Scholarships

Paying for College

11.20.09 Final Document. –>We are raised in South Orange – Maplewood to view college as the next step rather than just a consideration.

CHS students have the option of posting a star with their name and school of acceptance on a wall outside Guidance their senior year. Early admission acceptances are the first to go up. And every year our seniors at Columbia are expected to submit their school of attendance to be printed in the school paper. At the end of each year the CHS newspaper lists all graduating students and the school each will be attending. The paper is poured over by students and staff alike, all desperate to see where so-and-so got accepted, or who didn’t list a school at all.

Some families save for that day, others pray that their children receive financial assistance through academic and/or sports scholarships. Still others leave it up to God. Often, its a combination. Parents involve their kids in sports and academics, save and/or pray.

Which ever is the case for you, if you live in Maplewood, and if you don’t, find information below to help you and your family along on the journey of paying for college. I want to let you in on a big secret: It’s not the cost of tuition that will kill you. It’s the school’s payment options. Before your child registers at a college, ask what the payment plan options are. Also ask if the school will let your child walk during commencement even though they have unpaid tuition.  Some schools will let you walk and but hold your diploma, and other schools will not let you walk and they will hold your child’s diploma…

~Find scholarships for adult students & college internship(s) at the bottom of this page.~

Please share what you know about scholarships. Leave a comment on this page with the scholarship information you want to share. Together we can compile a list that will benefit all youth who need these resources.

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Scholarship Road Map

1. Before you start - applying for a scholarship should cost you nothing. If any links compiled on this site provide information at a cost, skip over them. If a fee is requested for your scholarship application to be considered, be immediately skeptical – I personally wouldn’t proceed.
2. Select this PDF on Scholarship Application Secrets. - from Studentscholarshipsearch.com
3. Bank of America’s Financial Education & Tools – Breakdown on Financial Aid (How it works. How need is determined + )
   
4. The Road to Scholarships - a website on various topics regarding applying for scholarships [independent of my blog].
5. Scholarship Junkies Website - website on various topics regarding applying for scholarships [independent of my blog]. Selected posts – links 1-4 below.
6. Planning on attending a community college and then transfer to a four year institution? Visit this site: Bridging the Transfer Gap – Helping students transfer community college courses in NJ.
7. How to write a autobiographical essay.
8. Writers Block.
9. All about scholarship applications.
10. Common Essay Questions 101.

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Additionally: Select these search engines below for the web search ‘scholarships + high + school + students‘ :

AltaVista, AskJeeves, Yahoo, DogPile, Webcrawler, Hotbot, MetaCrawler, Lycos

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If you are a HS Junior or Senior take the time to go through this page. Don’t think for a moment that there isn’t something here for you – there is.

Scholarship Websites

1. Fastweb.com – provides scholarships for students from all backgrounds. Sign up by email.
2. Scholarships.com
3. Scholarship Gateway
4. Multi Cultural Advantage - a listing of scholarships
5. Directory l M Articles Site – options for funding school – loans & scholarships
6. Finaid Info – government
7. StudentScholarshipSearch.com
8. American Political Science Association Scholar Resources (Minority & General)

All Students

1. Gates Millennium Scholarship Program
2. CollegeBoard Scholarship Search
3. Future Engineers Scholarship Program
4. Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest – Interest in writing literature
5. The Sallie May Fund
6. Hope Scholarships & Lifetime Credits -
7. National Academy of American Scholars
8. Burger King Scholarship Program
9. Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology
10. Syracuse University Architecture Undergraduate Scholarships
11. Davis-Putter Scholarship
12. Oracle Thinkquest International Competition
13. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship – enrolled in NJ college
14. Maldef.org PDF with Scholarships – details listed.
15. THE JOHN A. PLUMER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD – music
16. Simon Youth Foundation

Immigrant Students

1. Maldef.org with Scholarships
2. Simon Youth Foundation

Minority Students & visit this link as well, scroll down

1. United Negro College Fund
2. Thurgood Marchall College Fund
3. National Society of Black Engineers
4. Alltel’s Words of Wisdom essay contest Feb. 14th deadline (for funding a HBCU education –> note: HBCU admissions do not restrict admission based on race and ethnicity.)

Scholarships offered locally

1. SOHPS Scholarship
2. Columbia High School Scholarship Fund

If you’re game visit your local Maplewood library & also review your local phone book. (Simply compile a list of the civic organizations in your community. Go through your local community phone book and do a search online as well.) Call the organizations listed and ask if they offer scholarships. You’ll be surprised to find out that some do – though you might have to make a case for yourself. But that’s okay – you’ll never know unless you try.

Adult Students

1. 54 Single Moms get online scholarships [Press Release]
2. AARP Foundation Women’s Scholarship program – Helping Women 40 +”Create New Lives and New Futures” Women’s leadership Circle Scholarship [link]

• women
• ages 40+ and over
• able to demonstrate financial need; and
• enrolled in an accredited school or technical program within six months of the scholarship award
• 100 scholarships each year ranging from $500 to $5,000

Blogs on scholarships

1. Scholarship Tips – info from Collegeboard
2. Scholarship Junkies Website
3. The Road to Scholarships
4. perfectlyplanned.wordpress.com (your here)
5. Wgis.wordpress.com

Community Development Scholarships

Schools offering Community Development Scholarships:

• Case Western Reserve University Special Focus Scholarships
• University of Alaska Anchorage UAA Evergreen Community Development Scholarship
• Messa Community College Maricopa Foundation Scholarships

Organizations offering Community Development Scholarships

• Community Development Training Fund 2009 Application [Deadline past - use as point of reference]
• American Bar Association 2009 Legal Writing Competition

Document Source: Word of mouth, Google searches, & 2008-2009 City of Newark Directory of Youth & Families, Newark Press Information Office.

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Instead of making college a dream let’s make it a right of passage.

College is a dream for students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Many times, navigating HS is in itself a challenge when a child doesn’t have an advocate at home or when immigrant parents are unfamiliar with the educational system. Part of making education accessible is making the process of becoming educated transparent. It should be clear what steps are necessary. [Select link for advice on ways to improve academic performance in HS. Information is generally applicable at any school.]

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College Internships

Black Enterprise Magazine’s 2009 Summer Intern Program – positions available in broadcast, corporate communications, editorial, events, marketing and research departments Deadline to apply: February 20, 2009

• Internship for college credit
• Minimum GPA 3.0
• Starts June 8th & Ends August 14

Must submit Cover Letter & Resume (You will be disqualified if you don’t. This is a standard practice.) Include a writing sample if applicable. Email internships@blackenterprise.com if you have any questions. Send all documents to this address:

Natalie M. Hibbert
Director of Human Resources
Black Enterprise
130 5th Avenue, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10011

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Source: City of Newark’s Net Watcher

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© W. S. Hughes 2009

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