This last Thursday the ninth, the Dollars for Scholars program hosted an information night in the AHS library to help ensure every student had equal opportunity to find success in their scholarship search. Judging from the conversations I had with seniors Keven Stehl and Lauren Nelson, many feel as though they have no idea what they’re doing. During this time, there’s a lot of change on the horizon, so it all seems very intimidating. The point of this night was to clear up a lot of that confusion.
Late in the evening, droves of parents and scholars flocked to the event. Most years, it draws in around sixteen people, but this night’s crowd was staggeringly large, with about sixty people in attendance. In case you missed it, here’s everything you need to know.
The Dollars for Scholars program has been running in the Arlington chapter for fifteen years, and hands out around 30-35 scholarships every year. They offer a service that allows you to apply for multiple scholarships with one profile, similar to the Common App. The application process is a little lengthy, and certainly cannot be done overnight, but it’s very worth it. The application opened February first, but closes April first.
Some suggested information you should have includes: any work experience, references a transcript from the registrar, and a budget of time to write out essays. Last year, in Arlington alone, the program handed out $77,000. In the last two years, they have added a new feature, renewable scholarships. This means that if you qualify for a scholarship this year, there are some scholarships that will allow you to get the same amount of money again, as long as you re-apply.
The process is well worth your time, especially if you have a good idea of what college you want to attend. Many colleges will match what scholarships you have with their own funds, or offer financial aid of their own. Sadly, a lot of awarded money goes to waste, because students never claim it. After awards night last year, there was $5000 that went unclaimed, and the process for receiving the money is really very simple. The main issue was students simply not checking their email.
As for some final tips, the presenters suggested some good resources for finding financial help. All students should complete the FAFSA, apply for Dollars for Scholars, and look into the WashBoard. These sources act as search engines to help connect you with as many scholarships or financial aid resources as possible. The best scholarships to invest time are the local ones, as they have far fewer applicants than the national ones, and can generally help you get the most money.
The link to the Dollars for Scholars page is arlingtonwa.dollarsforscholars.org