Financial Aid for High School Students
General Financial Aid Information
Federal, State, and UC Financial Aid Resources
Information for AB 540 Students
General Financial Aid Information
There are endless resources online to help you find money for college. Just beware of places that ask you to pay for information and/or ask for your Social Security number up front. The California Student Aid Commission has some resources on how to avoid scholarship scams: Is it a free scholarship? Or a scam? You should also try your local library; many online resources are published in book form (and staying offline when you first get started might be a good idea until you learn how to spot a scam). For libraries on the Dewey Decimal System, look for call number 378 for financial aid books.
Books on money for college tend to fall into two categories: scholarship or federal financial aid. I recently looked into books on saving money for college while remaining eligible for financial aid and found couple books that addressed this issue: 529 & Other College Savings Plans for Dummies and College Financial Aid - How To Get Your Fair Share.
I highly recommend reading 20 Insider Strategies to Save Money on College NOW from MeritAid. The e-book offers some very good advice in between quite a bit of not-so-subtle advertisement about the MeritAid website. The one excellent point the e-book makes that I want you to consider is the fact that there are a lot of misconceptions about how much colleges charge for tuition; public colleges (like the UCs) are not necessarily cheaper than private colleges. Find out what you can about what a college charges before you decide not to apply. Case in point: students from families with incomes less than $60,000 who are accepted to Harvard under our regular admissions policies have no expected parent contribution for their education (translation: if you are accepted to Harvard, you can attend for free if your parents make less than $60k per year).
The Project on Student Debt, an initiative of the Institute for College Access and Success, has compiled a list of colleges that have "developed financial aid policies that limit or eliminate student loans from financial aid packages, reducing costs for students and families." Take a look at all your options (over 50 colleges listed), but be cautious of other potential shortfalls.
Federal, State, and UC Financial Aid Resources
FAFSA4caster
Federal Student Aid (the people who brought you the ever confusing FAFSA form) has launched FAFSA4caster to help students and parents get an early start on the financial aid process:
FAFSA4caster will help you get an early start on the financial aid process by providing you with an early estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid. In addition, FAFSA4caster will increase your knowledge of the financial aid process and provide information about other sources of aid
Need help with filling out FAFSA? Sign up for one of the FREE California Cash for College workshops near you to get assistance on filling out your FAFSA and Cal Grant GPA Verification Form. Workshops are available from January to the March 2 priority deadline.
UC Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan
The UC system implemented the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan in 2009. Under this plan, students whose family income is below $70,000 will receive enough scholarships and grants to fully cover their UC fees for the first 4 years of college (for freshmen). But keep in mind that the expensive part of an UC education is not the fees but the housing and everything else. See the UC press release about the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan or visit the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan student portal for more information.
UC, State, and Federal Financial Aid Publications
Below is a list of financial aid publications from the UC system, the state of California, and the federal government that will walk you through the basics:
- UC Financing Guide for Parents and Students
- Fund your Future: Free Money for College (from EdFund and California Student Aid Commission)
- Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid (from Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education)
- Fact Sheet - More Ways to Pay for College (from California Student Aid Commission)
Information for AB 540 Students
Undocumented students may qualify for in-state tuition under AB 540; see the AB 540 Student Manual or speak to the UC AB 540 contact person at the UC campus you are interested in attending for more information. Futuros Educational Services (a nonprofit) has a pretty comprehensive list of scholarships for AB 540 students. ¡Adelante! California has two AB 540 scholarships: Luisa Moreno Scholarship - $500 to $2000 and Founders’ Scholarship - $1000 to $2000. Both deadlines are in the beginning of January.
Navigating the financial aid process can be a daunting task. Sometimes it may be better to get the experts involved. Campus Strategy, a leading provider of college financing solutions, specializes in 1) strategic financial reorganization to help maximize your eligibility for financial aid, 2) financial planning to help you cash flow college expenses, 3) strategic college placement to maximize scholarship opportunities, and 4) complete and accurate filing of FAFSA and Profile (for private colleges) forms. Campus Strategy offers special pricing if you sign up through me. For details and pricing, send me an email at
The search sites below have been vetted by high school and/or independent counselors I know (unless noted otherwise). Keep in mind that no matter how legitimate the search sites are, they cannot keep out fraudsters 100% of the time. Take caution when you apply for scholarships and look around online to verify the legitimacy of the organizations before you submit your personal information. For tips on avoiding scams, see the General Financial Aid Information above.
- College Board Scholarship Search
- College Scholarships.org
- CollegeNET
- FastWeb
- FinAid!
- GradeFund
- Kaarme.com
- MeritAid
- NextStudent
- Pacific Northwest Scholarship Guide from College Planning Network
- ScholarshipExperts
- SuperCollege
- IEFA.org - for international students (NOT vetted)
Scholarship America is a nonprofit entity that manages employer-sponsored scholarships for employees and their families. Some general scholarships are also available. Deadlines vary depending on scholarship.
Asian Pacific Fund Scholarships & Awards has a variety of scholarships and awards for students of varying backgrounds and interests. Deadlines vary depending on scholarship.
Ayn Rand Institute offers a number of essay contests that are open to all high school students. Prizes range from $50 to $10,000. Deadlines vary depending on scholarship.
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation offers 50 four-year $20,000 scholarships and 200 four-year $10,000 scholarships for use at accredited colleges and universities within the US. Rewards leadership and excellence as exemplified through academic achievement and extracurricular activities, including commitment to community service. Deadline is at the end of October.
MetroPCS offers $1000 scholarships to high school seniors who plan to continue education in college or university programs. Rewards students who have demonstrated exceptional involvement in volunteerism and community service, in addition to academics and other criteria. Scholarships are offered for full-time study at an accredited two or four year institution of the student’s choice. Deadline is in mid-November.
Walmart offers a variety of scholarships with varying amounts and criteria - Walmart Associate Scholarship, Sam Walton Community Scholarship, Higher Reach Scholarship, Walton Family Foundation Scholarship. Deadlines are in January.
Gates Millennium Scholars Program provides outstanding, low income African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American, Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline area of interest. Continuing Gates Millennium Scholars may request funding for a graduate degree program in one of the following discipline areas: education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science. Deadline is in mid-January.
Southern California Monte Jade Science Technology Foundation offers scholarships to help foster leadership and entrepreneurship among students. Deadline is at the end of January.
Every UC campus offers ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIPS to students who have demonstrated need and/or outstanding achievement. You can find the scholarship information by visiting the alumni website at each UC campus (go to alumni.UC campus name.edu and look for "scholarships"). Deadlines vary from campus to campus but are usually sometime in February.
BURGER KING Scholars offers scholarship awards to assist students who excel academically while also working part-time and being actively involved in their community. Deadline is at the beginning of February.
Best Buy @15 Scholarship Program awards scholarships to students in grades 9-12 living in the U.S. or Puerto Rico who plan to enter a full-time undergraduate course of study upon high school graduation. Deadline is at the beginning of February.
The Point Foundation provides financial support through multi-year scholarships, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT students who are marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Deadline is early February.
Los Angeles Clippers Foundation offers $2,500 Stay in School Scholarships to seniors planning to attend a four-year college. Scholarships are made available to students residing in the greater Los Angeles area. Deadline is in mid-February.
Mahatma offers high school seniors in designated areas who wish to attend college the chance to win a $2,000 prize by writing an essay. Deadline is in mid-February.
Race for Education Scholarship Programs offers various scholarships for those interested in pursuing a career in the equine or agriculture industry. Deadlines vary depending on scholarship, between February and May.
Jackie Robinson Foundation provides scholarships of up to $7,500 annually to minority high school students showing leadership potential and demonstrating financial need to attend an accredited 4-year college or university of their choice. Deadline is in mid-March.
US Bank Internet Scholarship Program awards up to thirty $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors entering college next fall. Deadline is at the end of March.
Holocaust Remembrance Project Essay Contest awards thirty scholarships ranging from $250 to $5,000 to top essay entries. Deadline is at the beginning of April.
TYLENOL Scholarship provides several $10,000 and $5,000 scholarships to students who are pursuing healthcare-related education at an accredited institution. Scholarships are awarded based on leadership qualities and academic performance. Deadline is in mid-May.
SunTrust Off To College Scholarship Sweepstakes gives high school seniors the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship for their first year expenses at an accredited college or private career school. One winner will be chosen every two weeks. It's FREE to enter and eligibility is not based on GPA or financial need. Each $1,000 will be payable to the winner's school of attendance. Only one entry per person for each drawing; you can register after each drawing for the next one! Drawings are held every other week between October 30, 2009 and May 14, 2010.
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