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Higher Education Financial Services (cont.)
 
Financial Aid Resources-General
The Financial Aid Office at the college or university you plan to attend is also a good place to start your search for student financial aid programs. The financial aid administrator can tell you about student aid available from the federal government, your state government, the college or university itself, and other sources. You can also find free information about student aid in the reference section of your local library (usually listed under student aid or financial aid). HEFS also provides these links to assist you in the search for aid:
Frequently Asked Questions
To make the DC OneApp three-step process a smooth one, HEFS provides a Frequently Asked Questions section that can also be accessed through the below link.
HEFS Staff
Applicants that submit their DC OneApp online should direct all questions to their assigned HEFS counselor as reflected on the HEFS Staff List below.
Hours of Operation
Higher Education Financial Services (HEFS) and Preparatory Programs’ (P2) standard office hours are 8:30 am - 5 pm. DC OneApp applicants may hand-deliver DC OneApp supporting documents Monday through Friday and receive a receipt for complete supporting document packages.
Applicants requiring additional services must make an appointment with their assigned HEFS ccounselor found on the HEFS Counselor List.
The Higher Education Financial Services department will participate in the Greater Washington National College Fair on Tuesday, September 29, 2009. Please be advised that our office will be closed during this time. The college fair will be held at the Washington Convention Center from 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. For more details, please visit the link below or call (202) 727-2824.
We will reopen on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. Greater Washington National College Fair
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and the National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC) are partnering to host the Greater Washington National College Fair Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at the Walter Washington Convention Center.
The fair is one of several activities held in the District during College Awareness Month. The fair is expected to be the largest college fair to be held in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. As many as 6,000 students from DC public schools, DC public charter schools, as well as Virginia and Maryland, are expected to attend. Representatives from over 200 universities and colleges throughout the United States, England and Canada will be in attendance.
Students and parents can take advantage of valuable information that will be available at the Greater Washington National College Fair including workshops covering topics such as financial aid, preparing for college and the NCAA requirements for student athletes. In addition, scholarship and nonprofit organizations will be available to offer information on the SAT/ACT preparation as well as the financial aid application process.
The fair will be held September 29, 2009 at the Walter Washington Convention Center (Metro Green Line: Mt. Vernon Square, 7th and Mt. Vernon Place NW.). The hours are 9:00 am – 1:30 pm and 6:00 pm 8:00 pm.
Free and open to the public, the fair will allow students to interact with admission representatives from a wide range of colleges and universities. Students will have an opportunity to discuss course offerings, admission and financial aid requirements, and other information pertinent to the college selection process.
Private Scholarships
HEFS is dedicated to helping the District of Columbia residents explore additional financial resources to bridge the gap between the funding provided by DCTAG, DCLEAP, DC Adoption, DC Adult and DC GEAR UP and the total expense of a higher education. To provide this support HEFS offers a Private Scholarship listing as an additional tool for financing a college education.
This listing offers District residents another tool to assist with financing their college education. To review the database of scholarships for DC resident visit the below link.
The District of Columbia College Success Foundation
The District of Columbia College Success Foundation (DC CSF) is a nonprofit organization created in 2006 to expand the pipeline of low-income and underrepresented students who complete a baccalaureate degree by providing students the educational and financial incentives, mentoring, and other supports necessary to gain admission to the colleges and universities of their choice.
To meet this goal, DC CSF has partnered with organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the District of Columbia College Access Program (DC-CAP) and other local organizations on initiatives and programs that provide scholarships, mentoring support and high-intensity college access services to DC students.
DC CSF administers two scholarships specifically for District of Columbia students: the DC Scholarship Application, and the Washington Redskins Scholarship.
To learn more about these scholarships and how to apply please visit the DC CSF website at the below address or call (202) 207-1800.
The District of Columbia Health & Academic Prep Program
As part of its mission, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (GWU SMHS) develop signature programs intersecting education, research, clinical care, policy, and community service. Working in partnership with local stakeholders, the GWU SMHS collaborates within and outside of the university to enhance services to the local community
The DC Health and Academic Prep Program is a four-week program for Washington, D.C. graduating public or charter high school seniors, who are going to a college or university with an interest in pursuing a health career, to engage in and explore various medical and public health careers. Working directly with graduate students, doctors, and other medical professionals, DC HAPP scholars learn about various medical professions as possible career paths for their future, as well as prepare for their upcoming college experience. Scholars who satisfactorily complete the four-week program will earn a $1,000 stipend, as well as be eligible to earn an $8,750 college scholarship. The program is hosted by and housed at George Washington University.
To learn more about this scholarship, please visit the below link.
The Horatio Alger Greater Washington Metro Region Scholarship Program
The Horatio Alger Greater Washington Metro Region Scholarship Program was established in 1947 to dispel the mounting belief among the nation's youth that the American Dream was no longer attainable. The scholarship is administered by The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans and dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The scholarship encourages students to pursue their own version of the American Dream by providing a $2,500.00 award.
To learn more about this scholarship, please visit the below link.
To apply for The Horatio Alger Greater Washington Metro Region Scholarship Program please visit the below link:
Mayoral Valedictorian Program (DC MVP)
The DC MVP is a locally funded financial aid grant designed to recognize, encourage and support public and public charter high school valedictorians in their pursuit of higher education. One-time discretionary grants in the amount of $1,000 are given directly to the student to cover incidental costs (e.g., fees, books, travel, personal expenses) associated with freshman year studies at an eligible Title IV college or university in the US, Guam or Puerto Rico.
To learn more about the DC MVP please contact the OSSE at (202) 727-2824.
The DC Valedictorian Certification Form can be found at the below link.
McDonald's Educates Scholarship Program
The McDonald's Educates Scholarship program celebrates multiculturalism by honoring outstanding high school seniors who demonstrate leadership, character, exceptional scholastic skills and volunteerism. Applicants are asked to complete two short answer questions on cultural diversity and community service.
The scholarship program is open to high school seniors residing within the Washington, DC, area, including the District and portions of Maryland, Northern Virginia and West Virginia.
To apply for or learn more about the McDonald's Educates Scholarship visit their website at the below link:
The Posse Foundation
The Posse identifies, recruits, trains and sends culturally diverse teams of student-leaders to some of the top universities and colleges in the nation. Posse Scholars help address issues of diversity on their college campuses while serving as a support system to one another.
Posse DC is giving out 50 Leadership Scholarships to college, each worth over $100 thousand dollars. Visit the link below to learn more details on the Leadership Scholarship.
Eligible students will be high school seniors, live in the Washington Metropolitan area, demonstrate leadership abilities, academic promise, teamwork and a commitment to diversity. Selected scholars will attend a Posse DC partner college or university as part of a multicultural team from the DC area. Posse partner colleges and universities are:
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Bucknell University, located in Lewisburg, PA.
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Grinnell College, located in Grinnell, Iowa.
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Lafayette College, located in Easton, PA.
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Sewanee: The University of the South, located in Sewanee, TN.
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison, located in Madison, WI.
Students must be nominated by their High School Counselor, or a community based organization.
For further information, select The Posse Leadership Scholarships link below. You may also contact The Posse Foundation at (202) 293-3800 or visit the Posse website at the link below:
Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship
The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program recognizes academically exceptional high school seniors who show promise of continued excellence in postsecondary education. The Byrd Scholarship provides a $1,500 scholarship for college expenses at public and private colleges and universities throughout the US, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicant must be:
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A US citizen or have eligible non-citizen status.
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Domiciled in the District of Columbia 12 consecutive months prior to the current academic year and maintain domicile throughout matriculation.
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A high school graduate who demonstrates outstanding academic achievement and shows promise of continued academic excellence.
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In good standing with federal student loans.
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Accepted for enrollment in an associate or first bachelor degree program on, at least, a half-time basis.
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24 years of age or younger.
To learn more about the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program, please contact the Office of the State Superintendent of Education at (202) 724-2824.
United Planning Organization Scholarship (UPO)
UPO seeks to award scholarships to students who aspire to change the quality of their lives through the pursuit of education beyond the level they have achieved graduating from high school or acquiring a General Equivalency Diploma (GED).
Through the Joseph A. Beavers scholarship UPO awards five successful candidates that exhibit qualities reflecting the ability to sustain themselves despite adversities that may have challenged the attainment of their life goals. Each award is a $10,000 scholarship to be used over a four-year period.
Completed application must be received by close of business Friday, March 27, 2009
For more information and to learn how to apply please visit the website below:
The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP)
The United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution in 1962 creating The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), a national initiative to provide a yearly opportunity for students who demonstrate leadership abilities and rank academically in the top one percent of their class. The USSYP is designed to deepen students understanding of America ’s political processes and encourage them to consider careers in public service.
Two student leaders from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity will become USSYP delegates. Each year the delegates visit Washington, DC and experience the United States government in action. Delegates will hear major policy addresses by Senators, cabinet members, officials from the Departments of State and Defense and directors of other federal agencies, as well as participate in a meeting with a Justice of the US Supreme Court. All transportation, hotel and meal expenses for the USSYP will be provided by the Hearst Foundation. Each delegate will also be awarded a $5,000 College Scholarship for four (4) year undergraduate studies. To learn more about the program visit the USSYP website at the below link or contact the OSSE at (202) 727-2824.
Ensuring that DC higher education grant recipients graduate from the post secondary institutions of their choice is of paramount concern to HEFS. HEFS has identified ways to ensure that students complete their education. HEFS is:
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Tracking DC grant awardees to determine graduation rates;
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Surveying current DC grant awardees to identify potential barriers for successful completion of college; and,
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Creating a comparison chart of affiliate colleges and universities and the services they offer to help students make informed choices about the college or university they plan to attend (see below link).
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