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When applying to college, make sure your application showcases who you are in and out of school. While grades and test scores are important, colleges also want to see the person you're becoming and the skills you've learned outside of class.

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Make sure your college application showcases who you are in and out of school. While grades and test scores are important, colleges also want to see the person you're becoming and the skills you've learned outside of class.

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A major is a specific subject area that students specialize in. Typically, between one-third and one-half of the courses you'll take in college will be in your major or related to it.

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Get some recommendations about your future career!

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College Search - BigFuture | College Board

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Take this friendly quiz to help discover what careers might be a good choice for you.

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How to Decide What College to Attend - BigFuture | College Board

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Some students want to find the perfect college. In reality, there’s no such thing. However, many colleges will give you a great education and wonderful experiences.

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Students Need One

One Parent or Guardian Needs One

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Create your account (FSA ID) to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education online systems and sign student loan documents and the FAFSA® form electronically.

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Not sure what you want to do? Take this assessment and get some recommendations.

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Taking some time to think about your interests, values, abilities, and personality will give you a great foundation upon which to build your career decisions.

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Student fills out their form.

THEN a Parent or Guardian fills out their form.

Must have FSA ID first!

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Federal Direct Loan vs PLUS Loan

Federal Direct loans are offered by the U.S. Department of Education to eligible students and parents to help cover the cost of college or career training. These loans come with fixed interest rates and flexible repayment options. There are three main types of Federal Direct Loans:

1. Direct Subsidized Loans: These loans are available to undergraduate students whose FAFSA application shows they require additional financial support. The U.S. government pays the interest on these loans while the student is in school at least half-time. They also cover the interest during the grace period after leaving school, and during deferment periods.

2. Direct Unsubsidized Loans: These loans are available to undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of their financial status. Unlike subsidized loans, the student is always responsible for paying the interest on unsubsidized loans.

For both loans, students are the sole borrower and responsible for repayment. For all loan offers, you aren't required to borrow the full amount. We suggest families only borrow what they need.

3. Direct PLUS Loans: This is a loan for parents of students. The parent is the only borrower for PLUS loans and the loan cannot be transferred to the student.

Like the Direct Unsubsidized Loans, interest will accrue interest once the money is sent to the school.

Parents, it's your choice whether or not to borrow some or all of the amount offered. Federal PLUS loans have flexible repayment options, such as deferment during periods of hardship. PLUS loans interest rates may also be higher than available alternatives, unlike federal Direct loans for students.

Before borrowing the PLUS loan, pause and shop around for a loan with the best rate and other benefits for your situation. Compare VSAC's latest loan rates compared to common competitors.

Do you qualify for a PLUS loan?

If your student is offered a PLUS loan, you as the parent will need to submit a separate application in order to determine whether you're eligible. If, as a parent, you're denied a PLUS loan, your student may receive an additional amount of a federal Direct loans.

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Explore your financial aid offers with VSAC. Take the next step towards realizing your educational goals with VSAC's expert assistance.

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NH Students qualify for some because you attend high school in VT.

Essays and letters of recommendation required.

February deadline.

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Where to Find College and Career Training Scholarships

Since scholarships are competitive and funds are limited, you should start searching 9 to 12 months before your starting academic year. It's always a good idea to start locally before you look into national scholarships. With national scholarships, you may be competing with hundreds or thousands of students. Locally, you're competing against a smaller group.

5 Ways to Find Scholarships
1. Locally, reach out to:

town, city, county, and state organizations

nonprofit organizations

local banks

Memorial Funds

professional organizations

You can also find local college scholarship information by talking to your:

high school guidance counselor

local librarian

local business owners

club representatives

town officials

Also, ask your parents about any organizations, clubs, or financial institutions they belong to that may offer scholarships. Their current employer may also offer education scholarships.

2. VSAC-assisted scholarships are a great resource for Vermonters looking for college and career training funds. VSAC administers more than 150 scholarships for Vermont students through our scholarships booklet.
Learn & apply for vsac assisted scholarships
3. Your college or university: Look through the website of the college or career-training program you're interested in. Ask yourself:

Which scholarships are offered?

Which ones do I qualify for now?

Which scholarships can I access once I'm a student?

You can also call the admissions office to ask about any new scholarships that aren't on the site.

4. Veteran and military organizations: Both the United States federal government and nonprofit organizations offer money for college and career training for:

Veterans

future military personnel

active duty personnel, or

family members of veterans or active duty personnel.

5. Websites also offer access to scholarship databases. Try these resources:

Bigfuture® by The College Board: Find scholarships, other financial aid, and internships-from more than 2,200 programs, totaling nearly $6 billion.

Fastweb®: Find scholarships that match your strengths, interests, and skills-from more than 1.5 million scholarships, totaling $3.4 billion.

Cappex®: Fill out a free profile to discover which scholarships match you best.

NEFCU nursing and science scholarships: Learn about nursing and STEM (science, technology, engineering & math) scholarships for members of the New England Federal Credit Union.

VSAC, in partnership with other Vermont agencies, also offers grants and interest-free forgivable loans to help eligible students afford degrees or career training to pursue a career they want.

How to Search for Scholarships

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Discover Vermont scholarships and create tailored opportunities for academic success. Find and secure funding for your education journey today.

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Who Qualifies?

VT Residents

Full or Part Time

Degree or Certificate Programs

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New to MyVSAC

If you don't already have a MyVSAC account, register now to:

apply for a grant, scholarship, or loan

cosign a loan

access your existing loan or grant information

Register Now

Are you a new school user?

Register your institution for School Online Services.
Register Institution

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If you don't already have a MyVSAC account, register now to: apply for a grant, scholarship, or loan cosign a loan access your existing loan or grant information Register Now Register your institution for School Online Services. Register Institution

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The place for NH scholarships.

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A New Hampshire-based educational non-profit serving NH students and families...

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Top College Scholarships for High School & College Students 2023

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Find the best college scholarships for high school and college students, Black & African American, Hispanic & Latinos, Women, First Generation, Texas, California, Easy, No Essay, Nursing, STEM, and Merit scholarships

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Find Scholarships for College for FREE | Fastweb

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Fastweb offers students an easy and secure way to find and apply for scholarships. Quickly browse thousands of scholarships by a variety of themes, college major, trade school program, or interest, unique situations and more.

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BigFuture Scholarships: Earn by Planning for College and Career - BigFuture | College Board

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Earn entries for monthly $500 and $40,000 BigFuture Scholarship drawings by completing steps to plan for college and career.

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We use bank-level data encryption methods and best-in-class data storage solutions, to keep your data safe. And we never sell your data to any third parties.

Our team personally vets every scholarship listed on our website, so that you know it's not a scam. We also carefully tag all the eligibility requirements, so that you know that when you match with a scholarship, you are in fact eligible for it.

We work with 15,000+ high schools across the US ( see a map of schools here!), and our impact has been covered by major press outlets. Oh, and did we mention we've worked with over 1 million students?

"My wish of attending my dream university, has now become a reality thanks to Going Merry!"

"I honestly had an amazing experience with Going Merry. Keep doing what you guys are doing!"

"Going Merry made applying for scholarships so simple and has been incredibly supportive every step of the way."

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Scholarships for College: Find and Apply Online for Free | Going Merry

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Get matched with college scholarships instantly and apply online with a common app for students and tools for counselors and providers.

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Find Scholarships for College Students in 2023-2024

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Apply to exclusive scholarships and grants in minutes. At Bold.org you may search from a list of scholarships for college students, high school students, graduate students, adult learners, and more. Updated daily!

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You've found your top schools-and now it's time to apply. The college application process can feel overwhelming at first. But don't worry. We've got the information and resources to guide you through.

Read the Application Instructions

A successful application starts with reading the instructions.

Go to each school's website. Click on "prospective students" or "admissions" to find application instructions. Read them carefully. Then, make a list of everything required as part of the application-and the deadline for each.
Colleges may ask for:

An application form

An application essay

High school transcripts

Standardized test scores (SAT or ACT)

Letters of recommendation

An interview

Additional information as needed (such as a portfolio if you're applying to an art school or a home-school supplement if you've been homeschooled)

To stay organized, download our college admissions checklist (PDF).

Or, for more in-depth guidance, download our college admissions toolkit (PDF).

Fill Out the Application Form

The college application form includes information about you-including financial, academic, extracurricular, and employment information. Each college will likely give you 3 options for submitting this information:

1. An online application on the school's website

2. A paper form on the site (usually a PDF that you can print out and submit by mail)

3. A link to the Common Application-an online form accepted by more than 400 colleges (including many Vermont schools)

Fill Out the Application Waiver Form

Schools may charge anywhere between $10 and $100 to process application forms, though some schools will not charge a fee if you apply online.

You may be able to avoid paying these fees. Simply print out the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) fee waiver form (found on the NACAC website) and submit it along with your application.

Get Started on Your Essay

Get tips for making your essay stand out from the crowd.

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Navigate the college application process with ease. Get expert guidance and tips to streamline your journey to higher education success.

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How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation - Harvard Summer School

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Learn the right way to ask your teachers, coaches, and employers for a strong letter of recommendation to boost your application.

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apply to college with common app | your future starts here

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Apply to college with Common App | Your future starts here

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Common App is a nonprofit organization of 1000+ colleges and universities that simplifies, informs, and supports your college application journey.