Tips for Scholarships

Finding Scholarships:

1. Don’t fall for scams. you should NEVER pay to get a scholarship. Do not give out personal financial information like bank accounts, credit card information, or your Social Security Number. 
2. Don’t underestimate small scholarships. The smaller award scholarships are often less competitive. 
3. Don’t wait until your senior year to look for scholarships, they are available for grades 10-12 all year round!

Before You Apply:

• Create a scholarship resume (awards, service, experiences, activities, leadership, skills etc.).
• Use a calendar and checklist to get organized.
• Prioritize your applications by deadline.

Essay Tips:

• It’s the story that counts! 
• Be creative, use fresh language and think outside the box
• Give examples and be specific.
• Be passionate in your essay and write about something of interest to you.
• Proofread a printed copy of the essay for spelling and grammar mistakes.

Additional Tips:

• Use a professional email address
• Remove inappropriate and immature material on your social media accounts.
• Make a photocopy of your application before mailing it.
• Send the application by certified mail with delivery confirmation.
• Apply early and often…Apply, apply, apply!

Most Common Application Mistakes:

• Missing deadlines
• Failing to follow directions – i.e. essay length
• Leaving out required information
• Failing to tailor the application to the sponsor
• Failing to proofread the application
• Exaggerating or lying on the application
• Applying for an award for which you do not qualify
• Writing a boring or potentially offensive essay.

 Scholarship Toolkit - Keeping a solid scholarship resume is important.  Instead of applying for a job, you’re applying for free money!  This toolkit will help you start your scholarship resume, which you can continue adding to throughout high school.

Mrs. Cline is our scholarship coordinator. The purpose of our scholarship/financial aid coordinator is to assist students in conducting scholarship searches to help pay for post-secondary training in certificate, two-year, or four-year programs. Services provided by our coordinator include:

• Updating scholarship data base
• Conducting parent/student workshops
• Providing individual consultations
• Holding Chocolate Chips and Scholarships sessions
• Giving class presentations on paying for college
• Sending Remind messages about scholarships
• Compiling scholarship data
• Assisting students in applying for college

Current WXHS Scholarships

Davis School District Scholarship Database

Online Scholarship Search Sites

• College Aid Advice 
• College Board  
• Fastweb 
• Going Merry
• Keys to Success
• LendEDU
• Questbridge
• Student Loan Report
• Student Scholarships
• Unigo

VIRTUAL FAFSA EVENT
October 1 - November 19, 2020

Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority (UHEAA) will be offering virtual FAFSA sessions from October 1 - November 19, 2020. This is not a presentation. Rather, you will join the Zoom call, then work on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on your own computer, at your own pace. To sign up for a Zoom link, click here. See information below for a list of documents you will need. 

HELPFUL LINKS

• FAFSA Application
• FSA ID application
  • FSA ID tips
• Work-Study 
• COVID-19 FAFSA updates English/Spanish
• SwiftStudent: Get free help with the financial aid process 

HB 144 is a House Bill that was passed in 2002 in the state of Utah that allows qualifying undocumented students to pay in-state tuition if he/she attends a Utah college or university. This means that even though a student does not have residency status, they may attend Utah State University at the resident tuition rate. In order to QUALIFY for HB 144, a student must meet the following requirements:

• Student must have attended a UTAH high school for three (3) or more consecutive years.
• Student must have graduated from a UTAH high school with a diploma or G.E.D.
• Student must NOT be registered as an entering student at a Utah college or university before the fall semester 2002.
• Student must have filed an application to legalize his or her immigration status or will file an application as soon as he or she is eligible.

Navigating Undocumented Admissions in Utah

Tip Sheet for Undocumented Students

Legal Resources for Undocumented Families 

Davis Dreamers

The Dream.US

University of Utah Undocumented Admission FAQ's

If getting a college education is your priority, the military is one way to meet that goal. From military service academies, military colleges, the ROTC, credit and tuition support programs, there are many options available to young people today.
 

Military options for training/college assistance

The Regents’ Scholarship encourages Utah high school students to prepare for college academically and financially by taking a core course of study and saving for college. See link below for application.

The Regents’ Scholarship may be modified each year as a result of legislation. It is important that you use the information found on the Regents website as your resource for the most up-to-date information. 

NOTE: Regents' Scholarship will be discontinued after the 2020-21 school year.

Regents Scholarship

Concurrent Enrollment EDGE SCHOLARSHIP 

• Complete 12 or more credit hours of CE courses in high school
• Earn a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on all CE course work
• Must enroll at Weber State University after high school
• See above link for more information

The New Century Scholarship encourages Utah high school students to accelerate their education by earning an associate degree in high school from an institution within the Utah System of Higher Education or completing a specific math and science curriculum. The scholarship may be used at any four-year public college or university in the Utah System of Higher Education. The New Century Scholarship may be modified each year as a result of legislation. It is important that you use the New Century website as your resource for the most up-to-date information.

NOTE: The Century Scholarship will be discontinued after the 2020-21 school year.

New Century Scholarship

For an incomplete list of Utah companies that offer tuition reimbursement, click here.