That’s why you should get on the ball as soon as the scholarship portal opens!

Students must be nominated by their college advisers, submit of letters of recommendation, high school transcripts, test score sheets (if applicable), and a financial aid profile. Finalists are then selected and invited to interview in the spring, once your college acceptances are in.

The scholarship is Test-Optional the 2022 award: SAT or ACT score is not required to apply!

Deadline is early November, so get ready! Check their website for more information: http://www.milkenscholars.org/our-program/selectionsforms/selection-process/

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Scholarship Spotlight: Coca Cola Foundation

(image: from website)

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation (CCSF) awards scholarships to applicants who are currently high school students and who are American citizens, legal residents or on the legalization path. The three types of scholarship programs are:

• Coca-Cola Scholars Scholarship – High school seniors with a minimum 3.0 unweighted GPA may apply on our website in August of their senior year until the October 31 deadline. 150 Coca-Cola Scholars are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship. https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org

• Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team – 50 Gold $1,500, 50 Silver $1,250 and 50 Bronze $1,000 scholarships. Current students at two-year community colleges may apply between October 1 and December 2. This scholarship is administered by Phi Theta Kappa, and application details can be found on their website, www.ptk.org.

• Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise – 180 scholarships of $1,000. Current students at two-year community colleges may apply between February 27 and April 30. This scholarship is also administered by Phi Theta Kappa, and application details can be found on their website, www.ptk.org.

Yes, many students will enter and few will win. But you gotta be in it to win it! Definitely apply to these!

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Hope for Future College Students…

There may be a little good news for future college students with family incomes of $50,000 or less a year:  Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington) who chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee; plus House Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin) and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Virginia) who chairman of the House Education & Labor Committee, have introduced the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act to Congress.

The Pell Grant is guaranteed gift, funded by the US government via taxpayers, and is put towards a student’s college tuition. Filling out the family income information in the FAFSA determines the amount a student gets. The Pell Grant is not like a loan because it does not have to be paid back. The maximum gift, based on family income, is currently topped at approximately $6,495 for a school year.

If the bill passes in the House and Senate and becomes law, it would protect the Pell Grant, increase the amount based on inflation and have the Pell Grant fund permanently funded so that it can gift to millions of students. Part-time students would also be able to receive a percentage. Full-time students will be able to request the grant for 18 semesters instead of currently 12 semesters; not all students can obtain degrees in four years, so extending the grant will help them.

– For the 2023–2024 school year the bill calls for students to get a maximum of $9,000.
– The Pell Grant will increase to $10,000 for 2024–2025.
– Students will receive in 2025–2026 up to $11,000.
– $12,000 in 2026–2027 will be the maximum.
– The bill will reach its goal of $13,000 per year in 2027–2028 and each year after that.

Students in families that receive federal benefits would qualify automatically for the maximum award plus an additional $1,500. There is a sliding scale for the Pell after that.
Representative Scott and Senators Hirono and Murray had previously introduced the Act in 2017 with no progress. It originally began as the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant in 1972 and it was renamed in honor of Rhode Island Senator Claiborne Pell in 1980. He first introduced the bill to create the grant in 1965.

“The Pell Grant is the most important tool we have to help students afford college. Unfortunately, due to the rising cost of college, the purchasing power of Pell Grants has severely eroded over time,” said Senator Scott in a press release.

“Every year, Pell Grants make college more affordable for millions of students in the United States—including tens of thousands of students in Hawaii. But over the last decade, the value of the Pell Grant has steadily declined—from covering nearly fourth-fifths of the cost of attendance at a public, four-year institution at its height, to less than one-third,” Senator Hirono said.

“It’s thanks to Pell grants that I was able to graduate and get a great education from Washington State University—but today’s students are being asked to pay more for college with less financial support. Students should never be forced to give up their higher education dreams because they can’t afford it—and this legislation will take a significant step in helping to make sure college is within reach for more students,” Senator Murray said.

In addition to Senators Hirono and Murray and Representatives Pocan and Scott, the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act is cosponsored by Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), and Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Andre Carson (D-Ind.), Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Val Demings (D-Fla.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), Al Lawson (D-Fla.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), Andy Levin (D-Mich.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), Joseph Morelle (D-N.Y.), Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Marie Newman (D-Ill.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.), Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-Northern Mariana Islands), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Paul D. Tonko (D-N.Y.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.).

How to get this Act to pass? Contact your senators and congressperson to encourage them to vote for the increase this time.

Read the Act here: https://edlabor.house.gov/imo/media/doc/PELL_PRESERVATION_xml.pdf

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