ACCESS Receives
Special Honor

ACCESS is proud to announce that it has received this year’s Champion of ACCESS award from the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM) at their recent Annual Dinner for its success in increasing college access for low-income students in Boston and Springfield.

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Applying for a Scholarship

College scholarships are awards given to individuals for the purpose of furthering their education. They are a great opportunity to secure free money to put towards your college expenses. Unlike student loans, scholarships do not have to be repaid. Hundreds of thousands of scholarships from several thousand sponsors are awarded to students each year. Remember that the more active and involved you are with your school and outside organizations, the greater your chances of receiving scholarships.

Applying for an ACCESS Scholarship

Upon completion of the college selection and financial aid packaging processes, students with unmet financial need may apply for an ACCESS Last Dollar Scholarship. In 2007, ACCESS provided over $650,000 to students through its Last Dollar Scholarships. These funds are distributed based on need for students who have worked with ACCESS advisors, and range from $200 to $2,500 and are renewable for up to six years. You may now fill out your application online.

Applying for other scholarships

Scholarships are awarded based on criteria including financial need, academic achievement, athletic achievement, nationality or ethnicity, and public service. Decide how many scholarships you want to apply for and set a goal. Do not ignore smaller scholarship amounts ranging from $100-$500 - it all adds up and any amount will contribute to your education.

 

 

When researching scholarships, consider the following:

What are the requirements?

  • If you do not fit into the stated requirements, most likely the scholarship review committee will not consider your application.


Is there an essay?

  • If so, make sure what you write is relevant to the scholarship.
  • Review essay questions for all applications. If questions are the same, or similar on multiple applications, you may use the same answer.

What is the deadline?

  • Start researching scholarships as early as your junior year in high school.
  • Do your homework and plan which scholarships you are going to apply for.

Is it a local or national scholarship? How many awards are they offering?

  • Local scholarships may have less competition, so your chances of getting those may be higher.

Is the scholarship legitimate?

  • Even though the internet can house millions of legitimate scholarships, it can also house ones that are scams as well.
  • A scholarship may be a scam if it: has an application fee, requires you to pay to search the site, guarantees money, and/or has no contact information other than a P.O. Box and an email address.


 

 

When filling out scholarship applications, remember:

Write a solid essay

  • Start early and budget your time
  • Answer the questions asked
  • Consider your influences, goals and attributes--don't be afraid to share your story
  • Proofread!

Know your strong points

  • If you volunteer, find scholarships that target candidates who volunteer
  • If you have a job, find out if your job has tuition reimbursement

Know your weak points

  • If you do not have a strong GPA, focus on extracurricular activities
  • If writing is not your strong point, make sure you get assistance

Get a recommendation

  • Give two weeks notice per recommendation and provide a deadline
  • Provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a resume
  • Send a thank you letter

Check, double check, triple check

  • A large percentage of scholarship applicants get cut right away because they do not fulfill all the criteria; for example, if the minimum GPA is 3.5 and you have a 3.2, do not waste your time with this scholarship - find another one
  • Grammar and spelling count - make sure your application is immaculate!


 

 

Links for Researching College Scholarships Online