Office of Student Aid : Parents of Students : Parent Newsletter

Penn State Office of Student Aid Parent Newsletter

February 2008

Private Scholarship Application Tips

In September, we talked about private scholarships. If your student has located some possibilities and is preparing application materials, the following tips will help him or her improve the chances for success:

• Be sure your student meets all the eligibility criteria before he or she takes time to prepare and submit a private scholarship application.
• Complete any private scholarship applications entirely. Follow directions carefully and provide everything that is requested.
• If an essay is required, advise your student to be concise. Scholarship committees often read thousands of essays. Essays that are specific, personal, and creative stand out to committees.
• Neatness does count. Student should make copies of all forms and use them as working drafts. Once the final version is done, he or she should type or print the final copy neatly and legibly.
• Before it is submitted, you or someone your student trusts should carefully proofread the entire application.
• Student should keep copies of all applications.
• Be wary of solicitations received in the mail from places that "guarantee" scholarships for a fee. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns consumers to be alert for companies that make guarantees, ask for money, or request credit card information.
• Advise your student to access our scholarship pages often. New private scholarships are added to our list all the time.
• Students who are awarded private scholarships should notify the Penn State Office of Student Loans and Scholarships of the award.
• If a scholarship application requires information from the Office of Student Aid, please submit all the necessary information and allow ample time for our staff to complete the form prior to the submission due date.

For more information on private scholarships, access the Scholarships area on our Web site.