News from the Counseling Department
Week of December 7, 2015
Next week is Final Exam Week!
We wish everyone the best of luck on their final exams and a wonderful, peaceful Winter Break.
Note to parents of seniors:
If your students fails a class this semester that is required for graduation, please have your senior meet with his/her counselor immediately upon returning from winter break to discuss altering his/her graduation plan.
Important Financial Aid Information for Parents of Seniors:
As you find some free time over the break, you may want to start preparing your information so that you can complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Financial Aid) as soon after January 1 as possible. When going online to complete the FAFSA, please ensure that you are on the correct site: www.fafsa.ed.gov (sites like fafsa.com and fafsa.org are not the official site and they will charge you to complete the form; please remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for Free!). Please also remember that the deadline for filing your FAFSA (and your U of A or ASU application) in order to be considered for the Arizona Assurance (U of A) or the Obama Scholars (ASU) program is March 1. Students who file their FAFSA, or complete their application, after this deadline will not be considered for either of these programs.
Topic of the Week: 12 Tips on Winning Scholarships (from fastweb.com)
Some thoughts to ponder as you find yourself with some free time over the winter break....
What if you had all the secrets to winning a scholarship? Would you tell the world - or keep them for yourself? Nationally recognized financial aid and scholarship expert, Mark Kantrowitz, does have all the secrets, and fortunately, he's spilling everything he knows.
Kantrowitz has provided Fastweb with the top 12 tips on winning a scholarship:
1. Start searching for scholarships as soon as possible. Don't wait until spring of your senior year in high school to start searching, or you'll miss half the deadlines. There are many scholarships available to students in grades 9, 10 and 11, not just high school seniors. There are even scholarships for students in grades K-8. Continue searching for scholarships even after you are enrolled in college.
2. Answer all of the optional questions on a scholarship matching web site for about twice as many matches.
3. Use a free scholarship matching service like Fastweb.com. The Fastweb database is updated daily, and the site will email you notifications of new scholarships that match your personal background profile.
4. Look for local scholarships on bulletin boards near the guidance counselor of financial aid offices, or the library's jobs and careers section.
5. Apply to every scholarship for which you are eligible. Pursue less competitive scholarships, such as small awards and essay contests, since they are easier to win and the money adds up and helps you win bigger scholarships.
6. Don't miss deadlines. Use a calendar and checklist to get organized.
7. Tailor your application to the sponsor's goals. Read and follow the instructions carefully.
8. If you have difficulty writing essays, try recording yourself as you answer the question out loud, and transcribe the recording later. Most people can think and speak faster than they can write or type. Create an outline afterward to organize your thoughts.
9. Personalize your essay and be passionate. Write about something of interest to you. Make your application stand out from the crowd. Talk about your impact on other people. Give examples and be specific.
10. Google your name and make sure you have a professional online profile. Use a professional email address, such as firstname.lastname@gmail.com. Clean up the content of your Facebook account, removing inappropriate and immature material.
11. Proofread a printed copy of your essay and the application for spelling and grammar errors.
12. Make a photocopy of your application before mailing it. Send the application by certified mail, return receipt requested or with delivery confirmation.
A friendly reminder to seniors:
As we enter the holiday season, we would like to remind you that your teachers and counselors are off the same days that you are. If you are in need of letters of recommendation, please plan accordingly so that they can be completed for you on time. Letters that are due on January 1, should be requested at least 2 weeks prior to the end of the semester. Letters requested on the last day of the semester will not be able to be completed in time for a January 1 deadline as many teachers and counselors travel during the winter break and will not be able to access their computers and/or the internet for you.
A note about 2nd semester schedule changes:
Although most CDO classes are year-long classes and schedule changes are not needed at the semester break, occasionally a student may require a change in his/her schedule at semester. If this is the case for your student, please have him/her visit the counselor prior to winter break to have the change processed. Students only have 5 days into 2nd semester to make any necessary changes and, due to the high volume of traffic in the counseling office at the start of the semester, it is best to make these changes prior to the break when possible and avoid the long lines that form after break.
Scholarship Spotlight:
The ASU Leadership Scholarship Program (LSP) recognizes outstanding high school graduating seniors who have achieved excellence in leadership and service. Up to 25 students will be selected for the scholarship. Established in 1977 to develop exceptional leadership skills among promisingscholars, this program has a long-standing history at Arizona State University. More than a scholarship program, LSP helps students become integral members of the university community. This scholarship requires counselors to complete a nomination form.
Deadline = Jan. 8, 2016
