Scholarships

Books  |  Local Web Links  |  Other Web Links  |  The Search  |  What To Watch Out For  |  Scams  |  Software Resources

Books

Search our catalog online at http://follettweb.vsac.org:9000/webopac/main?siteid=1. Patrons may borrow books either by coming to the Resource Center in downtown Winooski, or by making an interlibrary loan request through their local school or public library.

The A’s & B’s of Academic Scholarships (2005)	Call # 378.3 Leider
The College Board Scholarship Handbook (2008)	Call # 378.3 CEEB
Don’t Miss Out: The Ambitious Student’s Guide to Financial Aid (2006)	Call # 378.3 Leider
Get Free Cash for College: Secrets to Winning Scholarships (2004)	Call # 378.3 Tanabe
Get Paid to Play: Every Student Athlete’s Guide to Over $1 Million in College Scholarships (2007)	Call # 378.3 Kaplan
How to Go to College Almost for Free: The Secrets of Winning Scholarship Money (2002)	Call # 378.3 Kaplan
Kaplan Scholarships (2006)	Call # 378.3 Schlacht
Peterson’s College Money Handbook (2007)	Call # 378.3 Peterson
Peterson’s Scholarships, Grants, and Prizes (2007)	Call # 378.3 Peterson
The Scholarship Book, 12th ed.: The Complete Guide to Private-Sector Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Loans for the Undergraduate (2006)	Call # 378.3 Cassidy
The Scholarship Scouting Report: An Insider’s Guide to America’s Best Scholarships (2003)	Call # 378.3 Kaplan
The Sports Scholarships Insider’s Guide: Getting Money for College at Any Division (2005)	Call # 378.34 Wheeler
VSAC’s Paying and Planning for College: Scholarships (video) (2001)	Call # VCT 378.3 VSAC
Winning Scholarships for College: An Insider’s Guide (2004)	Call # 378.3 Ragins

Web links

Local Web Links

• VSAC publishes the Scholarships Book annually that includes more than 150 scholarships available to Vermonters.

• The Vermont State Colleges offer institutional scholarships and scholarships that are available system-wide. For a list of available scholarships, call the Vermont State Colleges at (802) 241-2520 or (800) VSC-2205, or search online — www.vsc.edu/Scholarships/tabid/122/Default.aspx

Other Web Links

Here are several sites where you can search a database of scholarships at no charge. While there may be some overlap between the databases, no two are identical.

• FastWEB bills itself as “the Internet’s largest free scholarship database.” You can establish a mailbox to receive scholarship updates, and the FAQ section is quite informative — www.studentservices.com/?

• The College Board has a feature called Scholarship Search that uses information gathered from their Annual Survey of Financial Aid Programs — http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp

• Scholarship Experts customizes its scholarship database for each student using an extensive questionnaire — www.scholarshipexperts.com

• Scholarship Resource Network Express provides scholarship searches of over 8,000 programs nationally — www.srnexpress.com

• Peterson’s Scholarship Search connects you to over 1.7 million awards — www.petersons.com/finaid/file.asp?id=806&sponsor=1&path=ug.pfs.scholarships

• CollegeNet search has a database that contains more than 600,000 awards — www.collegenet.com/mach25/app

• Student Scholarship Search offers a directory of scholarships that you can search without entering any personal information — www.studentscholarshipsearch.com/Scholarships/index.php

• Finaid has a financial aid estimator and links to scholarship searches — www.finaid.org

• Mapping Your Future offers a wealth of information on paying for college — www.mappingyourfuture.org

• Scholarships.com will compare your information to its database of over 600,000 scholarships from over 8,000 sources. The scholarship awards that match your profile will be delivered to you immediately online — http://scholarships.com

• The United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) E-Scholar Web site provides all students (high school and higher), parents, and career professionals with information on different educational opportunities offered by Federal Government departments and agencies, or partnering organizations. The site includes information on scholarships, grants, internships, fellowships, cooperatives, and apprenticeships — www.studentjobs.gov/e-scholar.asp

The Scholarship Search

Begin your search for scholarships 9 to 12 months before the start of the academic year for which you need funds. Start close to home and branch out (local, then statewide, then national) as time allows. Here are some possible sources of information on scholarships:

• Local high school or town officials — Information on scholarships restricted to your local town, region, or school

• Your college or university — Information on scholarships restricted to the postsecondary school you attend

• VSAC's Scholarships Book

• VSAC Resource Center

• National Web searches

What To Watch Out For

How will scholarships affect other aid?

• Before applying for scholarships, check with the financial aid office of each school you are considering to see how receiving a scholarship may affect your overall financial aid.

• Carefully consider the following:
  • Will it reduce loans?
  • Will it reduce work-study?
  • Will it reduce grants?
  • Will it reduce school-sponsored or other scholarships?

Beware of Scams

• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns students to be careful in using scholarship search companies. While some firms may be legitimate, many are not.

• The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) sends an annual report to Congress on college scholarship fraud — www.nasfaa.org/publications/2007/gaidfraudreport052507.html

• A tip-off could be if the firm “guarantees” or “promises” scholarships or grants. No reputable firm can legitimately make such a claim.

• Beware of the following telltale lines:
  • “This scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.”
  • “You can’t get this information anywhere else.”
  • “May I have your credit card number to hold this scholarship?”
  • “We’ll do all the work for you!”
  • “There’s a fee to apply for this scholarship.”
  • “You’ve been selected by a national foundation to receive a scholarship.”

Software Resources

VT Guidance Central is a web-based, personalized, self-guided program that provides comprehensive career, college, and education planning tools

You can use VT Guidance Central as a tool to:

• explore career possibilities
• plan the training you need for specific careers
• search for colleges/universities that fit your desired criteria (e.g., location, size, programs/majors, activities, costs)
• learn about financial aid options
• and much more!

Visit the VSAC Resource Center in Winooski to utilize other assessment, career, and education planning software tools.

Updated: April 2008

Compiled by: VSAC Resource Center, 10 East Allen Street, PO Box 2000, Winooski, VT 05404
Call: 800-642-3177 toll-free or Burlington area 802-655-9602 • Fax: 802-654-3765 • E-mail: info@vsac.org

The Vermont Student Assistance Corp. was established by the Vermont General Assembly in 1965 to help Vermonters obtain the information and financial resources they need to pursue their education goals beyond high school.