How am I going to pay for school once I leave Triton?  My friends tell me they pay a fortune and I don't have that kind of money!
Answer:  The search for scholarships should begin at least one year prior to transfer if you are SERIOUSLY looking for scholarship dollars.  Some points to consider when you begin your search: 
  •     Academic Scholarship?
  •     Athletic Scholarship?
  •     Need based Financial Aid?
  •     Private Scholarship Dollars?
  •     School Scholarship Dollars?
If you are academically talented or play a sport, you will want to contact the schools that you are interested in attending and discussing scholarship opportunities with them.  Don't be afraid or embarrassed to mention how important scholarships and/or financial aid are to you.  Phi Theta Kappa is an excellent organization to join if you have a GPA of 3.5 or better.  Many schools have excellent scholarships for Phi Theta Kappa members. 

One of the first steps in obtaining scholarships is filling out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form. You may obtain assistance filling out this form, if you do not already have financial aid, in the Fiancial Aid Office on campus.  Otherwise your financial aid transcript, similar to your course work transcript, should be sent to the schools of your choice. FAFSA is usually required regardless of the type of scholarship -Athletic, Academic, Institutional- you are requesting. Additionally, many schools have an in-house form that must be completed if you intend to receive financial assistance of any kind. 

Your transfer school is often your best and least complicated source for scholarship information.  After completing the application process and being accepted by the institution, you should request that a financial aid/scholarship package be completed for you so that you know exactly what out-of-pocket costs you will be expected to bear. The final financial aid package most often includes loans, grants, scholarships, and on-campus work available. 

The least explored avenue for scholarship dollars is in the private sector.  This is also the most time consuming and requires the most effort.  Besides checking with employers, unions, and local banks and credit unions to which you belong, you can do searches on the world wide web.  Among sites you may find helpful are: 

The SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid
Scholarship Resource Network Express

Another source for scholarship information is the CIS - Career Information System - computer program available for your use in the C-100 area where there are computers set up for your use in accessing CIS, the wold wide web, and the other programs mentioned above.  And it's all FREE!

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