Tips Part 1
After submitting the online Scholarship App
1. Print a copy of the App for your records.
2. Once successfully submitted online, you will receive a confirmation page in the App. OSAC will e-mail you when your App has been reviewed. To check your App status, track scholarship awarding, and accept or decline awards - logon to your Student Profile online, by entering your user name and password.
3. You will see the message "Review pending", "Valid Scholarship App Accepted", or "App Problem". If the status is "App Problem", take action to correct it by the deadline indicated in your status message. You are responsible for tracking the status of your App, so check status regularly, until your App is accepted as valid.
4. Keep important info updated. Logon to your Student Profile to make any changes to personal contact info (address, phone, e-mail), college major, and college choice.
5. To compete for need-based scholarships, check Your FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR). for reject codes. Correct any FAFSA errors as soon as possible, preferably by March 15.
6. Become a fan of OSAC's page at Facebook.com/OSACscholarships or follow OSAC at Twitter.com/OSAC to receive important App alerts, deadline reminders, new scholarship announcements, and other financial aid news and opportunities.
7. If you plan to apply again in the future, you can easily update and refresh your App each year. Record your Scholarship App user name and password, and follow the instructions online to re-apply next year. If you forget your user name and password, go to the Logon page online and click the "Forgot User name …" button.
Scholarship Review and Awarding
· Submitted Apps are reviewed and processed by OSAC. Error-free Apps submitted by the February Early Bird deadline will be entered in a $500 Early Bird scholarship drawing.
· An applicant pool is developed for each scholarship program based on individual scholarship program criteria and information received from you.
· Donors and their representatives select scholarship awardees. Selection committees may request additional information or interviews. Awards are named April through August.
· Recipients are notified of scholarship awards by e-mail, or US Mail. Awards may be rescinded, if not accepted by the awarding deadline.
Tips Part 2 and Links
· Apply for OSAC Scholarships – takes you to the login page where you can create, refresh or login to your App.
· Catalog of OSAC Scholarships – NEW! 3 large buttons allow you to print the catalog (50 pages if unfiltered – less, when filters are applied), conduct filtered searches for eligible scholarships - applying criteria like your gpa, major, career choice, etc., and a link back to the App login page. This catalog page can also be searched by using “control-F” and typing in keywords like high school name, major, gpa, etc., and it will locate any scholarships with those keywords in the descriptor.
· Timeline and Deadlines – A timeline/checklist for the scholarship process, and all important deadline information
· OSAC Scholarship Worksheet – A walkthrough of App online, preparing students for what questions will be asked, and what information they will need to provide.
Activities Chart Sample – This is the example document that’s always been up, but added instructions below.
Personal Statements Sample – same as above.
· Extra Essays and Documents – instructions and tips for successful completion of extra requirements.
· After I Submit – another checklist of steps to take, and what to expect after submission of the App.
· If I'm Awarded – steps for how to accept, what to do next.
· Scholarships Awarded – A list of the scholarships that have awarded, which starts over every April.
· Activities Chart & C.I.S – includes instructions for the CIS import into the OSAC Activities Chart.
· Eligibility – definition of Oregon resident and other eligibility information.
Employer/Membership Funds – brief statement of how to search and apply for these.
FAFSA Overview – why and how to apply, direct link to FAFSA is below in “RELATED” section.
Personal Statements & Essays – instructions and examples of how and why.
Residency – Oregon residency definition, and specifications for things like tribal status.
· Transcripts – specific and detailed instructions for transcripts (missing or incomplete transcripts is the #1 reason for App rejection), what is the proper transcript for the type of student you are, how to obtain transcripts, and how to provide or upload.
RELATED
· Scholarship Statistics – posted every year.
· Ford Family Foundation Scholarships – detailed info for the 4 programs Ford offers through OSAC.
· Create a Lasting Legacy, Establish a Scholarship – donation and how to create a scholarship info.
· FAFSA – direct link to the FAFSA.
