<p>Hello, I am having difficulty looking for scholarships that I am eligible for. I graduated high school May 2014 and almost all the scholarships I find are only for graduating seniors. I am taking a gap year. Therefore, my college acceptance has been deferred to the fall of 2015. Does anybody know of any scholarships that I would be eligible to apply for this year? I know Gates Millennium is one of them. I want to apply to as many scholarships as possible since I come from a low income family (<$20,000 a year). I am also Hispanic if that helps. Thank you very much in advance.</p>
<p>Low income families can get a lot of money from the colleges themselves.Those are the most valuable because they are good for four years. You didn’t get into a ‘meets need’ college? How much are you short per year?</p>
<p>According to my award statement, my out-of-pocket cost is around 5,000 dollars a year, which is still quite a lot for me and my family.</p>
<p>That is your family contribution without loans or with loans? Do you have a Pell Grant? Does that include work study? You should be earning about 3k this summer toward that.</p>
<p>Are you $5000 short on the university billable costs?</p>
<p>$5,430 is my family contribution after the school grant, Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, Federal Perkins Loan, and work study are taken into account. My eligibility for additional borrowing through PLUS and/or Private Loans is $5,526. What exactly do you mean by I should be earning about 3k this summer? Is this through the work study? I am not considered an enrolled student until the fall of 2015 if this is one of the requirements. Right now I am working through a summer youth internship program but this money is going towards my gap year.</p>
<p>Why are you taking a gap year? Is it because you have chosen to defer your enrollment and do something else for the year, or is it because you need more money to attend this college?</p>
<p>The summer BEFORE you enroll in college, you should plan to work at least one job?..not work study…just a regular job. This will earn you enough money to at least have $2500 towards that $5000 shortfall. So…next summer, plan to be working full time to earn money for college costs.</p>
<p>You can also take a $5500 Direct Loan (I didn’t see that in your package) to fund what the school didn’t give you.</p>
<p>I am taking a gap year because I have chosen to do something else for the year. Oh, yes, I will plan to work full time next summer. I will also ask the school about Direct Loans. The Direct Subsidized Loan seems to have a lower interest rate than the Unsubsidized Loan, so I am assuming it is better for me. I do not want my family to take out any loans, so I would not consider the Direct PLUS Loan. I am assuming that it is difficult to find scholarships or other grants that I am eligible for then? </p>
<p>I don’t know your cost of attendance or the amount you have already received in need based aid. But it sounds like you have gotten a goodly amount from your college already. Is it a school that meets full need? Most DO require a student contribution. For some students, this student contribution is a combination of Direct Loans, their own summer employment and work/study or employment during the school year.</p>
<p>If you receive an outside scholarship of any kind, you are required to report it to the college. You need to find out what YOUR college will do if you receive outside scholarships. These outside awards reduce your financial need, and therefore, your need based aid from the school could very well be adjusted down. In most cases, schools reduce the “self help” portion of the aid given starting with loans, then work-study. The schools usually do not reduce your expected contribution.</p>
<p>So…you need to find out how YOUR college handles outside scholarships should you get one.</p>
<p>Is it possible that your Gap year activity is one where you will make some connections where scholarships might be available? For example, students who do Americorps do get some kind of stipend that can be used for college.</p>
<p>If you manage find an outside scholarship, it is entirely possible that will be subtracted from the school gives you and you will still have to pay the same amount. You have better check on that.</p>
<p>The school strives to meet the financial need of students with the funding that they have. I talked to the Financial Aid Office about what they would do if I received outside scholarships. I will talk to them again to make sure I clearly understand what will happen in the first year of school. As far as I understand, the outside scholarships would not count against the money the school gives me until after the first year of school. In the first year, the loan and work study portion may be adjusted down due to outside scholarships.</p>
<p>My financial aid estimate indicates that I qualify for a Federal Perkins Loan of $1,750 per semester, and a work study of $1,250 per semester.</p>
<p>My gap year activity might be able to give me some connections. It is Rotary Youth Exchange. I researched a $1,000 dollar scholarship sponsored by a local Rotary club that I would be eligible to apply for next year. </p>
<p>You should absolutely contact the Rotary, and see what they might have to offer students who do their exchange programs!</p>
<p>You should also have been given a 5500 Stafford Direct Loan…call your FA office and ask for that. You can get that.</p>
<p>I will contact Rotary then and see about the 5,500 Stafford Direct Loan. Thank you! >:D< </p>
<p>Another option, if you qualify, is apply to some of the big scholarship schools during your gap year:
<a href=“http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/”>http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/</a>
<a href=“Competitive Full Tuition / Full Ride Scholarships - #46 by ucbalumnus - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-p4.html</a></p>
<p>UCBA…I think the OP has deferred her enrollment at her current college. I’m not sure she is looking for another school.</p>
<p>Of course looking for another school IS an option if the current one is not affordable. But if this student takes a portion of the Direct Loan AND has earnings from a summer and school year job, she should be able to cover the $5000 shortage.</p>
<p>But if OP defers at one school, doesn’t he/she need to decline the current schools offer??</p>
<p>The OP has deferred for a year at the college she is talking about. She doesn’t HAVE another college right now. She is doing a Rotary Exchange for a year, and then enrolling at THIS college.</p>
<p>She simply wants to know if there are any scholarships she can apply for during her gap year to help fund a $5000 shortage.</p>
<p>Right! What I meant to say that if one is accepted at one college and defers, can they then go out and apply to other schools?</p>
<p>If a student has deferred admission, they must adhere to THAT school’s policies. No applying to other schools (although really…how would they know?), and usually no classes elsewhere.</p>