<p>I want to know what you guys use for your college search and did you win any. And does having a high GPA and ACT score automatically help you in winning scholarship money?</p>
<p>Are you a senior?</p>
<p>The biggest and best scholarships are often awarded by colleges. Many can be renewed by maintaining good grades.</p>
<p>Many private scholarships are small and are often “one time” awards.</p>
<p>Yes I am a senior. I wanted to be awarded some extra scholarship money so I can get through college comfortably. My EFC is 0.</p>
<p>Did you already receive your financial aid packages from your schools?</p>
<p>Did you apply to any schools that meet 100% of need?</p>
<p>I didn’t get accepted yet so I didn’t get my package. And I don’t know how to tell for the last question. Does that mean if your parents make less than a certain amount a year it is free? I plan on going to a state university.</p>
<p>Best place to start finding out about scholarships is the counseling office at your high school. They will collect information about local opportunities.</p>
<p>If you want to put in a lot of effort for long odds on big money, you can also check out [FastWeb</a> : Scholarships, Financial Aid, Student Loans and Colleges](<a href=“http://www.fastweb.com/]FastWeb”>http://www.fastweb.com/) for national competitions.</p>
<p>*And I don’t know how to tell for the last question. Does that mean if your parents make less than a certain amount a year it is free? I plan on going to a state university. *</p>
<p>No…</p>
<p>Some schools’ policy is to meet 100% of need. But, most state schools can’t do that. Which state school do you plan on attending (are you a resident of that state)?</p>
<p>What schools did you apply to.</p>
<p>Did you apply to any schools that you can commute to?</p>
<p>Only 2 public universities guarantee to meet the full demonstrated financial need of all students.Those school are UVA and UNC, which are some of the hardest public schools in the country to gain entrance to.</p>
<p>Other public schools may be able to meet as little as 60% or less of students’ demonstrated need, and that need may be met by very large loans.</p>
<p>For probably most people whose families can’t help them financially with college, their best alternative is to live at home and commute to a local community college (which depending on one’s stats may give you merit aid) and then transfer to an in state public university. Some in state public universities even provide merit aid to top transfers from in state community colleges.</p>
<p>Overall, the best way to get scholarships is to apply to colleges that give scholarships that you’d have a good chance of getting. For merit aid, that typically means that your stats need to be at least in the top quarter of applicants.</p>
<p>Check out local clubs and organizations: banks, credit unions, Knights of Columbus, DAR, Mensa, PTA etc. Often they have local money, but rentof2 is correct about asking in the guidance office.</p>
<p>While you may be able to get local scholarships by following MD Mom’s advice, usually those are small – less than $1,000. The way to get the big bucks scholarships is through colleges that are generous with need-based aid or have merit scholarships that you’d qualify for.</p>
<p>I’m a state resident and it’s Georgia State University.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Well, you’ll get your state HOPE money for tuition, right?</p>
<p>You’ll get full Pell - $5350 - which should cover most of room and board.</p>
<p>You may get some other federal grant money (anyone know? )</p>
<p>You’ll likely get some work-study for pocket money and transportation costs.</p>
<p>It sounds like you’ll only have to take a Stafford (maybe not the full amount) to pay for the rest of room and board and books.</p>
<p>It sounds like you’re in a pretty good shape. A small scholarship here or there would help with books.</p>
<p>Hope does pay for tuition. And with the grant I’m fine. But don’t you get a financial aid package with some free money? I’m also doing scholarship searching so I won’t need a loan.</p>
<p>*Hope does pay for tuition. And with the grant I’m fine. But don’t you get a financial aid package with some free money? *</p>
<p>Are you asking if you’ll get more than HOPE and Pell grant in free money? </p>
<p>You could call or email your FA office and find out if you might get some other federal $$ with your EFC.</p>
<p>Thanks I’ll call and see. My parents tell me I can’t take out loans since their credit is bad.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>First of all, your Stafford loans (and Perkins loans if offered) won’t have ANYTHING to do with your Parents’ credit.</p>
<p>Those loans are offered to YOU alone. Your parents’ info/credit is NOT a consideration.</p>
<p>In addition to checking with your high school’s guidance department, check the guidance departments of other local highschools (via their websites). Some do a more thorough job of listing available local scholarships than others.</p>