Helpful Hints And Tips

Did You Know…

Many ASPIRE and GEAR UP Activities, including…

•  Field trips to Colleges

•  College Rep Visits

•  College Fairs

•  Financial Aid Workshops

Tips for Letter of Recommendation Requests

Many of you are asking for letters of recommendation for scholarships and admission applications. Here are some helpful hints that will make it easier on the writer and exemplifies YOUR professionalism:

•  Write a short letter to the potential writer well in advance .

State who you are, what the letter is for (scholarship, admissions application, etc), and when you need the letter completed. Some applications request the letter to be sent in separately. If that's the case, make a note of it in the letter and provide a stamped and addressed envelope.

•  Provide a resume.

This provides a reference for the writer who might not about all of your achievements. Your resume should include a list of your school and community activities, any job experience, and any awards you've received. You should also include when you were involved (i.e. 2005-2007) or when you received the award as well as if you held any office or title.

Check out this link for more Letter of Recommendation tips:

http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/recommendations.phtml

More Tips

•  Many schools have scholarships specifically awarded to incoming or current students. Check the financial aid web site of the school you are interested in to access those scholarships!

•  There are more scholarships out there than what is listed in the Index of Scholarships. Pick up the College and Financial Aid Resources packet for a list of schools and scholarship search engines or visit:

http://www.fastweb.com
http://www.fastaid.com
http://www.collegequest.com
http://www.collegenet.com
http://www.collegefund.org
http://www.myfuture.com
http://gibill.va.gov
http://oregoncis.uoregon.edu

(Create username & password -OR- use MHS general username (madrashs) & password (buffalos)

•  Pick up the Clubs and Organizations packet for a list of community service and volunteer opportunities.

•  For summer research & internship opportunities, visit:

http://www.rit.edu/~gtfsbi/Symp/highschool.htm
http://www.internshipprograms.com/
http://www.internabroad.com/search.cfm
http://www.idealist.org/ (nonprofit groups)
http://www.volunteerinternational.org/

•  For study abroad information and opportunities, visit:

http://www.usa.afs.org/usa_en/home
http://www.rotary.org/programs/youth_ex/
http://www.ayusa.org/

•  Ask your ASPIRE or TAG Coordinator about essay contests! They are a great way to earn money and are sometimes available to grades 9-12.

A Master Calendar

A great way to get your scholarships by the deadline is to mark due dates on a calendar.
This way, you'll have a visual reminder of when these important financial aids are due!

A Master Calender Can List:

-Test dates, fees and deadlines
-College application due dates
-Required financial aid applications and their deadlines
-Recommendations, transcipts and other necessary material

• Scholorships are available in the ASPIRE room. Many schools have scholarships awarded specifically to incoming students. Check the financial aid Web site or conctact the financial aid office of the school you've applied to (or are interested in) to access those scholarships!