Sources of Money 43: Government Finance Officers Association

Tuesdays we review a source of financial aid to help you pay for college

Wendy needed more money to get through school. She singed a contract to attend a proprietary, for-profit school to study nursing. She needed $35,000 for her Associates Program. She used our program to find scholarships through search engines, financial aid counselors at the college, and scholarship books. Unfortunately, the more she looked, the more she discovered that students at proprietary, for-profit schools did not qualify for hardly any scholarship money. She also discovered that the contract indicated she had to pay for the schooling even if she did not attend.

Characteristics of Government Finance Officers Association

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) sponsors a couple of scholarships. They include

• Frank L. Greathouse Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to two undergraduate or graduate students who are enrolled in full-time study preparing for a career in state and local government finance. They award the scholarship at the annual conference
  • Qualifications: The web site says “Students must be currently a full-time student in an undergraduate or graduate accounting program that prepares students for careers in state and local government finance. Undergraduate students must be in the process of completing at least their junior year by the time the scholarship is awarded. Application must include a recommendation from student's academic advisor or chair of the accounting program. Student cannot be a past winner of a scholarship administered by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.”
• The Daniel B. Goldberg Scholarship is available for award to a full-time graduate student who is pursuing an advanced degree and is preparing for a career in state and local government finance.
  • Qualification: Criteria for Scholarship Award: Statement of proposed career plan in state and local government finance and proposed plan of graduate study. Plans to pursue a career in state or local government finance. Past academic record and work experience.- Strength of past coursework and present plan of study, as it relates to a career in the public sector

Thursday we answer questions about applying for scholarships with reusable applications

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Reusable Materials 42: Answers to A Few New Reusable Materials

Thursdays we discuss how reusable materials can WOW committees and save time

Alan worked for a high tech firm programming visual graphic displays for corporate security systems. He maintained his skills through regular seminars and workshops sponsored by the vendors of the programs he used. He also decided to earn a master’s degree. He petitioned his company for an educational reimbursement. They agreed to cover 80% of each class depending on his grades. He added two scholarships that covered his books and lab fees, plus gave him extra money for food.

Q: What are the reusable materials you suggest we prepare?

A: For 8 years, we’ve taught you to prepare the following reusable materials:

• Reusable application including answers to all application questions, lists of awards and transcripts, and themes with subcategories and home-run statements
• 6-8 reusable essays that you can modify and adapt within 10 minutes
• 5 reusable letters of recommendation from school, church, work, community and other leaders
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

In that time, we’ve added a few additional reusable materials you may consider preparing:

• Reusable and completely customizable resume
• Reusable and completely customizable cover letter
• Reusable phone scripts for setting appointments and reconnecting with local committees

Q: Why would we need reusable resumes and cover letters?

A: Many local companies and service organizations sponsor scholarships. The small amount of the awards prevent the committees from investing in building online applications or screening tools. Therefore, they may ask for a resume or cover letter instead.

In addition, you may use a reusable cover letter and resume for school or employment applications. Your reusable resume and cover letter use the same home-run statements as you prepared for your master application. You may copy and paste them into the body of the cover letter or summary of your resume.

Q: Why would I need a phone script for scholarships?

A: Local scholarship committees frequently talk to recipients as part of the award process. Scripts help you effectively communicate your value and why you deserve the scholarship.

Saturday we share several tips for enhancing your qualifications for scholarships

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Sources of Money 42: Association for American Indians Affairs & Others

Tuesdays we review a source of financial aid to help you pay for college

Katy, a Navaho Indian, studied for a masters degree. She worked at a local hospital who helped pay for school with an educational reimbursement. She also received a scholarship each semester as a native American. The amount she received from the Navajo Nation paid for approximately half of her tuition. She worked hard to maintain grades required by her scholarship. She received an academic commendation as one of the 5 highest GPAs in the master’s program.

Characteristics of the Financial Aid for Native Americans

The Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) offers multiple scholarships from its web site (http://www.indian-affairs.org/scholarships/general_information.htm). The site explains

“All regular scholarships are for graduate and undergraduate students from federally recognized tribes except for the Allogan Slagle Memorial Scholarship and David Risling Emergency Aid Scholarship. Some of these scholarships are curriculum specific. Students from federally recognized tribes are not eligible for the Allogan Slagle Memorial Scholarship.

Applicants enrolled in non-recognized tribes are eligible for the Allogan Slagle Scholarship only. This scholarship is open to graduate and undergraduate students in any curriculum.”

The AAIA lists the following as eligibility requirements:

• “Applicants must be Native American from continental US tribes or Alaska Native
• All applicants must be enrolled in their tribe. A copy of tribal enrollment is required
• There is no minimum blood quantum requirement for eligibility
• Applicants must be enrolled as full time students for both fall and spring semester
• Students must have a minimum need of $750 both fall and spring semester to be eligible
• Students must be seeking an Associates Degree or higher. (Sorry, we do not fund certificate programs or seminary)
• Students must be attending an accredited school. ‘See FAQ's for more info’”

Disadvantages of Financial Aid for Native Americans

The obvious disadvantage is that their financial aid focuses exclusively on Native Americans or American Indians. The web site, like many others these days, ceases to provide detail information about the scholarships after the deadlines pass.

Thursday we answer questions about a few new reusable materials to use for scholarships

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Caveat Emptor or Buyer Beware 26: Understatement & Generalities

Saturdays we share tips or cautions to facilitate getting scholarships or avoid problems

Lucinda tried to find scholarships through a variety of methods. The search engines indicated that she qualified for 157 scholarships. She eliminated the ones that she barely qualified to receive. Her list still included 83 scholarships. She applied for all 83 and did not receive any money. We reviewed her master application and found what we call galloping generalities and understatements.

You Hesitate Saying Good Things About Yourself

You must convince scholarship committees that you deserve the award. You convince them by the answers you include in your scholarship application. Your answers should be specific, detailed explanations of the facts.

Unfortunately, life programs you to understate your accomplishments. Saying nice things about yourself resulted in comments from parents, friends, and co-workers about you being

• Stuck up
• Conceited
• Prideful
• Full-of-yourself

Caution About Understating Your Accomplishments

As a result, you probably tend to understate your accomplishments. Telling scholarship committees the facts about your achievements may make you uncomfortable. Your defensive measures will lead you to resist saying good things about yourself. This personal defense may lead you to understate the facts about why you deserve scholarships. For example:

• One girl resisted adding numbers to her home run statements about how many hygiene kits she prepared for survivors of multiple disasters
• A boy felt uncomfortable giving details about the results of his presidency of a local service organization
• A single mother hesitated sharing the troubles she encountered in a bad marriage, and growing up with alcoholic parents

Problems with Galloping Generalities

Another defensive mechanism may lead you to resist giving specifics or details about your accomplishments. As a result, you may tend to create home-run or value statements filled with generalities. Generalities fail to communicate the impact of your work, service, or leadership.

Instead of giving general descriptions that sound like the scout law: I am trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, etc.;  describe very specific examples of a time your trustworthiness benefited—including numbers or dollars—a company or organization.

Tuesday we share several sources of money for American Indians or native Americans

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Reusable Materials 41: Answers to Questions About Deadlines & More

Thursdays we discuss how reusable materials can WOW committees and save time

Justin started college without applying for any financial aid. He didn’t think he qualified for scholarships as a high school student, so he never applied for them. His first semester of college opened his eyes to how much it cost to get an education. He came to us seeking help. We helped him prepare a reusable master application with great home-run or value statements. He used the search engines to find 150 sources of financial aid. He did not qualify fully for many of them, but qualified enough to get $37,000 of scholarships within 12 months.

Q: Some web sites won’t let me submit my application, why?

A: We’ve seen this happen a lot in the last two years. Scholarship web sites cease to accept applications once the deadline has passed. Usually you will find an advisory on the web site stating that the deadline has passed and that they will not accept applications until a certain date. We recommend that you flag your calendar to submit the application for the next rotation of the scholarship cycle.

We also want to remind you that many scholarship committees award money several times a year, so you also want to flag those deadlines.

Q: How long does it take to earn scholarships?

A: Each scholarship differs on how long they deliberate before selecting recipients. We’ve had some people who received awards within months of submitting the application. One father told our staff in September that his son, who attended our workshop in May, already had been awarded $60,000. Other clients told us that they heard they received a scholarship 12 months after they submitted the application.

Most will tell you how long you have to wait before they send you the money. Some scholarship sponsors list the names of recipients on their web sites. You can find out how long it took them to receive the award. Some committees state in the application how long they deliberate.

Saturday we share several cautions about applying for scholarships and the search engines

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Sources of Money 41: The Garden Club of America for Science Majors

Tuesdays we review a source of financial aid to help you pay for college

Kenny graduated from college in chemical engineering with an emphasis in Bio-Technology. He volunteered in a lab experimenting in tissue engineering. He received several scholarships to help him through school.

Characteristics of The Garden Club of America Scholarships

The Garden Club of America sponsors 27 financial aid programs. They list scholarships on the web site. They describe their program as follows:

“Since 1928 when the Rome Prize Fellowship in Landscape Architecture was established, GCA has funded more than 1,100 scholars. Today we offer 27 merit-based scholarships.

Twelve of these are managed by GCA staff and volunteers. We contact universities, arboreta and botanic gardens to encourage them to advertise these scholarships to their students and interns. Selection committees comprised of GCA and community volunteers read applications and propose outstanding scholars to be voted on in March each year. For fifteen of our scholarships, the specialized level of knowledge necessary to choose the most compelling research projects requires that we partner with…outside organizations.”

They list of topics for financial aid. Each topic offers multiple scholarships or grant programs. Topics include

• Botany
• Coastal Wetlands Studies
• Conservation & Ecological Restoration
• Desert Studies
• Garden History & Design
• Horticultural & Related Fields
• International Work & Study
• Landscape Architecture
• Native Bird Habitat
• Pollinator Research
• Summer Environmental Study
• Urban Forestry

Their efforts helped some great talents get started:

“Recently, a selection panel member reviewed a list of past recipients of the GCA awards in Tropical Botany, which were first awarded in the 1980s. These scholars are now well established in their careers. The selection panel member commented that the names appearing on the list are a “veritable who’s who” of the Systematics and Forest Ecology fields today. The Garden Club of America is deservedly proud of its scholarship program.”

 

Disadvantages of The Garden Club of America Scholarships

• Limited to very scientific students in a variety of botanical studies
• Web site does not offer a screening or search feature to save you time finding them

Thursday we update with new topics for reusable scholarship essays

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Tips to Get Money for College 16: How to Find Even More Scholarships

Saturdays we share tips or cautions to facilitate getting scholarships or avoid problems

Janine became very creative at finding scholarships and other financial aid. She talked to relatives, friends, and others about earning scholarships. She became very adept at gathering information through casual discussions with people. People shared tips, reviewed her reusable materials, and referred to others who had information.

Talk to People Who Already Earned Scholarships

You can gather great information about earning scholarships from people who already earned them. This may include:

• Students who already graduated from your high school
• Students who already graduated from another high school in the same school district
• Students who graduated or still attend high school in different states
• Friends of yours, or your parents, who earned scholarships in the past
• Family members and relatives who earned scholarships in the recent or long-past
• Friends and family who belong to fraternities, sororities, and service organizations
• Family, friends, and others employed by companies or organizations that give money
• Alumni from the college or university you wish to attend

Questions to Ask About Earning Scholarships

While processes and techniques have changed significantly in the last 15 years, the principles involved in impressing scholarship committees have not changed. The people mentioned above may possess information and tips to help you successfully earn scholarships. Asking questions helps you find out those tips and information:

• How did you impress the scholarship committees?
• What did you say or do in your scholarship applications that earned you the money?
• What tips would you give me to earn more scholarships, grants, and financial aid?
• Would you please review my master application and essays for improvements?
• Who gave you the most help when you were applying for scholarships?
• What was the best source you used to find scholarships?
• What mistakes did you make, that I should avoid or learn from, to get financial aid?
• Any other suggestions, tips, or ideas you can share with me?
• Who else would you suggest I talk to that also earned scholarships"?

Tuesday we share The Garden Club of America as a source of finding money for college

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.