Cartoon by: Natalie Mosqueda
Legions of college students are walking away from free money.
Eight of 10 Southwestern College students are on financial aid, but most ignore scholarships.
SWC administrators recently extended the scholarship application deadline, giving students even more time to apply.
A report by the Federal Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance said 28 percent of students earning less than $10,000 put in more than 30 hours per week. Students who work long hours risk having their studies suffer.
The College Board found that less than 60 percent of aid-eligible community college students even complete the FAFSA, but students who care to look for scholarships will find opportunities abound, varying from small stipends to five figure sums. Even a $200 scholarship could put a dent in the cost of rent or groceries.
Not every scholarship requires a stellar GPA. The Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship does not even require students to submit a GPA.
Financial difficulties can start a vicious cycle. Students who work too may hours may find their GPA dropping below the threshold for larger scholarships. SWC needs to put more effort into advertising scholarships and encouraging struggling students to apply. Students need to make the effort to apply. It is not too difficult. SWC has done a very good job making scholarship applications painless.
These scholarships do exist, but students are not often aware of them. And it is not always just about the money. Earning a scholarship may encourage struggling students to focus more on their studies.
SWC’s AcademicWorks scholarship application system simplifies the process for students to apply for many campus scholarships with just one form, though some may require a few additional questions.
Qualifying students may apply for up to 11 scholarships with this form, though some do require additional questions.
Young community college students new to academia often do not have a network of teachers or employers to write letters of recommendation. At SWC this problem is made worse by the predominance of part-time instructors. About 80 percent of SWC instructors are adjunct instructors who do not have office space or time to meet with students. They can be difficult to contact outside of class, which makes it difficult for students to build a working relationship and earn that letter of recommendation.
Still, students should make the effort.
Big money is out there for the taking, such as the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, which provides up to $40,000 annually for up to three years to students transferring to four-year institutions. Winners are also eligible for a $50,000-a-year graduate scholarship once they have earned undergraduate degrees.
Only 2,061 transfer students in the U.S. applied for the 2015 JKCF scholarship. Eligible students should take more interest. That is seriously life-changing financial support.
SWC students who miss the Fall 2016 round of scholarships should be prepared to apply in the Spring. Unless, of course, they are independently wealthy and do not need the money.
