2021-2022 Information

How Do I Pay for College?


 Most college applicants are concerned about the level of debt they will take on to pay for a college degree.  Fortunately, the more scholarships and grants a student can receive, the less he/she needs to borrow.  
But where do you start looking for scholarships? The following is a short list to get you started, more details follow if you scroll down the rest of the page.
Here are a few suggestions:
  • Research and gather information about scholarships:  Here's a good link to information from debt.org
  • Think about who you are:  Are there scholarships that match your interests and ambitions?
    • For example
      • There are scholarships and grants for women, minorities and other groups (click here)
      • There are scholarships based on career choice (click here)
      • There are scholarships awarded by specific colleges (click here)
      • Do you or your parents belong to any organizations, clubs or memberships that may sponsor a scholarship?
      • Additionally, local scholarships may be available:

Before You Start:  Be Aware of Scams

​There are tons of legitimate scholarships and grants available for application. While you should take your time and apply for as many scholarships as possible you also want to be on the lookout for scams. As a general rule of thumb you should never pay an application fee and be wary of scholarships services that guarantee success. You also shouldn’t pay for a list of scholarships. If you look in the right places you can find scholarships yourself.

Make Sure to Fill Out Your FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as the FAFSA, should be one of the first things you worry about. The FAFSA can help you get college grants and can be used as an application for certain state grants as well.
With the FAFSA you may be able to qualify for the following federal grants:
  • Federal Pell Grants
  • (FSEOG) Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
  • (TEACH Grants) Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
  • Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants

Have Your Parents Check with Their Employer

Many employers will award scholarships to the children of their employees.  For example, The Corona-Norco Teacher's association offers a scholarship for their member's children (click here to see it).  Have your mother or father check with their Human Resources Department to find out more information.  

Other examples:If you are currently employed its also a good idea to check with your employer to find out what scholarships are available

Check with Community and Religious Organizations

Many community and religious organizations offer scholarships locally.
This includes:
  • Sport teams
  • Churches
  • Local businesses 
​While the sums of these scholarships might be low they still help and are worth the application (imagine getting paid $500 to write a two-page essay and do an interview).

Local and General Scholarships

For Local Scholarships Information please click here
Santiago High School puts together a list of both local scholarships and general scholarships.  
For more information, contact Mrs. Wendt (lisa.wendt@cnusd.k12.ca.us) in the College and Career Center or Click Here

Inland Empire Community Foundation:  IEFC
Founded in 1941, the Inland Empire Community Foundation is the oldest and largest community foundation serving the Inland region. 
The Inland Empire Community Foundation’s founder, Charles E. Brouse, believed that the best way to give back to the community was through scholarships for hard-working students who wanted to attend college. Because of the endowment he established years ago students from the region are still receiving support for their education. 
Today, scholarships remain a large focus of our grants, averaging one million dollars a year to every public college and university in the two-county region, as well as colleges and universities across the nation. These awards recognize student achievements and offer hope for those seeking to better themselves through education.
Depending on the donor’s vision, IECF awards a wide variety of scholarships, including general and field-specific scholarships for areas of study like civil engineering, nursing, special education, veterinary sciences, and more.

Here's a link to the scholarships (scroll down the page to see the individual scholarship information): https://www.iegives.org/students/overview/

Scholarships from Perspective Colleges

Many colleges, both public and private, will have endowments for incoming freshmen that are declaring specific majors.  For example, Cal State Fullerton has a number of scholarships for freshmen interested in the arts:  http://www.fullerton.edu/arts/students/scholarships.php

Use Websites to Search for National Scholarship Opportunities:

Scholarships.com:

Founded in 1998, Scholarships.com has helped students find money for college as well as learn about the entire financial aid process.
Please click here for more information.

​Fastweb.com:

Fastweb matches the information in your completed profile to scholarships from their database.
​Please click here for more information.

Fastweb's College Scholarship Directory:
Our college scholarship directory allows you to get a list of scholarships that relate to an indicated category. Get help finding scholarship money to help you pay for college. Look through our lists of specific scholarships by categories such as: high school scholarships, college scholarships, athletic scholarships, academic achievement scholarships and more.
Please click here for more information
​
Fastweb App:
Access your scholarships on the go:  Click Here
Bigfuture.collegeboard.org:

Find scholarships, other financial aid and internships from more than 2,200 programs, totaling nearly $6Billion.
Please click here for more information.
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