Piqua City Schools

Tips from FastWeb and the Federal Trade Commission    

•  To get started, go online and take advantage of free scholarship searches, check the scholarship list on the guidance website, and check the college’s financial aid office for scholarships.  Do not waste your time applying for scholarships that you are not eligible to win.

• To prepare get organized and keep scholarships you are working on separate from those you have not started.  Use a calendar to track dates and deadlines.  Create a folder for each scholarship application and materials. 

• Know your time frame to apply.  Complete and send the easiest scholarships first.  Then focus on the scholarships with earlier deadlines and ones that may require more time.  Allow plenty of time when requesting letters of recommendation. 

• When submitting your application, remember to check spelling and grammar.  Proofread your materials and have your teacher, parent, or friend read over your application and essay.  Make sure you included all required documents and you answered all of the questions.

•  Look for tell tale lines of a scholarship scam: "The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back." "You can't get this information anywhere else." "I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship." "We'll do all the work." "The scholarship will cost some money." "You've been selected by a 'national foundation' to receive a scholarship" or "You're a finalist" in a contest you never entered.

• The FAFSA is the federal form the U.S. Department of Ed. uses to determine how much federal student aid you qualify for.  Even if you think you "make too much money", completing the FAFSA gives you or your child the opportunity to borrow federal loans, which may be at a reduced interest rate than private loans.

• Students who will be attending college should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) soon after January 1.  Check your college's priority deadline for filing the FAFSA. 

• The FAFSA on the Web is prefered because it is the fastest and easiest way to submit the information.  The FAFSA on the web worksheet helps you complete the form online.  They can be printed from the website or obtained in the guidance office.  Parents and students need to apply for a personal identification number (PIN), so they can electronically sign the FAFSA.  Keep the PIN secure.  It will be used the four years the students are in school.

• If you need help filing the FAFSA, Call 1-800-4 Fed Aid or  1-877-I Attain.  Edison Community College offers College Goal Sunday in February.  For more information, visit the website or call 1-877-428-8246.