SCHOLARSHIPS

Researching scholarships and financial assistance is the responsibility of the parents and the student. Gateway would like, however, to be of assistance whenever possible. The following is a list of resources for scholarship information. We recommend that parents and students start researching, preparing, and applying for scholarships as early as the beginning of their junior year. Many scholarships have early deadlines. For example, FAFSA’s deadline for state grants is February 15 of the senior year. The Sam Walton Scholarship usually has a January deadline. The Tennessee Hope Lottery Scholarship has a FAFSA deadline of September 1 of the senior year. Keep in mind that, in order to be eligible for the Hope Lottery Scholarship, home-educated students must be enrolled in the same home education program for one full school year immediately preceding graduation.

Online Scholarship & College Information

Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA)
(Automatically enters student for the TN Hope
Scholarship)
May 15th deadline

Studentaid.gov

Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC)
(Hope Scholarship Information)
Tennessee Promise Scholarship — deadline Nov. 2

https://www.collegefortn.org/tennessee-financial-aid/

Other Sites:
www.scholarships.com
www.fastweb.com
www.supercollege.com
www.collegescholarships.com
www.college-scholarships.com
www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/
www.guaranteed-scholarships.com
www.scholarshiphelp.org
www.petersons.com
www.freschinfo.com
www.free-4u.com
www.collegeboard.com
scholarshipamerica.org

securingdegrees.org
www.walmartfoundation.org

Recommended Books

1) An Instruction Book for the Parents of College-Bound Students
by Linda O’Brien
www.woodburnpress.com

2) The Guidance Manual for the Christian Home School
by David and Laurie Callihan
ISBN: 1564144526.

3) Cash for College
by Cynthia Ruiz McKee & Philip C. McKee, Jr.
ISBN: 0688161901

4) Free Money for College
by Laurie Blum
ISBN: 081603

5) How to Go to College Almost for Free
by Ben Kaplan
ISBN: 0-06-093765-3

How to Get Scholarships

1) Take a practice ACT/SAT or the PSAT to prepare for the ACT/SAT. See our ACT/SAT page here.
2) Take the ACT or SAT and make a score acceptable for the scholarship/financial aid you seek.
(The ACT/SAT often determines college entrance as well.)
3) Participate in community service and/or volunteer opportunities. This can be used as part of the student’s portfolio and is looked upon favorably by scholarship committees.
4) Research available scholarships, paying particular attention to their requirements and deadlines. Remember that preparation of Gateway transcripts and other paperwork may take up to two weeks. Turn your requests in early to make sure you meet scholarship deadlines.
5) If the scholarship requires an essay, make sure yours represents your best writing and includes real-life experiences (if appropriate).
6) Include portfolio information. This requires planning early in the student’s high school career. It is helpful for the portfolio to indicate an interest and aptitude for the major the student will pursue or the field related to a specific scholarship.

Recommended Books to Prepare for the ACT/SAT

1) SAT Strategies for Super Busy Students**
Kaplan Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-4195-5161-1
(ACT) ISBN: 978-1-4195-5160-4

2) ACT Premier Program (2008 Ed.)**
Kaplan Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-4195-5163-5
(SAT) ISBN: 978-1-4195-5138-3

**These books have a “Higher Score Guarantee.”

Portfolios

Admission into certain colleges and universities, as well as application for certain scholarships can involve serious competition. When colleges or scholarship committees evaluate applications in a highly competitive situation, they may prefer students who appear to be well-rounded, successful, and likely to make a difference in the world. A high-school transcript reflects the student’s academic work, but not necessarily his/her other abilities, successes, and interests. A portfolio can showcase a student’s character, qualities, skills, talents, hobbies, accomplishments, honors, and involvement in the community. It may include volunteer work, club/organization participation, leadership experiences, performance awards, mission work, etc. Most college and scholarship applications include space for such information. A portfolio may also physically accompany a transcript when submitted to a college or scholarship committee.

Recommended Books

1) The Homeschooler’s Guide to Portfolios and Transcripts
by Loretta Heuer, M.Ed.
ISBN: 0-02-863738-0

2) Homeschooling High School: Planning Ahead for College Admission
by Jeanne Gowen Dennis
ISBN: 1-932096-11-6

3) Home School, High School, and Beyond
by Beverly Adams-Gordon
ISBN: 1-888827-22-X

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