Scholarships with Upcoming Deadlines!

Don't forget about your institutional scholarship applications! Get started NOW so you have plenty of time to refine them AND submit BEFORE the deadline! #reducestress

Here are a few other scholarships to check out! 

La Raza Youth Leadership Institute Scholarship  -Due March 8th, 2 $1500 for MSU Denver and 7 $1000 for Community College of Denver 

El Cafe del Futuro Scholarship -20 $5,000 scholarships 

MCA Denver Failure Awards Scholarships - Top Prize $10,000

M.R. Hellie Memorial Scholarship - $500-$5,000 awards

Hearthstone Housing Scholarship- Adams County Residents Only  - $500-$5,000 awards

Davis-Putter Scholarship - $10,000 per year maximum award

Hispanic Scholarship Foundation - $500-$5,000 awards

Education First Scholarship - West and North HS Students are eligible. Due 3/15/19

Click here for MANY MORE Scholarships! 

How do I compare the costs of different colleges?

You've completed your Institutional Aid forms or the FAFSA! WOOOOHOOOO

You've been accepted! Congratulations! 

Your colleges have offered you some Grant $$$! Way to go! 

You are working on Institutional Scholarships! Nice effort! 

• But how much is it going to cost?! 
• Which school is the best fit (financial and otherwise)?
• How do you know?! 

I'm sure you are working on your Institutional Scholarship applications and this will increase the aid you'll get from your colleges. But you can get a head start on figure out the COST OF COLLEGE to you with this tool from College Board. Click on the link begin comparing the cost of up to 4 colleges. Enter your Pell Grant (FAFSA $$$) amount as Gift Aid because you do NOT have to pay it back.

Remember to SAVE the info by following the steps when you click Save Info at the bottom of the page!

Let your Post-Secondary Success Navigator know what your results are!

YESS Post-Secondary Success Update!

The YESS HS Class of 2019: YESS Road to Success

99% of the YESS HS Class of 2019 have an active post-secondary plan.

YESS Scholars have already earned almost $900,000 in scholarship monies to be distributed over the next 4 years.

40% have applied for scholarships with many deadlines coming up in the next 2 months.

85% have been accepted to college at this time. More to come, we are sure!

YESS Scholars have been accepted to CU Boulder, Community College of Denver, Wartburg, Morningside, CSU, Cottey College, UC Denver, University of Denver, Metro State, Mesa and UNC- to name just a few of their options!

The YESS Road to Success Scholarship was released today. We're excited be able to distribute about $12,000 to YESS Scholars this year.

Senior Spring Post-Secondary Planning Checklist!

Senior Spring Checklist! 

January
	Complete remaining college applications
	Complete FAFSA or alternative forms if you haven't done so already
	Follow up on your college applications.
	Begin activating college portals. Ask us how!
	Update personal statement with fall semester experiences
	Check College E-mails
FEBRUARY
	Apply to at least three scholarships
	Filling out and submitting verification forms if needed for FAFSA
	submit institutional scholarship application for each college
	Grade check with all teachers
MARCH
	Complete Next Steps for Technical College Pathway
	Compare costs of the schools you are considering
	Grade check with all teachers
APRIL
	Collect Financial Aid Packages
	Choose an official college or pathway
	submit student housing application
	Check College E-mails
	Grade check with all teachers
	Sign up for orientation
MAY
	Set up a one-on-one check in with PSSN
	Prepare for graduation

Winter Break TO DO LIST!

Be sure to check items off the following list over your Winter Break!

• Log in to your college email and Student Hub AT LEAST twice a week! If you have any questions, text me!
• 
  
• If you haven't applied to all of the colleges you are interested in, JUST DO IT! 
• 
  
• Check your Student Aid Report by logging in with your FSAID credentials as fafsa.ed.gov Let me know how much $$$$ you'll receive for your Pell Grant! 
• 
  
• Apply for SO MANY scholarships. The more you do now, the better. Click here for essay tips! 
• 
  
• Apply for your INSTITUTIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS! These are the ones that your colleges offer ONLY to students at that school. 
• 
  
• HAVE FUN!
• 
  
• REST! 
• 
  
• Get excited for THE LAST SEMESTER of HIGH SCHOOL! 

Scholarship Essays!

You guys! If you haven't started (and maybe even finished) your scholarship application essays...

IT IS TIME! 

I know it can be hard to write about yourself and share your thoughts, feelings and experiences with total strangers. But it can be the MOST POWERFUL part of your application. Sure, grades and test scores matter but most colleges want to get to know YOU as a person with a story...not just the numbers and letters on your transcript! Your essay really is an opportunity for the people in admissions to learn more about WHY they should admit YOU to their college. 

Carve out some time over Winter Break to work on essays! 

TAKE A CHANCE! 

Be yourself! Make sure your essay 'sounds' like you. Just like you want people to be REAL with you, being REAL in your essay makes a difference! 

Start NOW! Select one of your essay topics. Set your timer for 30 minutes and just brainstorm. Write/type EVERYTHING that comes to mind...even if it's takis! I mean, try to stay focused on the topic and write any and everything that comes to mind. You may come across an idea or direction you weren't expecting BUT that will make an awesome essay! And remember, no one has to EVER see your brainstorming document. 

Check out the links below for some great tips on writing your BEST college essay! There are some video clips too. 

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/8-tips-for-crafting-your-best-college-essay

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/tips-for-writing-an-effective-application-essay-college-admissions

Colorado Opportunity Fund: COF

Have you applied for COF? 

You'll SAVE $85/credit hour on your tuition at some of Colorado's public universities and community colleges! The state of Colorado will pay a 'stipend' towards your tuition and this will reduce your total tuition bill. This could be almost $1,300 PER SEMESTER! The application only takes a few minutes. 

If you are an ASSET and/or DACA student, apply now HERE! 

APPLY NOW HERE! You'll need your Social Security # to complete the application. 

COF can be used at the schools listed below:

Four Year Public Colleges:

• Adams State University
• Colorado School of Mines
• Colorado State University
• Colorado State University-Pueblo
• Fort Lewis College
• Colorado Mesa University
• Metropolitan State University of Denver
• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Colorado Colorado Springs
• University of Colorado Denver
• University of Northern Colorado
• Western State Colorado University

Two Year Public Colleges:

• Arapahoe Community College
• Colorado Northwestern Community College
• Community College of Aurora
• Community College of Denver
• Front Range Community College
• Lamar Community College
• Morgan Community College
• Northeastern Junior College
• Otero Junior College
• Pikes Peak Community College
• Pueblo Community College
• Red Rocks Community College
• Trinidad State Junior College

Private Colleges:

• Colorado Christian University ($43/hour)
• Regis University ($43/hour)
• University of Denver ($43/hour)