How to Win Scholarships and Financial Aid

Applying to colleges can be daunting. To ease the process, here are tips from Cindy Montgomery, president of the Hawaii Association for College Admission Counseling and the director of college counseling for the American Renaissance Academy in Kapolei.

Before applying for scholarships, what should we know?

Nothing can replace good planning. Through good planning and effort, students can secure generous scholarships, grants and financial aid, based on grade point average, standardized test scores, leadership and community service.

Students who work hard and make good choices throughout high school should be in excellent positions to receive aid from colleges in Hawaii and on the mainland.

Also, with ethnic and geographic diversity being a high priority for most institutions, Hawaii students can secure generous scholarships when they apply to smaller, private colleges in states where Hawaii students are not well represented.

When should we apply for scholarships?

Start the process early. Students should begin identifying scholarships during junior year and use the summer before senior year to prepare scholarship essays and applications.

I tell students that applying for scholarships is the equivalent to having a part-time job. The most successful students who gain scholarships are the ones who embrace this idea and plan ahead.

Where is the best place to find scholarships?

The Internet is host to a growing number of very good search engines for college scholarships. My favorite is FastWeb. FastWeb lists thousands of college scholarships ranging from fairly general to extremely specific.  

By completing a brief questionnaire, students are able to receive automatic alerts when a scholarship that matches their profile becomes available.

Some years ago, I saw a FastWeb scholarship that gave preference to redheaded females interested in engineering. As it turns out, the founder of the scholarship had these same characteristics. 

Which local organizations offer scholarships?

While large, national scholarships tend to get the lion’s share of attention, Hawaii students often have more success competing for locally sponsored scholarships. Hawaii Community Foundation,  is one of my favorite resources for students seeking college scholarships. With more than 160 different scholarship funds, Hawaii high school students have the potential of being matched to multiple scholarships by completing a single, online application through HCF.

Students should look at civic organizations in their communities that offer college scholarships, such as the Lion’s Club and Rotary Club. Finally, native Hawaiian students should check out the many excellent financial aid and scholarship opportunities offered through Kamehameha Schools  and the Ke Alii Pauahi Foundation.

Before applying for financial aid, what should we know?

There are two types of college financial aid available: need-based and merit-based. Hawaii families often rely on a combination of need and merit aid to pay for college. 

Merit aid is given in recognition of a student’s special talents and strengths in academics, leadership, athletics, service and the arts. Merit-based aid ranges from a couple thousand dollars to full tuition. Typically, they are renewable for four years if a student maintains a specified grade point average. 

The majority of colleges automatically consider students for merit-based aid as part of the application-review process. But it’s always good for students to check with the colleges to see if there is a priority deadline or additional requirements to be considered for merit-based awards.

Need-based aid, as the name implies, is awarded based on a student’s financial need. Students become eligible for need-based awards and other forms of federal aid by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Please tell us more about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

All parents seeking financial assistance for their child’s college education need to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA, which can be completed on the Web, may be filed as early as Jan. 1 in the calendar year that the student plans to begin college.  Ideally, parents should aim to file their child’s FAFSA no later than Feb. 1 to be in the best position to receive aid.

Also, any student who wants to be considered for need-based financial aid should fill out the FAFSA.

The FAFSA is confusing. Where can we find help to complete the form?

The Pacific Financial Aid Association (PacFAA) offers an annual “College Goal Sunday” workshop to help local families complete the FAFSA. The workshops are held each January at various locations on Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island. Parents can visit www.cgshawaii.org for the dates and locations of the 2013 workshops.

Should we also submit a College Scholarship Service Profile?

In addition to the FAFSA, some private colleges also require families to complete the CSS Profile to be considered for financial aid. A complete list of institutions that require the CSS Profile can be found at https://profileonline.collegeboard.com.

With the exception of the CSS Profile, which charges a nominal filing fee, families should not pay to file the FAFSA or receive scholarship or financial aid services. There are several for-profit groups that charge thousands to help with the FAFSA and other services that are readily available to families at no cost.

We applied for financial aid, grants and scholarships. But we still cannot pay for college. What should we do?

An option for kids who really desire the Mainland college experience but are not in a financial situation to afford all four years, is to take prerequisites at a community college or university here in Hawaii, with the goal of transferring to a four-year, Mainland institution during the junior year. That way, they get cost savings on the front end and still are able to get their degree from a Mainland college.

What is your final piece of advice for students applying to colleges?

Pay close attention to deadlines. It is vital to read and respond to all communications from the financial aid offices at the colleges to which their child is applying. If you are unclear about what is being asked of you, please contact the college for further clarification.  

Also, if a student received an award letter from a particular college, but the family needs more money to be able to attend that college, they should let the college know. While financial aid officers are bound to work within federal and institutional awarding guidelines, in my experience, they are very willing to work with families and do their very best to make attending college a reality.