What are Scholarships?
Simply put, scholarships are monies awarded to a student to pay for school. There are many sources, including the federal and state government, the college or university you are applying to, and private scholarships from businesses, non-profits and other groups. Usually you apply for them, although scholarships from colleges are often automatically applied for when you fill out their admissions application.
Fill out your FAFSA!
FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. By completing the FAFSA, you and your student will see if you are eligible to receive federal aid such as the Pell Grant, Federal Student Loans, and more.
Should everyone do it?
Generally, yes. Even if you don't think you will be eligible for aid, many colleges AND scholarships require the student to have filled out the FAFSA. And, you might be surprised at what you qualify for!
FAFSA aid can also be applied to Career Technology and other post-high school opportunities. And, filing your FAFSA is not committing to going to school or accepting aid money- it's just becoming eligible for it. There's no reason not to fill one out.
Does it matter when I fill it out?
Yes, it can. Earlier is better, as you have a more informed picture of the money available for school. And, although the FAFSA is federal, our state (Oklahoma) actually uses the FAFSA to qualify students for a state grant called OTAG. Once OTAG funding is gone it is gone, so filing your FAFSA earlier gives you a better chance to receive state money. Many colleges also have priority deadlines and want to see your FAFSA by then to offer you the best financial aid package.
Need more info? https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/help
Ready to get started? Both the parent and the student will need to create their own accounts. Create your FSA ID here: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/fsaid/
Should everyone do it?
Generally, yes. Even if you don't think you will be eligible for aid, many colleges AND scholarships require the student to have filled out the FAFSA. And, you might be surprised at what you qualify for!
FAFSA aid can also be applied to Career Technology and other post-high school opportunities. And, filing your FAFSA is not committing to going to school or accepting aid money- it's just becoming eligible for it. There's no reason not to fill one out.
Does it matter when I fill it out?
Yes, it can. Earlier is better, as you have a more informed picture of the money available for school. And, although the FAFSA is federal, our state (Oklahoma) actually uses the FAFSA to qualify students for a state grant called OTAG. Once OTAG funding is gone it is gone, so filing your FAFSA earlier gives you a better chance to receive state money. Many colleges also have priority deadlines and want to see your FAFSA by then to offer you the best financial aid package.
Need more info? https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/help
Ready to get started? Both the parent and the student will need to create their own accounts. Create your FSA ID here: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/fsaid/
Private Scholarships
Private scholarships come from a variety of sources. Some are famous (The Coca-Cola Scholarship, the Gates Scholarship) but many are not. While most students will be offered some scholarship money from the college they attend, students can (and should) also seek out private scholarships from other sources.
Scholarships might be merit based (based on GPA or test scores or class standing), need based (based on the financial need of the family), community service or leadership based, or awarded due to the action of the applicant (writing essays, making a video, etc.).
Finding scholarships can be a challenge. In general, you should never pay for a scholarship and don't need to pay for scholarship finding services. When in doubt, research the scholarship and contact the College Office if you have concerns. Mrs. Malahy has some specific scholarship sources that she recommends. They are listed below:
OCCF -The Oklahoma City Community Foundation is a non-profit group that offers many scholarships across the state, including some specifically reserved for PCN students!
Putnam City Schools Foundation- PC Schools is proud to have our own Foundation, dedicated to supporting our students and faculty. Each year the Foundation offers several scholarships created by the Foundation itself or former faculty and staff. Some of them are school specific- the link above takes you to the PCN scholarships.
OKCollegeStart -Run by the State of Oklahoma, OK College Start is a great source of college information and has a whole section on scholarships. Students and parents can sign up and create a profile, and search for scholarships that they qualify for.
UCanGo2 -Another website run by the State of Oklahoma, Ucango2 offers scholarships that can be sorted by deadline or category.
Big Future -Created and run by College Board, the entire Big Future website contains resources for learning about college and financial aid. Like OKCollegeStart, students can build a profile and search for scholarships they qualify for.
UNCF- very large scholarship organization dedicated to helping minority students attend and pay for college. They gave away over 100 million dollars in scholarships last year!
Scholarship America- very large scholarship organization that hosts many scholarships from different groups and organizations. Founded in 1958 and has given away over 4 billion in scholarships since it's creation.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund- organization that provides scholarships for Hispanic and Latino students, including some for undocumented students.
American Indian College Fund- organization the provides scholarships for Native American students. Students should also check with their individual tribes.
Going Merry-A private website, Going Merry is recommended by several colleges. As with the other sites, students create a profile and are matched with scholarships.
Scholarships might be merit based (based on GPA or test scores or class standing), need based (based on the financial need of the family), community service or leadership based, or awarded due to the action of the applicant (writing essays, making a video, etc.).
Finding scholarships can be a challenge. In general, you should never pay for a scholarship and don't need to pay for scholarship finding services. When in doubt, research the scholarship and contact the College Office if you have concerns. Mrs. Malahy has some specific scholarship sources that she recommends. They are listed below:
OCCF -The Oklahoma City Community Foundation is a non-profit group that offers many scholarships across the state, including some specifically reserved for PCN students!
Putnam City Schools Foundation- PC Schools is proud to have our own Foundation, dedicated to supporting our students and faculty. Each year the Foundation offers several scholarships created by the Foundation itself or former faculty and staff. Some of them are school specific- the link above takes you to the PCN scholarships.
OKCollegeStart -Run by the State of Oklahoma, OK College Start is a great source of college information and has a whole section on scholarships. Students and parents can sign up and create a profile, and search for scholarships that they qualify for.
UCanGo2 -Another website run by the State of Oklahoma, Ucango2 offers scholarships that can be sorted by deadline or category.
Big Future -Created and run by College Board, the entire Big Future website contains resources for learning about college and financial aid. Like OKCollegeStart, students can build a profile and search for scholarships they qualify for.
UNCF- very large scholarship organization dedicated to helping minority students attend and pay for college. They gave away over 100 million dollars in scholarships last year!
Scholarship America- very large scholarship organization that hosts many scholarships from different groups and organizations. Founded in 1958 and has given away over 4 billion in scholarships since it's creation.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund- organization that provides scholarships for Hispanic and Latino students, including some for undocumented students.
American Indian College Fund- organization the provides scholarships for Native American students. Students should also check with their individual tribes.
Going Merry-A private website, Going Merry is recommended by several colleges. As with the other sites, students create a profile and are matched with scholarships.
The Next Step Scholarship
"The Next Step Tuition-Waiver Scholarship offers qualifying high school students in Francis Tuttle Technology Center's school district up to 1080 hours of free tuition in a long-term Career Training Program/pathway. Scholarship recipients will be required to pay for books, clothing and any other materials or fees required by that program. To apply, students must complete and submit a Francis Tuttle adult application for admission" |
Graduates of Putnam City North, whether or not they went to Tuttle as high school students, are entitled to the Francis Tuttle Next Step Tuition Waiver Scholarship. See Mrs. Redus in the Career Office, or the Francis Tuttle Financial Aid Office for more information!
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