Financial Aid & Scholarship Resources
Scholarships are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to post-secondary education. Below is more information about financial aid and other resources.
Financial Aid
BigFuture is a free, comprehensive set of digital resources that helps all students take a productive first step after high school. With feedback from students, insights from professionals, and over 100 years of College Board expertise, the BigFuture personalized dashboard simplifies a complex process into key actions across three categories: Plan for College, Pay for College and Explore Careers. Visit BigFuture today!
The first step in applying for financial aid is to fill out the FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Even if you are just starting to think about attending college or career training next year, you should fill out the FAFSA to find out what funding may be available to you. The FAFSA opens each year on October 1.
- FSA ID You need a FSA ID to complete the FAFSA. Your parent will also need their own FSA ID to sign your FAFSA. Be sure to save your FSA ID and password in a safe place - you will use it every year.
- Federal Student Aid Federal Student Aid is the US Department of Education's official website for financial aid. You can find information about preparing for college, the types of financial aid available, and other useful information about the financial aid process. This website also has answers to questions you may have about the FAFSA.
When you receive financial aid award letters from the colleges you are interested in, it’s important to understand them. Is the school offering you grants (which you do not have to repay), loans, and what will be your out of pocket cost? Below are a few resources to help compare financial aid awards.
- Federal Student Aid - Comparing School Aid Offers
- FastWeb’s College Gold financial aid award letter comparison tool
Community Scholarship Opportunities
American Savings Foundation is just one of many local organizations investing in students across Connecticut. Below is a list of some local funders that offer scholarships.
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving maintains a searchable College Scholarship Directory for local opportunities and also offers a renewable scholarship for the communities it serves.
Community Foundation of Greater New Britain
The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain manages nearly 50 scholarships which annually fund more than $200,000 in tuition assistance.
The Connecticut Community Foundation
Helping students in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills achieve their dreams of attending college since 1989; the Connecticut Community Foundation administers nearly 100 different scholarship funds.
The Main Street Community Foundation
Supports the communities of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott, Connecticut. The Foundation administers over 55 named scholarship funds.
Scholarship Databases
There are a number of scholarship databases that provide information about local and national scholarship opportunities. Below are a few good databases to begin with.
Big Future
Big Future BigFuture is a free, comprehensive set of digital resources that helps all students take a productive first step after high school. Visit BigFuture today!
U.S. Department of Labor
U.S. Department of Labor Search more than 7,500 scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other financial aid opportunities.
Fastweb
Fastweb Roughly 1.5 million scholarships are listed on Fastweb. There are scholarships for every student’s educational goals, activities and interests. Based on your profile, Fastweb will suggest available opportunities.
Scholar Snapp
Scholar Snapp Once you complete a Scholar Snapp profile, you may be able to reuse the information on other participating scholarship applications. You can also search for other scholarship opportunities.
Scholarship America
Scholarship America Not only does Scholarship America have resources for students and families, but they also manage thousands of scholarship programs.
Scholarship Application Tips
There are a number of great resources available to help guide you through the scholarship application process. Below are our top 5 tips for students, as well as links to other helpful guides.
- Make a calendar of important application deadlines.
- Make extra copies of documents, such as your transcript, so you have them ready.
- Check with your school’s guidance office or career center for other local resources.
- Beware of scams! No one can guarantee that you will get an award and you should never have to pay money to apply for a scholarship.
- Protect your personal information. Most scholarship applications will not ask for your social security number or bank information. If in doubt - do more research before you apply.
Essays - where to start?
The essay is an important part of the application and allows the committee a chance to get to know you better. The essay should be 3-5 paragraphs long. Make sure you spell check and read through your essay for comprehension.
- Start by introducing yourself to the committee – tell us something about yourself that we wouldn’t see from your transcript or application. Feel free to share with us anything unique about your journey to college.
- Then, answer the prompt – Why should you be selected to receive a scholarship? How would this award help you achieve your goals? This is where you can share your career goals, and why you are applying for scholarships to help you achieve those goals.
- Finish your essay by wrapping up your thoughts from the previous sections. End your essay with what you what the committee to remember about you.
Other Resources
Video Tips
Authors Katy Craig and Katie Kramer from the Boettcher Foundation provided five short videos with their top tips from their book All the Wisdom and None of the Junk: Secrets of Applying for College Admission and Scholarships.
Video Tips
Authors Katy Craig and Katie Kramer from the Boettcher Foundation provided five short videos with their top tips from their book All the Wisdom and None of the Junk: Secrets of Applying for College Admission and Scholarships.
American Savings Foundation Tips
American Savings Foundation president & CEO Maria Falvo was interviewed by Fox61 and gave some more helpful tips for students.
Have questions?
American Savings Foundation strives to be accessible to anyone seeking information about grants, scholarships, or with general questions. Contact us today to get the assistance you need.