Scholarships!!!!

 

Deadline for all applications is March 1, 2021 Achievement Scholarship for Refugees & Immigrants of Wake County, Up to $16,000  First-generation U.S. citizens, refugees, or immigrants, residents of Wake County, North Carolina who have completed at least one academic year at a high school in Wake County. High school seniors at the time of the application with a GPA of 2.5 or greater, planning to pursue a degree as a full-time student at an accredited public, private, or technical college or university in NC, and able to demonstrate family financial need.  (NEW) Almac Scholarship, $50,000 The ALMAC Scholarship Fund is being created out of a desire to give back to the communities in which ALMAC employees live and work. The ALMAC Scholarship Fund of Triangle Community Foundation will support 1st-year college students in the Triangle region pursuing 4-year degrees at a North Carolina public college or university. The desire of ALMAC is to provide selected students with career guidance, connection to current employees, and insight into the industry.  Benjamin F. Ward Scholarship, $10,000  Graduating high school seniors in Wake, Durham, Orange, or Chatham counties planning to attend a 4-year public or private college or university in North Carolina. Must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale with demonstrated commitment to community service and family financial need. Elizabeth Marie Roberts Scholarship, $8,000 Graduating seniors from Northern High School, Riverside High School, Voyager Academy, or Durham School of the Arts. Must be accepted into any public state university or college in NC, Watts School of Nursing, or Durham Technical Community College and have a minimum grade of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale with demonstrated family financial need.  Felicia Brewer Opportunity Scholarship, Up to $80,000 This scholarship's purpose is to create a life-transforming opportunity for immigrant or first-generation students who have overcome significant adversity, giving them the opportunity to pursue their dreams and improve their lives through education or training. It will be awarded to students who have attended a Chapel Hill –Carrboro City Schools district high school.  GSK Opportunity Scholarship, Up to $20,000 Be a U.S. Citizen for a minimum of one year; reside in Chatham, Durham, Orange, or Wake counties for a minimum of one year; be eligible to receive NC resident tuition costs; attend a public state university or community college in NC and demonstrate the potential to succeed despite adversity as well as an exceptional desire to improve himself or herself through further education or training. Jason and Jessica Evans Memorial Scholarship, $4,000 Be graduating high school seniors at Orange High School in Hillsborough, NC, plan to pursue a 4-year degree as a full-time student at any accredited public or private college or university with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrated family financial need. Jay Spence Memorial Scholarship, $8,000 Be graduating high school seniors or alumni of Jordan-Matthews High School or Chatham Charter High School in Siler City, NC, and plan to continue an undergraduate or graduate education at an accredited public, private, or community college. Exhibit strong character through a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and commitment to making a difference in the lives of others through service. Be a Christian, demonstrate family financial need and demonstrate the potential to succeed despite adversity. Joseph Nystrom Working Student Scholarship, Up to $16,000 Students in Orange, Wake, Durham, Chatham or Alamance counties who are working at least part-time while in school and have demonstrated financial need. Juanita McNeil West End Scholarship, $2,000 Be a graduating high school senior in Durham County with a GPA of at least 2.5 and demonstrated financial need. Residents of the West End Community (zip codes 27701 and 27707) are encouraged to apply and will be given preference. NC American Indian Fund Scholarship, $1,000 Be enrolled in a state- or federally-recognized tribe (with documentation), demonstrate sustained involvement in the American Indian Community and commitment to American Indian concerns and initiatives, have family residency in the state. Be currently enrolled or planning to enroll in a post-secondary institution in NC, maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA and plan to pursue a 2-year or 4-year undergraduate degree as a full-time student at an accredited public, private, or technical college or university. Richard Whitted Scholarship, $1,000 Graduating seniors at Cedar Ridge High School, Orange High School, Carrboro High School, Chapel Hill High School or East Chapel Hill High School planning to enroll full-time at a 4-year college or university. Must demonstrate commitment to community service and academic excellence.   (NEW) Triangle Scholarship Fund, $10,000 One high school senior and one adult learner in Chatham, Durham, Orange, or Wake counties planning to attend a public or private college or university in North Carolina. Must have a 2.5 GPA and demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to improving their community through volunteer work, work experience, and/or future aspirations and plans. Umesh and Usha Gulati Scholarship, $2,500 Seniors at one of the following high schools in Durham, NC: Hillside High School, Northern High School, Riverside High School, Southern High School, Jordan High School, Durham School of the Arts, or City of Medicine Academy. Graduating with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA and planning to attend a 2- or 4-year technical school, college, or university. Able to demonstrate financial need. Van and Luella Thomas Family Scholarship, $1,000 Graduating high school senior from Jordan Matthews High School, Siler City, NC who have motivation for educational success but are not receiving financial aid from other sources. William L. Wall Family Scholarship, $4,000 Graduating high school seniors or alumni from Jordan-Matthews High School or Sage Academy in Siler City, NC who will be first-time college students at a public college or university in North Carolina in the coming fall.   These scholarships are part of our universal online application, meaning you will complete one main form with your basic eligibility, academic, and financial information and the system will present you with all the scholarships you are eligible for and their application questions. You must submit both the universal application AND the individual scholarship questions to be considered. Please reach out to us if you have questions PRIOR to March 1!

Apply Here!

You've been Accepted to College, Now What?

 

Register now for a free webinar: You've been Accepted to College, Now What?

Wednesday, January 27 | 2pm ET Register Now Thursday, January 28 | 8pm ET Register Now

Congratulations on your accomplishments! Please join a discussion to learn about the next steps in your college journey. This webinar will help you understand critical points with making your college decision.

• Additional research about campus and community options • Factors for choosing a college • How to complete the financial aid process • Comparing financial aid offers • What to do if you need more money • Finding scholarships • Your to do list once you make your college decision

Space is limited, so please register early!

Plus, check out the Paying for College Resource for more ways to help students and families pay for college, including helpful guides, free tools, and a video series.

Learn the secrets to qualifying for more grants and scholarships for college!

 

The financial aid system doesn’t work by just completing a FAFSA and hoping! It is a very specific and complex set of rules that will determine how much you will pay and how much financial aid you can get at each school. When you know the rules, you can play to win. Your opponents (the government and schools) know them very well. Unfortunately, most parents simply don’t know the rules of the financial aid game. Let us help!

The HEFAR Group is a non-profit company with a mission to help make college more affordable for everyone. As one of the top college funding advisors in the country, we know every loophole available to help you get more free money for college. Click above to view this week’s Financial Aid Mini Workshop. If you like the information in our Financial Aid Mini Workshop, click below to view our full-hour recorded webinar, Beat the High Cost of College! You can also Click Here to see what others are saying about The HEFAR Group.

Free Paying For College Resource

 Be sure to see the full website below!  

https://www.payingforcollegeresource.com/?dtd_cell=SMSCGESCSOSOOTOTOTHOTHRN010102

Sallie Mae has created this resource to help students and families responsibly pay for college. Explore important, timely topics and share with others who may have questions about planning for college.

Students could win $1,000 for college simply by registering for our college planning tools. 1

Register now

Webinars

You’ve Been Accepted to College, Now What?January 27, 2:00 PM ETJanuary 28, 8:00 PM ET

Navigating Financial Aid OffersFebruary 24, 2:00 PM ETFebruary 25, 8:00 PM ET

Budgeting for High School StudentsMarch 24, 7:00 PM ETMarch 25, 8:00 PM ET

Watch webinar replayA Simpler, Faster Way to Complete the FAFSA®

How America Pays for College

Scholarships – Finding Free Money for College

The Real Cost of College - How to Save, Plan and Pay

Talking to kids about the Inauguration

 

Talking to kids about the Inauguration. A presidential Inauguration usually isn't something parents need to talk about with their kids, but this year is a year like no other. Should you let children watch on live TV? How do you discuss continuing anger over false allegations that Joe Biden didn't win? (Above, the president-elect is sworn in as vice president at the 2013 Inauguration as his wife, Jill, stands beside him.) How do you deal with your child's anxiety when you're having trouble dealing with your own? Start with a conversation. “You want to create an open space for conversation,” says DePaul University associate professor Alyssa Westring, co-author of Parents Who Lead. “So you might just start with something like, ‘The Inauguration is coming up. Do you know what that is? What have you heard about it?’ Give them space to talk.” Check out other tips for helping your child understand this year's Inauguration. And don't forget that despite the insecurity, the Inauguration is still a great opportunity to teach children about history and civics. See below for ideas.

Just the facts. Please. This week will likely mean a lot of confusing news for kids about the transition of power. Help them suss out the truth by becoming expert fact-checkers. This kid-friendly article provides tips on verifying sources and experts, as well as sorting out hoaxes. Here’s a parent-friendly version on helping your children develop media literacy skills.

Scholarship and College Planning Resources

 

Seniors,

Kick off 2021 by staying on track with college planning. College Covered has  resources to keep students organized and explain upcoming financial aid steps. Plus, their easy-to-enter scholarship sweepstakes can help cover your college costs.

$5,000 Scholarship: This is the last month students and parents can enter to win the 2020 Discover^® Student Loans Scholarship Sweepstakes. No essay required. No purchase or loan necessary to win. See Official Rules for details1. 
​​​​​​
College Planning Calendar: The monthly college prep checklist helps students stay ahead of important tasks – from finalizing admissions and scholarship applications to financial aid and paying for college.

A Breakdown of the Student Aid Report (SAR):     A simple, downloadable guide for students and parents to help understand the SAR and know what information is important to review.
​​​​​​
Please see  CollegeCovered.com, a free resource on planning and paying for college.  

If you have any questions, feel free to contact: 
 

Amy D'Arecca
Relationship Manager
amydarecca@discover.com
561-585-7284

New Scholarships Available!

 

Deadline for all applications is March 1, 2021 (NEW) Triangle Scholarship Fund, $10,000 One high school senior and one adult learner in Chatham, Durham, Orange, or Wake counties planning to attend a public or private college or university in North Carolina. Must have a 2.5 GPA and demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to improving their community through volunteer work, work experience, and/or future aspirations and plans. (NEW) Almac Scholarship, $50,000 The ALMAC Scholarship Fund is being created out of a desire to give back to the communities in which ALMAC employees live and work. The ALMAC Scholarship Fund of Triangle Community Foundation will support 1st-year college students in the Triangle region pursuing 4-year degrees at a North Carolina public college or university. The desire of ALMAC is to provide selected students with career guidance, connection to current employees, and insight into the industry.  Achievement Scholarship for Refugees & Immigrants of Wake County, Up to $16,000  First-generation U.S. citizens, refugees, or immigrants, residents of Wake County, North Carolina who have completed at least one academic year at a high school in Wake County. High school seniors at the time of the application with a GPA of 2.5 or greater, planning to pursue a degree as a full-time student at an accredited public, private, or technical college or university in NC, and able to demonstrate family financial need.  Benjamin F. Ward Scholarship, $10,000  Graduating high school seniors in Wake, Durham, Orange, or Chatham counties planning to attend a 4-year public or private college or university in North Carolina. Must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale with demonstrated commitment to community service and family financial need. Elizabeth Marie Roberts Scholarship, $8,000 Graduating seniors from Northern High School, Riverside High School, Voyager Academy, or Durham School of the Arts. Must be accepted into any public state university or college in NC, Watts School of Nursing, or Durham Technical Community College and have a minimum grade of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale with demonstrated family financial need.  Felicia Brewer Opportunity Scholarship, Up to $80,000 This scholarship's purpose is to create a life-transforming opportunity for immigrant or first-generation students who have overcome significant adversity, giving them the opportunity to pursue their dreams and improve their lives through education or training. It will be awarded to students who have attended a Chapel Hill –Carrboro City Schools district high school.  GSK Opportunity Scholarship, Up to $20,000 Be a U.S. Citizen for a minimum of one year; reside in Chatham, Durham, Orange, or Wake counties for a minimum of one year; be eligible to receive NC resident tuition costs; attend a public state university or community college in NC and demonstrate the potential to succeed despite adversity as well as an exceptional desire to improve himself or herself through further education or training. Jason and Jessica Evans Memorial Scholarship, $4,000 Be graduating high school seniors at Orange High School in Hillsborough, NC, plan to pursue a 4-year degree as a full-time student at any accredited public or private college or university with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrated family financial need. Jay Spence Memorial Scholarship, $8,000 Be graduating high school seniors or alumni of Jordan-Matthews High School or Chatham Charter High School in Siler City, NC, and plan to continue an undergraduate or graduate education at an accredited public, private, or community college. Exhibit strong character through a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and commitment to making a difference in the lives of others through service. Be a Christian, demonstrate family financial need and demonstrate the potential to succeed despite adversity. Joseph Nystrom Working Student Scholarship, Up to $16,000 Students in Orange, Wake, Durham, Chatham or Alamance counties who are working at least part-time while in school and have demonstrated financial need. Juanita McNeil West End Scholarship, $2,000 Be a graduating high school senior in Durham County with a GPA of at least 2.5 and demonstrated financial need. Residents of the West End Community (zip codes 27701 and 27707) are encouraged to apply and will be given preference. NC American Indian Fund Scholarship, $1,000 Be enrolled in a state- or federally-recognized tribe (with documentation), demonstrate sustained involvement in the American Indian Community and commitment to American Indian concerns and initiatives, have family residency in the state. Be currently enrolled or planning to enroll in a post-secondary institution in NC, maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA and plan to pursue a 2-year or 4-year undergraduate degree as a full-time student at an accredited public, private, or technical college or university. Richard Whitted Scholarship, $1,000 Graduating seniors at Cedar Ridge High School, Orange High School, Carrboro High School, Chapel Hill High School or East Chapel Hill High School planning to enroll full-time at a 4-year college or university. Must demonstrate commitment to community service and academic excellence. Umesh and Usha Gulati Scholarship, $2,500 Seniors at one of the following high schools in Durham, NC: Hillside High School, Northern High School, Riverside High School, Southern High School, Jordan High School, Durham School of the Arts, or City of Medicine Academy. Graduating with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA and planning to attend a 2- or 4-year technical school, college, or university. Able to demonstrate financial need. Van and Luella Thomas Family Scholarship, $1,000 Graduating high school senior from Jordan Matthews High School, Siler City, NC who have motivation for educational success but are not receiving financial aid from other sources. William L. Wall Family Scholarship, $4,000 Graduating high school seniors or alumni from Jordan-Matthews High School or Sage Academy in Siler City, NC who will be first-time college students at a public college or university in North Carolina in the coming fall.   These scholarships are part of our universal online application, meaning you will complete one main form with your basic eligibility, academic, and financial information and the system will present you with all the scholarships you are eligible for and their application questions. You must submit both the universal application AND the individual scholarship questions to be considered. Please reach out to us if you have questions PRIOR to March 1!

Apply Here!

Free Virtual college Fair for Sophomores and Juniors

 

BigFuture Days College Fair

Learn More

College Board is hosting our first-ever series of virtual college fairs called BigFuture™ Days. Encourage sophomores and juniors at your school to sign up for a chance to connect directly with college admissions representatives and current college students. They'll have a chance to explore colleges in a way that's not overwhelming, ask questions about topics they want to learn about, and take action on key college planning steps.

Direct students to register at cb.org/bigfuturedays.