Tips and Resources for Parents
How to Help Your Student Find and Apply for Scholarships
While it is important that student applicants invest their own time and energy into the scholarship application process, there are many things that you, as a parent, can do to help. Here are some tips to keep in mind and some online resources to consider.
- » The FAFSA
- » Discussing College Finances
- » The Scholarship Search
- » Staying Organized
- » Brainstorming
- » Proofreading
- » Providing Support
Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You should complete a FAFSA for every year that your son or daughter attends college (not just the first year they are enrolled.) Without this application, the university will not be able to assess your student's financial aid eligibility - which is an important concern for some scholarships. The FAFSA is due every year on March 2nd, and it can easily be filled out online here. Do not wait until your final text information is available; you can provide estimates, and then update the application later if necessary.
Sit down with your son or daughter to discuss college finances and financial responsibility. Students may be reluctant to work on scholarships because they don't have a complete understanding of a family's finances or of how loan repayment will work after college. It is a good idea to emphasize the positive during this discussion: point out to your student, for instance, that they will be better able to pursue things that are important to them after graduation if they can keep their loans to a minimum. For more information on how to talk to your student about financial literacy, see: this article .
While it is a good idea for your son or daughter to search for scholarships on their own, you can follow up on a number of leads to assist them in tracking down applications. Many organizations offer scholarships to the children of members, participants, or employees. Check with your employer to see if your company or workplace offers scholarships. Ask leaders of clubs and other social organizations that you may belong to (The Elks, Freemasons, Rotary Club, Acacia Fraternity, for example) if a scholarship fund is available to the group. Synagogues, churches, mosques, and other religious organizations sometimes offer scholarships. And, last but not least, children and even grandchildren of those who have served in the military can very often be eligible for scholarships.
Make it easy for your student to stay organized. If your son or daughter has a centralized space to keep applications, a calendar of due dates, envelopes, stamps, and a portfolio or folder box for application materials within easy reach, it will be much easier to complete applications and mail them off.
Essay prompts will sometimes ask students to talk about past experiences, or to demonstrate a long-standing commitment to an idea or cause. You may remember anecdotes or stories that your son or daughter can use while responding to essay questions. Let your student know that you are willing to lend a hand during the brainstorming stage.
Having an extra reader (or a few extra readers) can always help during the writing process - even the best essays can get better! Offer to check your student's essay over for grammar and organization. It is very important, however, to let your son or daughter's own voice shine through the essay. Parents can serve in supporting roles, but, as with academic writing, all work turned in to scholarship committees must be the student's own.
Applying for scholarships can be a lot of work, and can require a large emotional investment. There is no guarantee that your student will receive any given scholarship, even if he or she submits a very strong application. It can be easy to get discouraged and give up on applying to scholarships altogether. Encourage your son or daughter to stay positive and keep working. The most successful applicants apply for many, many scholarships (20-30, rather than 3-4). Remind students that the more applications they send out, the better their chances will be of connecting with an organization that is looking for someone like them!
A few more helpful resources:
How to Go to College Almost for Free, by Ben Kaplan. (Click here for Amazon Listing.) Also available for UCLA students to view at the SRC's office in 233 Covel Commons. This book is a comprehensive guide to scholarships and can help with financial aid questions. It also has a chapter specifically for parents.
Scholarshipexperts.com - Online resources for parents as well as for students. Also includes an online database that students can sign up for to research scholarship options.Click here to visit the page.
UCLA Financial Aid Website: http://www.fao.ucla.edu/.
The SRC is here to help you! We offer free resources to help you find scholarships!
EMAIL US or CALL THE CENTER at (310) 206.2875. THE SRC's hours are 11 am to 6 pm throughout the academic year and 12 pm to 5 pm during the summer.
