Being short on cash is a common problem for college students; fortunately the Los Angeles College Faculty Guild, AFT 1521 program is offering three $1000 scholarships and the deadline to apply is April 18.
The Bill Doyle, Jean Trapnell and Hy Weintraub scholarships are the three that are available, and all Los Angeles Community College District students may apply.
“Most scholarships require essays and sometimes major is a factor,” said Anafe Robinson, Pierce College director of financial aid, scholarships, veterans and foster youth programs.
Although they are under the same program, each scholarship is separate and will require a different application. Since they are separate, there is a chance at winning all three for a total of $3,000.
Scholarships are gift-aid awarded. This means that they do not need to be paid back. The money can be used toward paying for tuition fees or anything else.
These scholarships are offered at Pierce College annually, but the deadline for this year is approaching rapidly. Each scholarship has its own requirements, which can be found on the Pierce College website under the Financial Aid section.
It is important that you are aware of the criteria for each scholarship when applying. If not every requirement is met, you will not be considered. Each of these scholarships have one thing in common: you must be a full-time student, enrolled in twelve units or more.
Free money can be very eye-opening for students.
“I’ve never heard of this program before, but I’m definitely going to check it out and see if I meet the requirements,” Pierce student Chelsea Sederberg said.
Scholarship information can always be found on the Pierce College website and application instructions are not clear, the Financial Aid office is available to help.
Some students don’t realize how easy applying can be. Not all scholarships require a letter of recommendation and an extensive essay.
“I usually don’t apply for [scholarships] because it’s too hard,” Pierce student Nigel Parker said.
Don’t wait until the last minute. Rushing an essay or cover letter can lead to mistakes and sloppy work. Timing is crucial, so plan ahead.
“Applying for a scholarship is time consuming. You can’t just go the day before the deadline and try to apply,” Robinson said.