Many LBCC scholarships (read: free money) go un-awarded as a result of few qualified applications. This event helps educate prospective applicants and many students do not realize the short amount of time and effort required in the process. The packet is a few pages worth of questions to answer and two recommendation letter worksheets. Download and fill one out every term, because there is nothing to lose!
Students should review the list of scholarships available on the LBCC website, because as Wall states, "most students qualify for at least one." April 22, 2011 was the deadline for Fall 2011 applications, and Wall helped prepare the fifteen to twenty students at the workshop. With only nine days prior to the application deadline, it was time to expedite the process for those getting started during the April 13th workshop.
According to Wall, there are "thousands of scholarship awards per term, including up to six worth $1000.00 each." Wall was not comfortable quoting the exact dollar amount, stating that it fluctuates every term. She said the easiest way to get information about up-to-date scholarship availability is to look on the scholarship database, which is easily located on the LBCC website.
Some terms there are dozens of applicants, and other terms, only a few. In contrast, there are an estimated thirty scholarships currently listed on the database, which are processed through financial aid.
The financial aid office processes the majority of the school’s scholarship applications, but there are exceptions for the few that are department- specific (such as Biology, Auto-mechanics, and Animal Sciences). There are additional websites to search for non-LBCC scholarships. These are referenced on the website, but they are not endorsed in any way by the school.
When the applications are received and reviewed for completion, they are processed through the LBCC Foundation office (a special group whose primary job is to determine awards of scholarships). Once awarded, scholarship funds are applied to a student's LBCC account to first reduce student loans. Unsubsidized loans are eliminated first, because they are the types of loans that begin accruing interest the minute they are disbursed to the student’s account, instead of the more kind subsidized loans.
The amount awarded may not exceed the estimated cost of attendance, so if a student were lucky enough to be awarded that much, other scholarships would fall by the wayside. Scholarships awarded in Spring count toward Fall term (and subsequent terms, if applicable), and Fall awards count toward Spring term.
The LBCC Scholarship website has various search functions, including specific term, academic subject area, keyword, minimum GPA, and area of residence requirements. It is important to verify that the applicant meets all qualifications, so that processors are able to evaluate the applications. Two letters of recommendation are required for application, which are preferably from professional references.
It takes about a week to process applications, and a few weeks past that to mail response letters, notifying students of their award status. Some students receive several awards, and some receive none. For the amount of effort of required, the odds of "winning" are high, and would mean a lower amount owed after graduation.
An art student whispered a question about her qualifications, and decided to leave part-way through the presentation, when informed she did not qualify for a specific desired scholarship. Students' other questions after the presentation were specific to their circumstances, regarding their eligibility. Aside from the fine details, the workshop was straightforward and exhaustive to the average student.
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