Paying for College
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Beginning your financial aid search
(Please click on the bold words for a quick link to the websites)
FAFSA - Getting financial aid and scholarships require that you complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You should complete your FAFSA early in your application process. Once you have completed your FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). This report shows the amount of money that you and your family are expected to contribute towards your first year of college. This is called your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Families and students will need to fill out the FAFSA each year the student attends a post-secondary school. The figure is used by educational institutions and scholarship funds to determine financial need.
FSA ID - both student and parent will need to create an FSA ID before starting the FAFSA. Please make sure that you keep this information in a safe place, as you will need to refer to it in the next few years.
Ask Benji - This is a new digital assistant to help students and families complete the FAFSA. You may download the app on your phone, and then while completing the FAFSA, if you have a question or don't understand something, you can ask Benji! He will immediately have the answer for you!
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Most scholarships require that you write a composition (usually about 350 words) which can include any or all of the following: your high school activities, leadership positions, community activities, educational goals, career goals, financial need, work experience, and any special considerations. Put plenty of effort into this statement because it needs to make you stand out among your peers. Make sure that your spelling and grammar are correct and that you have proofread your statement.
Teacher/Counselor/Community recommendations - Some scholarships will ask that you provide a letter of recommendation by a teacher, counselor, or another adult. This needs to be someone who knows you well and will say positive things about your character, your work ethic, and your overall awesomeness. This will need to be someone NOT related to you. When asking someone for a letter of recommendation, you will need to show them respect by giving them enough time to be able to thoughtfully write something out on your behalf and still get it in on the deadline. So the rule of thumb is to ask and then give that person at least a month ahead of the deadline. Also, make sure you give them information about where the letter needs to be sent. Here's is a link for a brag sheet that you can fill out to give to the person that is writing the letter of recommendation. This is a time for you to let us know what makes you special, unique, and stand out from everyone else.Searching for Scholarships
Below is listed a variety of search engines to look for scholarships. A few things to keep in mind. The more scholarships you apply for, the greater your chances of success. As you are looking at scholarships and if you meet the primary eligibility, click on the scholarship to make sure you meet the complete eligibility and then apply for those scholarships! Make sure you submit all of the application materials required for each scholarship by the deadline dates. Make a note of each scholarship date and where it is located on a calendar so you will not forget it. Never pay to apply for a scholarship! Don't fall for scams!Check out our Running Scholarship list:Explore additional scholarship oppourtunities (thousands!) on your Major Clarity account!Scholarship Search Engines- Big Future Grants and Scholarships (Collegeboard)
- Chegg Scholarships
- Fastweb
- CollegeScholarships
- Free-4-U
- College Depot - get one-on-one help
- Going Merry
- International Scholarships
- Niche
- Scholarships.com
- Unigo
- ScholarshipGuidance
- StudentScholarships
- Earn to Learn
- Raiseme
Native American/Minority Scholarships- Gates Scholarship - for minority students
- College Horizons
- Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship Foundation Assistance (ONNSFA) - For Navajo-enrolled students
- Hopi Tribe Grants and Scholarships Program (HTGSP) - For Hopi-enrolled students
- Southwest Native American Foundation
- American Indian Graduate Center (AIGCS)
- American Indian Education Fund (AIEF)
- American Indian College Fund (AICF)
- American Indian Services Scholarship
- Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA)
- Catching the Dream (CTD)
A detailed list of Native American Scholarship Opportunities
For Undocumented and DACA Students
Our Partner! Please visit their website to receive even more help!
