Scholarships 101: Finding Cash for Macomb's College-Bound

With the burden of outstanding student loans now hovering around $1 trillion in the U.S., the college dream can quickly become a financial nightmare if students aren’t prepared to cover the cost of higher education.

Because not every high school senior will achieve a full ride to their university of choice, even partial scholarships are considered preferable to signing a high interest loan.

"The cost of college is obviously astronomical, and I'm looking to take out as little in student loans as possible to save myself future anxiety," said senior Alexis Stempien. "Scholarships are a quick, relatively easy way to help fund college without going to the banks."

And though the prospect of filling out more applications and writing addtional essays may give pause to some students, counselor Barbara Zaydel reminds scholarship seekers, “If you don’t try, you get nothing.”

She recommends starting the scholarship search on a student's high school, or future college website.

“We have a website for scholarships under ‘Guidance’ and what we have listed are legitimate links to scholarships that have come to us over the years,” she said.

While the guidance sites of Macomb Township’s high schools do link to some scholarship aggregator sites, Zaydel said students should avoid any website that promises results in exchange for hundreds of dollars.

“They say you’re guaranteed to get a scholarship, but they just take your money,” Zaydel said. “Search engines that ask to pay $500 are scams.”

Start the scholarship hunt at home

All three Macomb Township high schools–Dakota, Lutheran North and L’Anse Creuse North–offer some scholarship tips and links on their respective websites.

While some information is high school specific, most can be used to the advantage of any Macomb student.

Various schools and groups within districts also offer scholarships. Students should visit their respective counseling offices to inquire about these school-specific opportunities.

Some scholarships available to all Macomb residents includes:

• Macomb County Professional Deputy Sheriff's Association Scholarship, $750

To search for other opportunities, school counseling offices recommend these sites:

• fastweb.com
• weeklyscholarshipalert.org
• www.srnexpress.com
• www.SchoolSoup.com
• ncaa.org (athletes)

The Michigan Office of Scholarships and Grants also provides information on programs such as the Michigan Competitive Scholarship, the Tuition Incentive Program, the Michigan Tuition Grant Program and the Children of Veterans Tuition Grant Program.

At the college level, university admissions and financial aid offices can provide a comprehensive listing of all types of aid the institution offers, including scholarships specific to the student's department of the major field of study. Once a college and major are selected, a Web search can turn up private foundations that sponsor college-, or major-specific scholarships.

Talk to the experts about financial aid

Sunday, Feb. 12, is College Goal Sunday at the Macomb Intermediate School District. From 2-4 p.m., 500 financial aid volunteers will be available to seniors to complete the Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at the MISD Educational Resource Center, 44001 Garfield Rd., Clinton Township, MI  48038.

It's best to fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible after Jan. 1, 2012, but the final deadlines to submit a FAFSA are:

• College: Check with the college(s) you are interested in attending. You may also want to ask your college about their definition of an application deadline–whether it is the date they receive your FAFSA, or the date your FAFSA is processed.
• State: Michigan's deadline is March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
• Federal: Online applications must be submitted by midnight Central Time, June 30, 2013. Any corrections or updates must be submitted by midnight Central Time, Sept. 23, 2013.

Before submitting the application

Zaydel recommends students ask a parent or teacher to proofread every scholarship application before it is mailed off.

"Don't write in texting form, use standard English and be sure it makes sense and shows voice and tone so that the person on the receiving end understands what is being said," Zaydel adds. "They only know you through the essay and your ACT score, so go one step beyond."

And above all, "You have to read the fine print," she said. "There is always a set of criteria, and in order to qualify, you need to meet the criteria ... and not miss the deadline."