QuestBridge National College Match Scholarships

The QuestBridge National College Match is a college and scholarship application process that helps outstanding low-income high school seniors gain admission and full four-year scholarships to the nation's most selective colleges.

Award: $100,000

Deadline: Sept. 27, 2016

More info: https://www.questbridge.org/high-school-students/national-college-match

The QuestBridge National College Match

The QuestBridge National College Match is a college and scholarship application process that helps outstanding low-income high school seniors gain admission and full four-year scholarships to the nation's most selective colleges.

College Match Scholarships, which are provided by participating colleges, cover the full cost of tuition, room, and board, are loan-free, and require no parental contribution.

If you are a student who has achieved academic excellence in the face of economic challenges, we encourage you to apply. QuestBridge's college partners are committed to making college affordable for all students — regardless of financial background — and offer generous financial aid packages that cover 100% of demonstrated financial need.

Award: full 4 year scholarships

More info: https://www.questbridge.org/high-school-students/national-college-match

Beyond the Boroughs Scholarship

This scholarship is for current high school seniors entering college in the fall or students currently attending a college or university. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be from a low-income household. Applicants must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher; be accepted to an accredited four-year college, university, or equivalent; and demonstrate involvement in extracurricular activity or work. 

Award: Up to $20,000 over 4 years 

Deadline: April 4, 2014  

More info: http://www.beyondtheboroughs.org/the-scholarship/scholarship-requirements/

Connect2Compete Program - Reduced Price Internet and Computers

Any family with a student who qualifies for the Federally Funded Free and Reduced School Lunch program can now have access to reduced price internet services ($9.95/a month) and computers.

The Connect2Compete program is not specific to any one particular school district. This program is available to any family.

Click here for more info:  http://connect2compete.org/index.php

Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation Scholarship

EDUCATION SUPPORT AWARD APPLICATIONS

In 2013, the Foundation will offer five Education Support Awards of up to $3000 each to assist low-income women with children who are pursuing education or training. Education Support Awards may be used for direct school expenses or for living expenses while you are enrolled in an educational program. Awardees are notified by phone or email. Shortly after recipient notification, the list of awardees is posted to their site. (Please note: The Foundation will contact awardees only.)

 DEADLINE: AUGUST 1, 2013

Applicant Criteria:

• must be a woman, at least 17 years of age 
• must be a mother, with minor children
• must be enrolled in a skills training, ESL, or GED program; or pursuing a technical/vocational degree,  an associate's degree, a first bachelor's degree, or a professional/master's/doctoral degree. 
• must be enrolled in an accredited program during the 2013-2014 academic year 
• must be low-income (annual family income less than $18,000 for a family of 2; less than $24,000 for  a family of 3; less than $27,000 for a family of 4) 

For more info and application: http://www.patsyminkfoundation.org/edsupport.html

 

 

Yale makes tuition affordable to low income students

In an effort to reach out to low-income students who may not consider applying to Yale due to a misperception of its cost, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions has launched a new educational campaign to inform low-income families about the affordability of a Yale College education.

On June 12, the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions sent a tailored mailing to 16,000 high-achieving rising high school seniors who are members of low-income families. The postcard (left) shows the low cost of Yale for students on financial aid by highlighting:

• that parents earning $65,000 or less are not asked to make any monetary contribution to the cost of their child’s Yale education;
• the $15,857 average yearly net price — including tuition, room and board, and books -  for Yale College for all students receiving financial aid; and
• a new website where families can compare Yale’s net price to the average net price paid by students receiving financial aid who attend a public university in their home state.

Recent research by Caroline Hoxby and Christopher Avery demonstrates that a significant number of academically qualified low-income students fail to apply to selective private and public institutions, in part, because they believe such schools are not affordable. Instead, these students “under match” in their search for a college.

 “The research shows clearly that under-resourced students and their parents wildly overestimate the actual cost of attending college, whether it’s at Yale or another selective private college or university,” said Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions. “We hope to undercut this trend by providing an apples-to-apples comparison of Yale’s net price to what a student is likely to pay in-state.

"For most students and families in the United States, Yale is more affordable than a public university,” Quinlan said. “It’s critical that these talented students understand that their high aspirations are feasible. We hope to provide them with information that will lead to the best array of choices from among private and public colleges.”

Yale will send another mailing to the same 16,000 students later this summer that will include instructions for applying to Yale and obtaining a fee waiver.

The mailing directs students to a college pricing website found at: admissions.yale.edu/price. The website also brings students to simple information on how to apply for admission using a fee waiver, and to Yale’s easy-to-use Net Price Calculator, which generates a sample financial aid award based on a family’s financial information and Yale’s current financial aid policies.

The mailing is directed at two groups of high achieving low-income students: 

• Rising high school seniors who live in lower-income neighborhoods who have performed exceptionally well on the PSAT or ACT.
• Rising high school seniors who have applied for a QuestBridge College Prep Scholarship.

Yale’s partnership with QuestBridge, a national non-profit organization that connects low-income students with top colleges and universities, is entering its seventh year this summer. In addition to serving as one of 35 partner colleges who accept applications from QuestBridge Finalists, Yale hosts a QuestBridge summer conference on campus to assist under-resourced students with the process of applying to selective colleges. This coming fall, Yale will have more than 190 students on campus who were Questbridge Finalists.  

The mailing campaign is one of the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions’ many efforts to reach out to students from low-income households, including the Student Ambassador Program. Every year admissions officers train over 200 current Yale students to visit more than 400 high schools in 39 states. These Yale Ambassadors serve as “near to peer” advisors, connecting students in high schools with high numbers of low-income students with information about the Yale experience while dispelling myths about accessibility and cost.

Yale College admits students for their academic and personal promise without regard to their ability to pay. Concern about cost should not keep students from applying, as Yale College meets 100% of students’ demonstrated need. Approximately 55% of Yale undergraduates receive financial aid from Yale, none of which is in the form of a loan.

Go to article: http://news.yale.edu/2013/06/27/new-outreach-effort-high-school-students-low-income-families

Scholarships at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will help more than 27,000 low-income students get to college by 2016. Thousands of low-income, minority students are highly motivated and ready for college every year. They are working to help them get there through their scholarship programs. They're also creating programs in lower performing schools designed to help low-income students get ready to enter—and then succeed in—college. 

Click on the link:  http://www.gatesfoundation.org/topics/Pages/scholarships.aspx

Earn $4,000 for Tuition and College Related Expenses!

Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona – in partnership with the Arizona-based non-profit organization Live the Solution -  are launching “AZ Earn to Learn,” an innovative need-based financial aid program that pairs $3.1 million in scholarships with more than 700 students from low-income families. Participation in AZ Earn to Learn includes a savings plan and completion of financial literacy and college readiness training. If students save $500, they will get an 8 to 1 match on their savings – a total of $4,000, plus their savings for a total of $4500! Find out more: http://www.azearntolearn.org/

Low income students connecting with the best universities and opportunities!

QuestBridge links exceptional, low income students with colleges, scholarship providers, enrichment programs, employers, and organizations seeking students who have excelled despite obstacles! Check out their website: http://www.questbridge.org/