October 2016 Plan for the Future with HAVE YOU APPLIED? FOR ADMISSION FOR HOUSING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS ADMISSION IF YOU HAVE Congratulations! Call and make sure the college/s received your application. Then, sit back for awhile and wait to hear from them. If you gave them enough information, you may receive an early acceptance. IF YOU HAVEN T GET GOING QUICK! Some colleges have Deadlines for Admission. Most admission applications are online. IF YOU DON T KNOW HOW Call us for help and DON T PUT IT OFF! (Even if you haven t taken the SAT or ACT- Apply for admission and your SAT/ACT scores will be sent later). If you have already taken the ACT/SAT- and you are retaking one of them, don t delay in registering for the next test date. Be sure your high school name is shown at test registration time -so that your transcript reflects it. HOUSING Check your application for admission. It may have the housing application in it or on it. If not- then, call the housing department and have them send you an application and check their deadline for Application Receipt, Dorm Deposit, etc. EVERY COLLEGE HAS DIFFERENT RULES concerning housing. Don t rely on someone else s experience at another college! No two colleges are alike in procedures. Be saving for your Dorm Deposit and get it in EARLY! POPULAR DORMS FILL EARLY! If you know someone who attends your choice of college- ask them which Dorm is best and request it EARLY. Here is a scholarship for housing. www.apartmentlist.com/scholarship Deadlines: Spring March 1 st / Fall Sept 1st
SCHOLARSHIPS This is the part you PUSH PUSH PUSH YOURSELF, BECAUSE NO ONE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU. Plan for the Future Page 2 of 7 PLACES WE TOLD YOU ABOUT FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS Right under your nose in the college and career office of your high school. They are usually in a file cabinet or you may be lucky and have a great counselor who posts them online in deadline order for you. Find out. This is where you find the ones like Rotary Club, Lions Club, DAR, SAR, Wal-Mart, American Legion, FFA, etc. If it says NEED BASEDthen apply for it WHETHER YOU ARE RICH OR POOR -as the NEED BASE is a methodology used by the Federal government- and you may have need base- without knowing it. We can explain that later- but don t miss out now over the word NEED BASED. DO THEM ANYWAY, whether you are rich or poor. Call us if you are not clear on whether to try one or not. DON T ASSUME you are not qualified for a scholarship just because you drive a car and wear nice clothes. Check your ISD Foundation Scholarship at your HS website. GENERAL UNIVERSITY, ENTERING FRESHMAN, ACADEMIC/HONORS & DEPARTMENTAL SCHOLARSHIPS Inside the college(s) to which you applied. Most are online now and can be completed and submitted online. Check the financial aid and scholarship links for you college(s). if you applied for admission, but didn t do the separate scholarship application offered on the admission application, then go back and do it now. This is very important at State College(s) and Community College(s). E-SCHOLARSHIP DATABASE E-Scholarships is a data base that provides you with scholarship sources that Benchmark provides you in addition to the scholarships on this newsletter. To access these scholarships you must go to http://collegeguidanceconsultants.com/benchmark/login and use the username benchmark and password benchmark ADDITIONAL SOURCES We try to keep some that may or may not be in your data base profile. Call or Email the Service Center and Request New Applications. LAST BUT NOT LEAST FEDERAL AND STATE SOURCES OF AID-which brings us to the MOST IMPORTANT STEP of the entire FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM If you have any questions remember to call Benchmark for help at 1-800-509-4500 or Metro 972-256-4500. You can also visit us at www.benchmark- Company.com
Page 3 of 7 Plan for the Future WHEN CAN I FILE IT? NOW! If you need Benchmark to complete your, make sure you have turned in your release, your FSA ID and your parents tax return and W2 s. If you worked, we will also need your tax information. FSA ID, WHAT IS IT? If you are a parent of a dependent student, you will need your own FSA ID if you want to sign your child's electronically. If you have more than one child attending college, you can use the same FSA ID to sign all applications. Please note: Each FSA ID user must have a unique e-mail address. Your FSA ID will confirm your identity when accessing your financial aid information through certain ED websites. When logging in to these websites, you will be required to enter only your FSA ID username and password. Your FSA ID is used to sign legally binding documents electronically. It has the same legal status as a written signature. Don't give your FSA ID to anyone not even to someone helping you fill out the. Sharing your FSA ID could put you at risk of identity theft! Your username does not expire, but your FSA ID password will expire every 18 months You do not have to release your username & Password to Benchmark. However, we cannot use the IRS data retrieval tool (if required by your College), make any changes, corrections or submit your for you. We can complete the and notify you when it has been completed, so you can sign off on it. Student and parent cannot share the same FSA ID. You must apply for an FSA ID and your parent must apply for an FSA ID. An FSA ID serves as part of a person s identification, as well as their electronic signature, and should only be used by that individual. Instruction on how to apply for FSA ID Step 1 go to www..ed.gov Step 2 click on FSA ID (button can be found on the top of the page) Step 3 Click on create an FSA ID NOTE WORTHY MENTIONS LD STUDENTS (learning challenged or physically challenged students) You should contact your ARD instructor about Tuition Assistance for College through the Texas Department of Assistive Rehabilitative Services (DARS) at www.dars.state.tx.us/ Your ARD instructor at your high school will send home information with your child in January or February for you to come to a meeting about this subject. But, we want to tell you to ask for something in particular at the nearest DARS office to your home: you MUST say it the right way in order to get them to respond to you about money for college or they will think you are simply looking for a job the words are tuition assistance for college package you can go in or you can have them send you a packet to fill out but you must ask for the right thing in order to get tuition assistance for college. When doing this, remember that some counties are richer than others and they may set different criteria for how much money or the amount you qualify for. So, be prepared to ask for the criteria at your particular DARS office.
THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH The struggle you are in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow. Plan for the Future Page 4 of 7 DON T FORGET 2017 SENIORS ALL applications and a copy of the latest HIGH SCHOOL grades should be sent by CHRISTMAS to your colleges that you have applied for. So, before you go home for Christmas, go by your college career or Principal s secretary s office and ask them to send a copy of your OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT to the college(s) you have applied to so far. Then, another transcript will be asked for from your high school at the end of your senior year to make sure you didn t goof off the rest of the year! Ha. WORK HARD ALL THE WAY TO GRADUATION. Second semester grades can affect scholarship eligibility. DON T UNDERSTAND! PLEASE CONTACT US! Melissa Sikora Melissa@Benchmark-Company.com Financial Aid Advisor 972-595-2332 If you or your parent(s) have a question, please give us call. Communication drives the engine to success. Call: 1-800-509-4500 Jennifer Bersosa Jennifer@Benchmark-Company.com Scholarship Coordinator 972-256-4500 or 1 800-509-4500 Courtney Hart Essays@Benchmark-Company.com Essay Editor Mary Murray Mary.Murray21@verizon.net Financial Aid Advisor
Page 5 of 7 Plan for the Future OCTOBER 2016 SCHOLARSHIP LIST SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE AES Engineering Scholarship 10/6/2016 http://www.aesengineers.com/scholarships.htm Branson Scholarship 10/15/2016 http://www.bransonshowtickets.com/company/scholarship.aspx College Jumpstart 10/17/2016 http://grantpower.squarespace.com/application-us/ Feelin' Good Poetry Scholarship 10/19/2016 http://www.powerpoetry.org/poetry-slams/feelin-good-scholarship-slam Greet The Day Slam 10/19/2016 http://www.powerpoetry.org/poetry-slams/greet-day-scholarship-slam In ternational High School Essay Contest 10/21/2016 http://www.oppf.org/essay-contest.asp Horatio Alger National Scholarship Program 10/25/2016 https://scholars.horatioalger.org/scholarships/about-our-scholarship-programs/national-scholarships/ Coca-Cola Scholars 10/31/2016 http://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/applicants/#programs Tackle Your Weakness Scholarship (Age 15 and older) 10/31/2016 http://www.getupgetactive.org/active-life-weakness/ $2000 No Essay Scholarship 10/31/2016 https://colleges.niche.com/scholarship/apply.aspx?source=f Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship 10/31/2016 https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/zombie-apocalypse-scholarship Voice Of Democracy 11/1/2016 https://www.vfw.org/community/voice-of-democracy/ Mary Knoll Essay 11/11/2016 https://maryknollsociety.org/publications/essay-contest/ Youth Noise Video Scholarship 11/21/2016 http://www.youthnoise.com/scholarship-program Bachus & Schanker LLC Scholarship 11/30/2016 http://www.coloradolaw.net/scholarship/ Elks Most Valuable Student Competition 11/30/2016 http://www.elks.org/scholars/scholarships/mvs.cfm The Fountain Essay Contest 11/30/2016 http://essay.fountainmagazine.com/ Bruning Legal Scholarship 12/1/2016 http://www.bruninglegal.com/community-involvement/scholarship/ Steven M. Sweat Annual Scholarship 12/1/2016 http://www.victimslawyer.com/scholarship/
OCTOBER 2016 SCHOLARSHIP LIST CONT D SCHOLARSHIP Plan for the Future Page 6 of 7 DEADLINE Lamber-Goodnow College Scholarship 12/1/2016 https://lambergoodnow.com/scholarships/ Doodle for Google Contest 12/2/2016 https://doodles.google.com/d4g/ AXA Achievement Scholarship 12/15/2016 https://us.axa.com/axa-foundation/axa-achievement-scholarship.html Civil Rights Defense Fund 12/31/2016 https://www.nradefensefund.org/contests-scholarships.aspx Gen and Kelly Tanabe 12/31/2016 http://www.genkellyscholarship.com/ Young Patriots Essay Contest 1/3/2017 http://debate-central.ncpa.org/yp-17/ Profile In Courage 1/4/2017 https://www.jfklibrary.org/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest/eligibility-and-requirements.aspx Girls Impact The World Film Scholarship 1/20/2017 http://www.connecther.org/gitw/guidelines Technology Addiction Award 1/30/2017 http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/technology-addiction-awareness-scholarship Texas History Essay Contest 1/31/2017 http://srttexas.org/community.html 800 Wheelchair Scholarship 1/15/2017 http://www.1800wheelchair.com/scholarship/ Providian Medical Scholarship 1/15/2017 http://www.providianmedical.com/providian-medical-scholarship/ We the Students Essay Contest 2/5/2017 http://billofrightsinstitute.org/engage/students-programs-events/scholarship/ Courageous Persuaders Commercial Scholarship 2/9/2017 http://courageouspersuaders.com/the-competition/ DAR Good Citizen Scholarship 2/10/2017 http://www.dar.org/national-society/scholarships/general-info AFA Teen College Scholarship 2/15/2017 http://www.youngleadersofafa.org/about_new.html The Levin Firm Scholarship 2/15/2017 http://www.levininjuryfirm.com/scholarship/ Discover Loans Scholarship 2/28/2017 https://www.discover.com/student-loans/scholarships/award.html?acmpgn=oslspx010 Ewaste Scholarship 4/30/2017 http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/ewaste-scholarship
Page 7 of 7 Plan for the Future OCTOBER 2016 SCHOLARSHIP LIST CONT D SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE Abbott & Fenner Scholarship (Juniors only) 6/12/2017 http://www.abbottandfenner.com/scholarships.htm New Look Tattoo Removal Semiannual Scholarship 11/30/2016 http://www.newlookhouston.com/new_look_scholarship.html MENSA Foundation (Multiple Scholarships) 1/15/2017 http://www.mensafoundation.org/what-we-do/scholarships/us-scholarship-process/us-scholarship-application/ Tall Clubs International (For tall staudents) 3/1/2017 http://www.tall.org/tci-foundation.html Big Sun Athletic Scholarship (Must be in a sport) 6/19/2017 http://www.bigsunathletics.com/