Scholarships are generally awarded on the basis of exceptional academic, artistic, extracurricular, or athletic achievement. Many scholarships also have a financial need component. Some scholarships are awarded by faculty nomination, and others are posted on the daily bulletin announcements. Students should also check with their parents’ employers and their churches to see if they offer scholarships. Depending when scholarship applications arrive in the Counseling Office, some applications may have short deadlines. Stay informed by listening to announcements, and complete applications by stated deadlines. Earning scholarships is hard work! See Mrs. Sawyer for scholarship applications.
Please be sure to visit www.cfnc.org to learn about the types of financial aid available. The website includes information about scholarships, grants, and loans. Families may also use North Carolina's Financial Aid Estimator when planning for college. All high school students should have a CFNC account.
CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE registration guides are available in the Counseling Office or at http://www.collegeboard.com. Registrations are accepted beginning around September 15. Certain colleges, universities and scholarship programs use the information on the PROFILE to award nonfederal student aid. Some of the colleges in North Carolina that use the PROFILE are Davidson, Duke, Elon, North Carolina A & T, North Carolina State University, UNC Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University. A complete listing of colleges that require the PROFILE is located at http://www.collegeboard.com.
FAFSA - A worksheet on how to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be available in the Counseling Office in December. This application must be completed by all seniors who wish to apply for federal student financial aid and Stafford Loans. The federal government strongly encourages all families to complete the application online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. Families who do not have access to the internet should contact Mrs. Sawyer to schedule a time to complete the FAFSA at school. The FAFSA application cannot be filed until January 1st. Although it is not necessary to have your previous year's income tax forms completed to file the FAFSA, it makes the process much simpler if your tax forms are done since the information requested on the FAFSA comes directly from your tax information.
The Educational Opportunity Center is an excellent resource for high school students and adults who are applying to college or for financial aid. Visit their website at www.surryeoc.org to learn more.
Beware of scholarship scams! Many commercial companies advertise that they can link students with scholarships. Most of these companies use scholarship search databases and provide information that is readily available to the public. These companies generally charge high fees for information that is readily available to students and parents through the Internet and our Counseling Office. Never pay for a scholarship search or to complete the FREE Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).