Financial Aid for High School Students
General Financial Aid Information
Federal, State, and UC Financial Aid Resources
- FAFSA4caster
- FAFSA Workshops
- UC Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan
- UC, State, and Federal Financial Aid Publications
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.
For an overview of tax credits and college savings plans, see Paying for College: Tax Benefits and Savings Options from National Association of College and University Business Officers.
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.
Confused about your financial aid award? Visit Financial Aid Letter to learn how to decode your financial aid package, translate financial aid jargons, and get tips on making college more affordable.
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 by providing an estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid.
FAFSA Workshops
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
Under the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, freshman students whose family income is below $80,000 will receive enough scholarships and grants to fully cover their UC fees for the first 4 years of college. But keep in mind that the expensive part of an UC education is not the fees but the housing and everything else. See the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan 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:
- Financing a UC Education: Tips for Families
- 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/ Undocumented Student Resource Guide or speak to the UC AB 540 contact person at the UC campus you are interested in attending for more information.
ScholarshipsA-Z maintains a pretty comprehensive list of scholarships for AB 540 students. The IDEAS group at UCLA offers a scholarship handout for AB 540 student that covers all the basic scholarship questions. Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard of California Congressional District 34 puts out a Student Resource Guide that includes several AB 540 scholarships. The Chicano Organizing & Research in Education (CORE) maintains a resource list that also includes some scholarships.
College Financial Aid Policies for AB 540 Students is a home-grown document that has been passed around by teachers and counselors since 2009. It's not a comprehensive list but a place to start if you are considering private or out-of-state colleges.
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.
- BrokeScholar
- College Board Scholarship Search
- College Prowler
- College Scholarships.org
- CollegeNET
- FastWeb
- FinAid!
- GradeFund
- Kaarme.com
- MeritAid
- Monster Learning
- NextStudent
- Pacific Northwest Scholarship Guide from College Planning Network
- ScholarshipExperts
- SuperCollege
- IEFA.org - for international students (NOT vetted)
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard of California Congressional District 34 puts out a Student Resource Guide that includes a long list of scholarships. Deadlines vary depending on the scholarship.
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund compiles a long list of scholarships each year that are open to all students. Deadlines vary depending on the scholarship.
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 the scholarship.
Asian Pacific Fund Scholarships & Awards has a variety of scholarships and awards for students of varying backgrounds and interests. Deadlines vary depending on the scholarship.
Ayn Rand Institute offers a number of essay contests that are open to all high school students. Prizes range from $30 to $10,000. Deadlines vary depending on the scholarship.
The Walmart Foundation Scholarship Programs offer a variety of scholarships with varying amounts and criteria. Deadlines vary depending on the scholarship.
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation offers 250 four-year, achievement-based $10,000 or $20,000 scholarships to high school seniors who are planning to pursue a degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution. Deadline is at the end of October.
YourLocalSecurity.com Scholarship awards a $1000 scholarship to one qualifying graduating senior high school student or college student with the most well-written blog entry. The topic focuses on a current political issue. Deadline is at the end of December.
BURGER KING Scholars offers $1,000 to $50,000 scholarship awards to assist students who excel academically and are actively involved in their community. Deadline is at the beginning of 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. Continuing Gates Millennium Scholars may request funding for a graduate degree program in one of the following disciplines: computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science. Deadline is in mid-January.
RMHC/HACER Scholarship Program awards four $100,000 national scholarships and various local scholarships, usually $1,000+, to students of Hispanic/Latino heritage. 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.
Best Buy @15 Scholarship Program awards scholarships to students in grades 9-12 living in the U.S. or Puerto Rico who demonstrate academic achievements, volunteer efforts and work experience. 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.
The CSF Seymour Award recognizes 50 outstanding students from over 1000 CSF Chapters and approximately 100,000 CSF student members. Nomination by chapter adviser is required. 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.
Southern California Monte Jade Science Technology Foundation offers scholarships to help foster leadership and entrepreneurship among students. Deadline is at the end of February.
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 at the end of March.
U.S. Bank Scholarship Program awards up to forty $1,000 scholarships to randomly selected students. 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 in mid-April.
The Tang Scholarship awards up to two scholarships totaling up to $15,000 to Asian/Pacific Islander students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (GLBT) from the Bay Area counties in California. Deadline is April 30.
Check 'n Go awards a $1000 scholarship to one qualifying graduating senior high school student with the most well-written essay as judged by its staff. The topic focuses on money management. Deadline is April 30.
SatelliteInternetPros.com awards a $1000 scholarship to one qualifying graduating senior high school student or non-graduating college student with the most well-written essay as judged by its staff. Topics to choose from include the future of mobile internet technology, the impact of social networks, network neutrality, and the next big social trend on the internet. Deadline is May 1.
AWeber Email Marketing Scholarship awards a $1000 scholarship to one qualifying graduating senior high school student or non-graduating college student with the most well-written essay as judged by its staff. The topic focuses on the future of email communication. Deadline is May 1.
Merida Home Sustainability Scholarship awards a $1000 scholarship to one qualifying high school junior or senior. Five top entries will be posted on the Merida Home Blog and the essay with the most visitor votes will win. The topic focuses on "sustainability with style." Deadline is May 1.
TYLENOL Scholarship provides several $5,000 and $10,000 scholarships to students who are pursuing healthcare-related education at an accredited institution. Scholarships are awarded based on excellence in leadership, academic performance and community involvement. Deadline is at the end of May.
SunTrust Off To College Scholarship Sweepstakes gives high school seniors the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship. Only one entry per person for each drawing. One winner will be chosen every two weeks from October 28, 2011 through May 11, 2012.
This page was last updated on Thursday, December 29, 2011 07:17:22 AM PST
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