Gaithersburg High School - College & Career Center, Scholarships & Financial Aid

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College & Career Information Center

Scholarships & Financial Aid

The Anne Ford and Allegra Ford Scholarship Award ***APPLY by DEC. 31

Anne Ford and Allegra Ford Scholarship offers a $10,000 award to two graduating high school seniors with documented learning disabilities (LD) who are pursuing undergraduate degrees. The ideal candidates are high school seniors who have faced the challenges of having a learning disability; are committed to completing a college degree and setting career goals; have demonstrated perseverance; embrace new opportunities; have a well-rounded perspective shaped by experiences in school, in the community, and with family and friends; understand how LD affects their life and recognize the importance of self-advocacy; believe in contributing to society in ways that increases opportunities for individuals with learning disabilities; and will feel comfortable serving as role models for others who struggle with LD. Click here for the application.

The following scholarships are open and due soon: (for more information please stop in to the college career center)

SunTrust Off to College Scholarship Sweepstakes - open now and closing the end of April. The earlier uou apply the more chances you have.
Check out the SallieMae.com/Scholarships search!
Ithaca College/Park Scholar Awards for those students applying to the Ithaca College School of Communications
Oh, the Places You'll Go College Scholarship Program - entries due Feb. 15, 2010
UNC Charlotte Levine Scholars Program
Davidson College John Montgomery Belk Scholarship - due Nov. 15, 2009
www.thefire.org "Freedom in Academia" Student Essay Contest - due Nov. 6, 2009
2010 Ivorian Hope High School Scholarship Competition - essay required, due Dec. 31, 2009
Hispanic Heritage Foundation/Colgate Educational Grant - due Nov. 30, 2009
Elks National Most Valuable Student Competition - due Nov. 2, 2009
Washington Crossing Foundation scholarships - Due Jan. 15, 2010
The National Co-Op Scholarship Program Legacy of Life Scholarships - deadline Midnight, Wednesday, March 31. 2010
Violet Richardson Award of the Soroptimist of Upper Montgomery County - open to female seniors, deadline is Dec. 1, 2009

ExploraVision Competition

The ExploraVision competition, now in its 18th year, is an annual event that awards more than $240,000 in savings bonds each year to the winning teams. K-12 students in small groups (2-4), led by a teacher/coach, create a vision of a future technology relevant to their lives or to society in general. Learn more...

Horatio Alger Scholarship

There is only a short time left for qualified seniors to apply for the Horatio Alger Scholarship. This is a great scholarship which gives so much more than money - for the national winners (two per state), it includes a laptop, finanacial assistance, support hot line, and more! The winners from each state spend an all expenses paid week in Washington, D.C. where they site-see, meet Horatio Alger members (check out the web site for some of the big names and read some of the stunning stories how they overcame adversity http://www.horatioalger.org), receive a scholarship, and attend a galla dinner event. This scholarship is unique in that it targets students that often will not qualify for other scholarships. Please check out the eligibility criteria in the attached flyer!

The absolute application deadline is Oct. 30, 2009. If you are applying please contact Ms. Sliffman in the College & Career Center.

Syracuse University's School of Architecture is seeking young men and women of color interested in pursuing a five year professional degree in Architecture. Syracuse is committed to bringing diversity to this field and has scholarship money set aside to fully cover education costs for 10 students. Syracuse University School of Architecture has a great reputation and this could be a terrific opportunity. See Ms. Sliffman in the College and Career Center for more information.

College Goal Sunday 2010

Montgomery College is glad to once again host College Goal Sunday 2010 on Sunday, February 14, 2010 from 2 to 4pm. The event will be held on the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus, at the Charlene R. Nunley Student Services Center, first floor. In case of inclement weather, College Goal Sunday will be held on Sunday, February 21, 2010, same time and location. Look here for more information in the fall, or for general information online at College Goal Sunday 2010.

Fleet Reserve Association Essay Contest

Essays entitled "What Memorial Day Means to Me" due December 1, 2009.

Chegg.com College Textbook Scholarship ($500)

Chegg.com is awarding two textbook scholarships to incoming college freshman and one textbook scholarship to a current college student. These scholarships will be awarded in the form of a $500 Chegg.com gift card. High school seniors and college freshman, sophomores, and juniors are eligible to apply; i.e., the graduating college classes of 2010-2013. International students are eligible to apply. Both need and merit of the applicant will be considered. Applicants are selected in part on academic achievement and community involvement. The Zinch.com profile will be the basis for choosing the winner. Be sure to complete your Zinch profile before the scholarship deadline.

Sweet-diggity-dawg Scholarship ($20,000)

Applicants must be current high school student (international students included), graduating in 2009, 2010, or 2011, with a minimum 2.0 gpa. You must register on Zinch.com and your profile must be as complete as possible. Both need and merit of the applicant will be considered. The Zinch profile will be the basis for choosing the winner. Be sure to complete your Zinch profile before the scholarship deadline.
Deadline: January 15, 2010

Create-A-Holiday-Card $10,000 Scholarship Contest (Applications due Jan. 15, 2010.)

ROTC

Are you interested in a 4-YEAR Army ROTC Scholarship? Apply online at: http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/hs_four_year_scholarship.jsp.

Student Resource Guide

The Student Resource Guide includes scholarships, internships, fellowships, books and websites. Coutesy of U. S. Congresswomen Lucille Roybal-Allard, District 34-CA.

Scholarship Guide for Latino Students

Scholarship Web Resources

Schoolsoup.com

Schoolsoup.com is a FREE scholarship database!

Scholarship Listing

The College-Career Information Center maintains a listing of available scholarships.

Help with Scholarship Searches

Parents of seniors, take note. Many colleges and universities offer scholarship and award programs for outstanding students. The College and Career Information website maintains a list of scholarships and deadlines. Check back often as the list is updated frequently. Information about available scholarships also can be found in high school College and Career Centers. In addition, free websites can help find scholarships and grants. Sites such as www.fastweb.com and www.schoolsoup.com match national scholarships with students' needs and interests. Remember to search wisely. Beware of scholarship scams.

Financial Aid Workshops

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Quicklinks:

Comprehensive instructions

Apply for PIN

Estimate eligibility

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be reached at 1-800-730-8319 or www.fafsa.ed.gov. Students must fill out the FAFSA each year to find out how much federal aid they are eligible to receive. Online application is encouraged at www.fafsa.ed.gov. To apply online students and parents MUST apply for a personal identification number (PIN) at www.pin.ed.gov. Once your FAFSA is processed, you will receive your:

Student Aid Report (SAR): This notifies you that your FAFSA has been processed. Your EFC also appears on the SAR.
Expected Family Contribution (EFC): Amount students and their family are expected to contribute financially toward cost of attendance

To assist in understanding the FAFSA process, visit the website, FastWEB.com. Once you have registered, read the document "FAFSA: Step by Step," including an introduction to the Student Aid Report (SAR).

An additional tool to help families plan for college is FAFSA4caster. The FAFSA4caster will:

Instantly calculate a student's eligibility for federal student aid, including grants,
Reduce the time it will take to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and
Simplify the financial aid process for students and families

www.MDgo4it.org

The Maryland Higher Education Commission offers Questions About College?, a good source for information about applying to college and financial assistance.

Understanding your Financial Aid Award Letter & Alternative Loan Guide from FastWEB (Feb/Mar 2007 edition)

The SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid

Financial Aid for Non-Citizens