Research, effort key to finding scholarships

Incoming freshmen are the beneficiaries of an array of financial aid assistance, including assistance from IU’s Selective Scholarship Application, help from their high school’s college centers and the provision of padded envelopes at graduation.

But financial help for current IU students is out there and accessible, too, if students only put in the time to search for such opportunities, said Ron McFall, associate director of the Office of Scholarships.

“First of all, the perception does exist that there aren’t any opportunities for current students, but that’s definitely not the case,” he said.

While larger, four-year scholarships such as the Adam W. Herbert Presidential Scholars Program and the Cox Research Scholars Program are offered only to freshman, McFall said opportunities for current students come often in the form of single-year financial awards.

“I would actually say that, while IU certainly focuses on first-year recruitment for the
freshman class, I would say that in the four years that our office has been around, I feel like the departments and schools have been doing a better job of providing scholarships to current students,” he said.

A good place to look for aid is within the departments or schools of students’ majors, McFall added.

“In reality, there are a lot of great students here at IU, and with some exploration and talking with students and professors within their own department, there are indeed additional opportunities,” McFall said.

IU SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

IU Alumni Association Scholarships
One-year $1,000 scholarship based on financial need and academic achievement
Full-time undergraduate children of IUAA members are eligible.
Applications due March 30. Winners will be notified by May 11.
Visit alumni.indiana.edu/students/scholarships/iuaa.html for the application.

Cox Legacy Scholarship Program
Indiana residents who are working students with financial need
The three-part application process must be finished by March 1.
Visit scholarships.indiana.edu/scholarships/cox/index.php

IU Foundation scholarship application
Comprised of more than 180 scholarships, both financial need and merit-based
All IU students who meet scholarship criteria
Submissions through OneStart are due by March 10.
Visit iufoundation.iu.edu/students/scholarships.html

ADVICE
McFall advises that students who are looking for scholarships should submit as many applications as possible. There is no downside to putting your name in the pool, he said.

“I would also suggest that there is no magic answer in terms of what committees are looking for,” McFall said. “I always tell students to not be afraid and be themselves in their responses. Let your own personality come through in the application process.”


FEDERAL AID
 IU students have only 31 days to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid before the March 10 priority date.

While that day is only considered a priority date, and the FAFSA is accepted anytime throughout the school year, administrators at the Office of Scholarships and the Office of Student Financial Assistance say it is in students’ best interests to file as soon as possible, and certainly before the priority date.

“You could jeopardize or sacrifice potential need-based funding,” said Roy Durnal, interim financial aid director at the Office of Student Financial Assistance.

The Office recently sent out postcards to students’ home residences to remind parents the deadline is soon approaching.

New this year, FAFSA filers can use an Internal Revenue Service data retrieval tool that allows filers to pull IRS tax information, such as adjusted gross income, for use when filling out the FAFSA.

“It’s a time saver, and it allows us to know that the information submitted on that FAFSA is correct because it comes from the IRS,” Durnal said.
 
ADVICE

-Don’t forget to sign the form. It’s one of the most common mistakes, Durnal said.
-Put a zero for fields that require a number, but in which you don’t have a number to fill it.
-Double check your information, looking for transposed or incorrect numbers, even after submitting the form.
-Use the proper website: fafsa.ed.gov. Some websites will charge you to file, which is a scam.