BHS Guidance Scholarship Guidebook

This guidebook is compiled by the Bellport High School Guidance Office as a service to the students and families of the South Country Central School District. This online guidebook provides an overview of important financial aid and scholarship information for high school students and their families. The information provided in this guidebook is one of the many resources available to guide you in this process.

Financial aid and scholarships are available to help you pay for college. You may apply for financial aid and multiple scholarships. Scholarships can lower the net price of attending college. It’s important to fully understand how the process works early in your college search. By understanding what the true cost of your education is sooner, it can open the doors to institutions that may not have been a financial fit based on their sticker price.

Some scholarships require that you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application online in the fall of your senior year before you may qualify for additional financial aid, grants, and/or scholarships.

Your School Counselor is available in the Guidance Office to assist you in this process. Please click here if you would like to contact your School Counselor or to schedule a Guidance appointment.

Your School Counselor is available in the Guidance Office to assist you in planning to reach your future goals. Whether you plan to work, attend BOCES or a trade school, enlist in the military, or apply to colleges, we are here to assist you in creating the best plan for you. School Counselors can work with you to identify schools with affordable tuition, apply for financial aid, and find scholarship opportunities.

Call us at 631-730-1575 and press 3, email your School Counselor, or click here to schedule a Guidance appointment.

The Guidance Office sends out information throughout the school year to let you know about financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Below are some of our communication tools.

GUIDANCE GOOGLE CLASSROOM

Grades 9-12

Students,

You have been invited! Join your grade level Guidance Google Classroom to receive important information throughout high school.

GUIDANCE REMIND

Grades 9-12 and Parents/Guardians

If you have not done so already, please sign up now from your cell phone to receive Guidance text messages this school year through Remind. The Guidance Office will send out texts through Remind throughout the school year about upcoming events.

Text to 81010 with the code corresponding to your graduation year below.

Freshmen/ Class of 2027 @bhs2027gc

Sophomores/ Class of 2026 @bhs2026gc

Juniors/ Class of 2025 @bhs2025gc

Seniors/ Class of 2024 @bhs2024gc

Grade 12

9/28/2023

7p:00 p.m.

The Bellport High School Guidance Office will host Senior College Planning Night. A presentation will be given to seniors and their parents/guardians on the college application process, financial aid, and scholarships.

Grade 12

Fall

Each senior will be invited to an individualized Senior Planning Conference (JPC) with their School Counselor in the fall. The purpose of the SPC is to continue working on their post-graduation plan. This plan is based on the student's goals and may include college, trade school, the military, or employment options. For students planning to attend college or trade school after high school graduation, potential financial aid and scholarship opportunities will be discussed at the SPC.

Grade 12

11/2/2023

7:00 p.m.

The Bellport High School Guidance Office will host Financial Aid Night. A presentation will be given on financial aid options for college. Information for seniors and their parents/guardians to apply for the FAFSA online will be discussed. You will have the opportunity to have your questions answered at the end of the presentation.

Grade 11

2/29/2024

7:00 p.m.

The Bellport High School Guidance Office will host a Junior Planning Night in the spring for juniors and their parents/guardians. A presentation will be given on the college planning process. Information about financial aid and scholarships will be discussed. You will have the opportunity to have your questions answered at the end of the presentation.

Grade 11

Spring

Each junior and his/her parents/guardians will be invited to an individualized Junior Planning Conference (JPC) with their School Counselor in the spring. The purpose of the JPC is to formally begin the process of creating a post-graduation plan. This plan is based on the student's goals and may include college, trade school, the military, or employment options. For students planning to attend college or trade school after high school graduation, potential financial aid and scholarship opportunities will be discussed at the JPC.

Here are some of the ways to earn scholarships for college:

• earning strong grades in your classes and on the SAT/ACT exams to be considered for academic merit scholarships
• getting involved in extracurricular organizations and athletics which may offer scholarships through the college you are planning to attend
• taking the PSAT/NMSQT in October of your junior year and opting into the College Board’s Student Search Service
• completing the Bellport High School Local Scholarship application starting in January of your senior year to be considered by local organizations awarding scholarships
• using scholarship search engines (links at the bottom of this newsletter) to find scholarships you can apply for
• by completing the FAFSA and then the TAP applications online starting in the fall of your senior year to see if there are additional scholarships and grants you qualify for
• applying to 4 or more colleges in the fall of senior year to increase your financial options. Some colleges consider students for scholarships just by applying!

College Board's Student Search Service helps students connect with more than 1,500 colleges and over $300 million in scholarships. You can join this program online at any time to start hearing from participating organizations. After joining Search, check your email and mailbox regularly for updates about degree programs, campus life, financial aid, or invitations to apply for scholarships.

Did you know that by applying to a college, a student may be considered for financial aid, grants, and scholarships that the college offers? This may be offered based on financial need, academic merit, or specific talents or skills (music, art, athletics, etc.).

Academic merit scholarships may be offered by colleges based on a student's overall high school Grade Point Average (GPA) and/or scores on the SAT or ACT exams. Keeping your grades up in high school really can pay off!

Colleges typically offer a variety of other scholarships based on factors like extracurricular involvement, leadership, athletics, intended major, and more. A separate application is usually required, and details for applying can be found on college websites.

We recommend that students apply to 4 or more colleges to increase their options. Students will apply to college in the fall of their senior year. After they are accepted, they will be offered a financial aid award before they make their decision and put down a deposit on the college of their choice by May 1st. A separate application for scholarships at a particular college is usually required, and details for applying can be found on college websites.

Some college-specific scholarships may be found by logging into your student Naviance account and following these steps:

• Select the Colleges tab at the top
• In the dropdown under Scholarships and Money, select Scholarship List
• Select the College-Specific Scholarships tab to search for scholarships by college

Financial aid, need-based scholarships, and grants are forms of financial aid given to those with financial need based on family income. This form of aid doesn’t need to be repaid. Need-based scholarships can be awarded by both individual institutions and corporations, non-profit organizations, or other groups. To apply for need-based aid, you first need to fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form starting in the fall of senior year.

There are other types of need-based aid from the federal government in the forms of grants, loans, and work-study. To determine eligibility, you will need to complete the FAFSA form starting in the fall of senior year.

There are 2 different types of local scholarships:

1. LOCAL/REGIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS - Grades 9 -12

Local/regional scholarships are offered by local corporations, non-profit organizations, or other groups. They are competitive and advertised to students in a defined, local geographic area. A separate application is required to be considered. Local/regional scholarships which have been sent to Bellport High School will be listed in our newsletter when they are received throughout the school year.

2. BELLPORT HIGH SCHOOL LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS - for BHS Seniors Only

Bellport High School Local Scholarships are offered by local corporations, non-profit organizations, or other groups only to Bellport High School seniors planning to further their education after graduation. They are competitive and are not advertised.

You may be selected by local, individual organizations for these scholarships based on a wide range of factors, including interests, leadership, financial need, intended major, and more.

The Main Office will publish the Bellport High School Local Scholarship application online after the New Year. They will also set a deadline when the completed application must be returned to the Main Office in order to be considered. The deadline for the Bellport High School Local Scholarship application to be completed and returned to the Main Office is usually the first week in March.

The Main Office supplies one, annual blind list to any local organization looking to award a Bellport High School senior planning to further their education after graduation. The blind list is composed of all completed Bellport High School Local Scholarship applications with the student names removed. Local organizations choose from the blind list.

***Only one completed, online application is required to be considered for all of the Bellport High School Local Scholarships. Seniors are required to apply to be considered. The link to the one Bellport High School Local Scholarship application for seniors will be posted here as soon as it becomes available online after the New Year.***

Apply here.

National scholarships are offered by corporations, non-profit organizations, or other groups. They are competitive and advertised nationally on scholarship search engines. Links to various scholarship search engines may be found at the bottom of this newsletter.

You can qualify for these scholarships based on a wide range of factors, including interests, leadership, financial need, intended major, and more. A separate application is required to be considered.

National scholarships may be found using scholarship search engines. Links to some popular scholarship search engines are listed at the bottom of this newsletter. We list National scholarships which are encouraging Bellport High School students to apply in our scholarship newsletter.

There are many scholarship search engines to choose from. Some of the most popular scholarship search engines are:

College Board

Going Merry

Fast Web

There are free scholarship search engines that are available to you online. You can enter your information and the search engine will help you to identify scholarships you may be eligible to apply for. At the bottom of this newsletter is a sampling of some of the scholarship search engines available.

There are many scholarship search engines to choose from. In addition to Naviance, some of the most popular scholarship search engines are:

College Board

Going Merry

Fast Web

***Links to some scholarship search engines are listed at the bottom of this newsletter.***

Scholarships may be available to student-athletes. Depending on the type of athletic scholarship you would like to be considered for, you may need to qualify academically and apply to the athletic organization. You may be responsible to take approved core courses. If your goal is to play competitive athletics in college, let your School Counselor know so that we may assist you in selecting approved core courses in high school.

Some scholarships are offered by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Student-athletes would need to be academically eligible to qualify with the NCAA. Click here to view the academic initial eligibility requirements for the NCAA. Student-athletes planning to play competitive NCAA Division I or NCAA Division II athletics in college are recommended to notify their coaches, the BHS Athletic Office, and their School Counselor. Then they would register online by visiting the NCAA Eligibility Center.

If you plan to start at a 2-year community college and then transfer to a 4-year college to participate in NCAA athletics, you are responsible to follow the NCAA Eligibility Center's transfer policies.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics.

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) governs intercollegiate athletics for community colleges and junior colleges.

Since there are so many different ways to earn scholarships, there is not one timeline nor one deadline to follow. It is never too early to start planning on financing your educational goals after high school.

Grades count. Credits count. SAT/ACT scores count. Extracurricular activities including but not limited to sports, art, theatre, dance, clubs, leadership, volunteering, and community service count. Everything you do in high school may be used to determine future scholarship eligibility. Keep this in mind starting in 9th grade!

Student-athletes planning to play competitive NCAA college athletics need to notify their School Counselor to ensure that they enroll in NCAA approved courses starting in grade 9.

Scholarship opportunities are offered throughout high school. The Guidance Office provides information on scholarships to students and families through our various communication streams. Due to the volume of scholarships, we are not able to advertise every scholarship that may be available.

Students are encouraged to take an active role in researching and applying for scholarships based on their skills, abilities, and interests. Students may be involved in organizations outside of school which offer scholarships. Parents/guardians may work for an organization that offers scholarships for the children of employees.

In addition to juniors signing up to take the PSAT in October of junior year to be considered for scholarship opportunities, the majority of scholarships are offered to students starting in spring of your junior year and continuing throughout senior year.

Pay careful attention to scholarship deadlines when applying. Many scholarships require multiple parts for completion. This takes time. You may need to complete a form, an essay, submit your transcript, and letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches, etc. Do not wait until the last minute. Only completed scholarship applications submitted before the deadlines are considered.

Please contact your School Counselor in the Guidance Office if you have questions or need assistance with this process.

To be considered for additional college scholarships and grants, apply for financial aid starting October 1st of your senior year.

Step 1: Apply online for federal financial aid at FAFSA You may list up to 10 colleges you have applied to on the FAFSA.

Step 2: If you are applying to any colleges in New York State, after completing the FAFSA on the FAFSA Confirmation Page, click to start your state application to apply for TAP, New York's state-based financial aid. You may only list 1 college in New York State on your TAP application. You can log back into your TAP account to update this once you make your final college choice.

Want to know the average annual costs for a particular college or compare the costs of colleges? The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard has the most reliable data on college costs, graduation rates, and salaries after completing at each college.

Students may consider starting by commuting to a 2-year community college to save money. This allows them to earn an Associate's degree and/or to transfer to a 4-year college or university to earn a Bachelor's degree.

Suffolk County Community College

Nassau Community College

SUNY Community Colleges

SUNY has 30 community colleges throughout New York State.

Note: Not all 2-year colleges offer dorms. If you are planning to go away to a 2-year college, you will need to check to see if they offer dorms.

SUNY Transfer Paths

If you are planning to attend a 2-year SUNY college before transferring to a 4-year SUNY college, SUNY has created Transfer Paths that summarize the common lower division requirements shared by all SUNY campuses for similar majors within most disciplines. If you want to prepare for as many SUNY campuses as possible, the SUNY Transfer Paths will help you identify core coursework that will prepare you for multiple SUNY campuses.

The City University of New York (CUNY) is the nation’s largest, urban, public university. CUNY has 25 colleges spread across New York City’s five boroughs. In addition to completing the FAFSA starting in the fall of senior year, click here for information on CUNY's financial aid programs. Students with financial need may click here for information on Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) and College Discovery (CD) financial aid programs.

Before October 1st of your senior year, you may use the FAFSA Federal Student Aid Estimator to estimate how much federal financial aid you will receive for college. Starting in the fall of your senior year, you will need to complete the FAFSA application online.

As a New York State resident, you can take advantage of the state's in-state financial aid programs, called TAP. This funding is reserved for students who are New York State residents, qualify financially, and choose to attend any college in New York State.

As a New York State resident, you can access in-state tuition at all of the public colleges and universities in New York State. SUNY offers 64 public colleges throughout New York State. CUNY offers 25 colleges in New York City.

It is never too early to plan for college costs. Click here for information and resources provided by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid. If you're looking to plan ahead, there are some government-sponsored saving plans. These may include tax benefits when used for college expenses. To learn more about savings opportunities and strategies, check out the Office of Federal Student Aid's guide to saving early.

The Urban Institute offers valuable insight into the price of college and how to cover costs. See Understanding College Affordability for more information. This resource can help you understand the cost and value of a college education.

Net price calculators are available on a college’s or university’s website and allow prospective students to enter information about themselves to find out what students like them paid to attend the institution in the previous year, after taking grants and scholarship aid into account. You can use the U.S. Department of Education's Net Price Calculator Center.

Future salary and careers are a consideration when planning for college costs. To access salary and career information on any occupation in the United States, visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Majors and careers are a consideration when planning for college costs. To search for college majors, visit the College Board's BigFuture.

The Sallie Mae Paying for College Resource provides information on how to pay for college responsibly with free college planning tools, articles, and videos to help you make a plan.

Prospective students and families are invited to join SUNY for an online workshop that will provide detailed information about the financial aid application and award process. SUNY will review the cost of attendance and explore the types of financial aid available, including the Excelsior Scholarship. During the session, you will be able to send SUNY your questions via live chat.

As a New York State resident, there are financial incentives including in-state tuition to consider attending a public college or university. SUNY Smart Track is a commitment to financial aid transparency and helping you and your family to make the best decision in SUNY college financing.

Using SUNY Smart Track, you can compare the costs of attending a SUNY, the cost of commuting versus living on campus, and the cost of two-year versus four-year colleges.

In college, you accumulate tuition and room and board fees while you are attending. According to the most recent figures from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 41% of full-time undergraduates complete their degree in 4 years, while 60% complete their degree in 6 years.

Many students begin college without a clear plan for their future careers. If you’re not sure what you want to do, it may be a good idea to take courses at a community college to decide which studies you like best with less expensive tuition costs.

Once you know what you want to do, be sure that you keep your course schedule focused on your degree so that you can finish on time, and save money!

The PSAT/NMSQT is the qualifying test for entry to the National Merit Scholarship Program, an academic competition for recognition and scholarships. This is an opportunity for students who take the PSAT in October of their junior year to earn scholarships.

College Board's Student Search Service helps students connect with more than 1,500 colleges and over $300 million in scholarships. You can join this program online at any time to start hearing from participating organizations. After joining Search, check your email and mailbox regularly for updates about degree programs, campus life, financial aid, or invitations to apply for scholarships.

The College Board's BigFuture Scholarships offer college-bound high school students a unique opportunity to earn scholarships by completing steps in the college planning process. Enroll starting in December of your junior year and use their dashboard to track your progress.

The Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship Program is an undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation's best four-year colleges and universities. Start the application in August after your junior year in your Common App account at www.commonapp.org. The application is due in November of senior year.

LEDA Scholars receive outstanding financial aid; many Scholars have tuition, room, and board entirely funded by their university. LEDA is looking for juniors in high school who want to be challenged academically, have demonstrated a commitment to their studies, have the desire to be a leader in their families, schools, and communities, and embody LEDA’s core values of excellence, integrity, compassion, and community. Applicants must be a junior attending a public high school in the U.S., a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or have DACA Status, have an annual household income up to $90,000, and a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.5. The LEDA Scholars Program application is due in December of your junior year.

The College Prep Scholars Program prepares high-achieving high school juniors from low-income backgrounds with the knowledge, confidence, and resources to apply to top colleges.

Why apply as a junior? Being a College Prep Scholar is a notable distinction that shows our 45 college partners that you are a competitive candidate for admission. In addition, your application will automatically carry over for the National College Match when you’re a senior, giving you a head start on applying for a full four-year scholarship to our college partners. College Prep Scholars are historically five times more likely than other applicants to receive full four-year scholarships through the National College Match. The application opens in February of your junior year and is due in March.

Some organizations offer significant scholarships to highly motivated juniors who plan to apply to their college in the fall of their senior year. These usually become available in the spring of your junior year. If you would like to be considered for nomination, you will be asked to complete a Google form online before the deadline. The BHS Guidance Office will email you if you are selected as a nominee.

Here is a sample of some colleges that have offered this opportunity in the past to juniors during the spring.

• Alfred University
• Chatham University
• Clarkson University
• Elmira College
• High Point University
  
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Russell Sage College
• St. Bonaventure University
• United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP)
• University of Rochester
• University of Vermont
• Wilkes University
  

For more information, a listing of current scholarships, and to request to be considered for a nomination, please visit our Nomination Scholarships newsletter.

To be considered for financial aid, scholarships, and grants, apply for financial aid starting in the fall of your senior year.

Step 1: Apply online for federal financial aid at FAFSA You may list up to 20 colleges you have applied to on the FAFSA.

Step 2: If you are applying to any colleges in New York State, after completing the FAFSA on the FAFSA Confirmation Page, click to start your state application to apply for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), New York's state-based financial aid. You may only list 1 college in New York State on your TAP application. You can log back into your TAP account to update this once you make your final college choice.

This message is for BTA members with a graduating high school senior this year.

Is your graduating senior heading to college or the military? If so, they are eligible for a BTA scholarship. They are also eligible to apply for the Long Island Teachers Benevolent Fund scholarship.

Please send the following information to either skulick@southcountry.org or secondvp@bellportteachers.org:

1. Your name

2. Your building

3. Your child’s name

4. The name of your child’s high school

The College Board's BigFuture Scholarships offer college-bound high school students a unique opportunity to earn scholarships by completing steps in the college planning process. Enroll starting in December of your junior year and use their dashboard to track your progress. This opportunity ends in February of your senior year.

You may receive financial aid offers from more than one college. When it comes time to make a decision, stay informed about costs and financial aid. Your best option is not always the college with the lowest price tag. Be sure to consider the breakdown of your financial aid offerings. Scholarships, grants, and loans will all have a different impact. The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation and the College Board's Big Future offer online comparison tools.

The City University of New York (CUNY) is the nation’s largest, urban, public university. CUNY has 25 colleges spread across New York City’s five boroughs. In addition to completing the FAFSA starting in the fall of senior year, click here for information on CUNY's financial aid programs. Students with financial need may click here for information on Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) and College Discovery (CD) financial aid programs.

Macaulay Honors College offers high achieving students applying to CUNY schools the option to apply for a competitive, full-tuition scholarship. The application is due in November of your senior year.

New York State HESC offers students and families assistance in completing the FAFSA. Simply register for one-on-one assistance at HESC's dedicated FAFSA website, StarttHereGetThere.org, or call HESC’s dedicated toll-free line, 800-808-1790, to speak with a HESC representative weekdays between 9 am-4 pm.

Bellport High School's Guidance Starting in the fall of your senior year, seniors and their parents/guardians may choose to fill out the FAFSA, or use Going Merry’s FAFSA Made Easier with clear questions, helpful tips, and guided help text to make completing the FAFSA easier.

To use Going Merry, register for a Going Merry account, then go to

app.goingmerry.com/fafsa

Each college has a financial aid office. A college's financial aid office is there to assist you and your family by providing information on ways to pay for your education. It is the full-time responsibility of the financial aid office to assist you with information about financial aid, grants, and scholarships. They may also provide you with information about loans as needed.

After you apply and are accepted to a college, you will receive a financial aid award letter from that college’s financial aid office detailing how much it will cost for you to attend that college. If you have questions or concerns or would like to discuss your financial aid offer, you would contact the college's financial aid office directly.

SUNY Financial Aid Offices Contact Information

CUNY Financial Aid Offices Contact Information

Scholarships are not guaranteed. Some scholarships may be competitive or have criteria to maintain them while in college. We recommend that seniors include at one financially "safe school" to their list of colleges they are applying to in the fall of their senior year. A financially "safe school" is a school that you and your family may feel financially comfortable with even if you are not awarded scholarships. This could be a community college or a local college that you could commute to so that you do not need to pay for room and board.

To quickly access the average annual cost of any college in the United States, visit the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. This is an average but it will give you a idea of the cost of a particular college. Remember to consider that there may be additional costs associated with college. Things to consider include room and board, books and supplies, personal expenses, and transportation.

The Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship Program is an undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation's best four-year colleges and universities. Start the application in June of your junior year in your Common App account at www.commonapp.org. The application is due in October of senior year.

There are 2 different types of local scholarships:

1. LOCAL/REGIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS - Grades 9 -12

Local/regional scholarships are offered by local corporations, non-profit organizations, or other groups. They are competitive and advertised to students in a defined, local geographic area. A separate application is required to be considered. Local/regional scholarships which have been sent to Bellport High School will be listed in our newsletter when they are received throughout the school year.

2. BELLPORT HIGH SCHOOL LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS - for BHS Seniors Only

Bellport High School Local Scholarships are offered by local corporations, non-profit organizations, or other groups only to Bellport High School seniors planning to further their education after graduation. They are competitive and are not advertised.

You may be selected by local, individual organizations for these scholarships based on a wide range of factors, including interests, leadership, financial need, intended major, and more.

The Main Office will publish the Bellport High School Local Scholarship application online after the New Year. They will also set a deadline when the completed application must be returned to the Main Office in order to be considered. The deadline for the Bellport High School Local Scholarship application to be completed and returned to the Main Office is usually the first week in March.

The Main Office supplies one, annual blind list to any local organization looking to award a Bellport High School senior planning to further their education after graduation. The blind list is composed of all completed Bellport High School Local Scholarship applications with the student names removed. Local organizations choose from the blind list.

***Only one completed, online application is required to be considered for all of the Bellport High School Local Scholarships. Seniors are required to apply to be considered. The link to the one Bellport High School Local Scholarship application for seniors will be posted here as soon as it becomes available online after the New Year.***

Apply here.

If your family's adjusted gross income is $125,000 or less, you plan to attend a SUNY or CUNY public college in New York State, and you have completed the FAFSA and TAP applications online, you may be eligible to apply for the full-tuition Excelsior scholarship in the spring of your senior year.

The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) provides information on New York State scholarships. Check out the criteria to see if you are eligible to apply for various scholarships.

The NYS STEM Incentive Program provides awards for full-time study up to the annual tuition charged to NYS resident students attending an undergraduate program at the State University of New York (SUNY), or actual tuition charged, whichever is less, for the top 10 percent of students in each New York State high school if they pursue a STEM degree in an associate or bachelor degree program and agree to work in a STEM field in New York State for 5 years after graduation.

Are you a low-income high school senior who has excelled academically, but feels that the nation’s best colleges are financially out of reach? The QuestBridge National College Match can be your pathway to a top college. Through this college and scholarship application process, you can apply for free to the nation’s best colleges and be considered for early admission and a full four-year scholarship from the college. The application opens in August and is due in September of your senior year.

The Senator José Peralta New York State DREAM Act gives undocumented and other students access to New York State‐administered grants and scholarships that support their higher education costs.

UnLocal offers a Scholarship Directory for Non-Citizen and Undocumented Students.

The State University of New York's (SUNY) Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is designed for students who need special academic assistance as well as financial aid. You will be asked to complete additional application materials and financial aid forms by the colleges to which you are applying.

If you are applying to SUNY colleges in the fall of your senior year, on your www.commonapp.org college application you will be asked if you would like to apply for EOP. Click here to learn more about EOP and see if you may qualify.

Prospective students and families are invited to join SUNY for an online workshop that will provide detailed information about the financial aid application and award process. SUNY will review the cost of attendance and explore the types of financial aid available, including the Excelsior Scholarship. During the session, you will be able to send SUNY your questions via live chat.

As a New York State resident, there are financial incentives including in-state tuition to consider attending a public college or university. SUNY Smart Track is a commitment to financial aid transparency and helping you and your family to make the best decision in SUNY college financing.

Using SUNY Smart Track, you can compare the costs of attending a SUNY, the cost of commuting versus living on campus, and the cost of two-year versus four-year colleges.

Some organizations offer significant scholarships to highly motivated juniors who plan to apply to their college in the fall of their senior year. These usually become available in the fall of your senior year. If you would like to be considered for nomination, you will be asked to complete a Google form online before the deadline. The BHS Guidance Office will email you if you are selected as a nominee.

Here is a sample of some colleges that offered this opportunity in the past to seniors during the fall.

• Alfred University
• Davidson College
• Five Towns College
• New York State PTA Jenkins Memorial Scholarship for Teacher Education
• Nichols College
• Northeastern University
• Norwich University (senior Military College)
• St. Louis University
• United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP)
• UNC Asheville
• University of Virginia

For more information, a list of current scholarships, and to request to be considered for a nomination, please visit our Nomination Scholarships newsletter.

Scholarships can be a helpful way to fund your college education. They provide you with free money that can go towards tuition or other educational expenses.

To find and apply for scholarships, sign up for Going Merry (https://www.goingmerry.com) -- it’s free! Going Merry has thousands of national, regional, and local scholarships. There are also opportunities for every grade level, from freshmen to seniors.

To sign up, go to: https://app.goingmerry.com/sign-up#students

You can also download the Going Merry mobile app (and sign up that way) on iOS or Android.

Here are some reasons why we recommend Going Merry above other scholarship sites:

• Scholarship bundles: You can apply to multiple scholarships using one application and the same essay prompt.
• Vetted scholarships: The Going Merry team personally reviews every scholarship listing on the site, to ensure the scholarship program is still active and the information is correct.
• Personal matching: Once signed up, you’ll answer a few questions to fill out a basic profile, and then get matched to scholarships that fit your background, academics, interests, etc.
• Clear organization: You can shortlist favorites and get deadline reminders about them. All drafts and applications are saved, and you’ll get updates on the scholarships you’ve applied to.
• Direct, auto-filled applications: You can apply to many scholarships directly on the site (with forms helpfully pre-filled).

Happy applying--and good luck winning as these students did!)

There are free scholarship search engines that are available to you online. You can enter your information and the search engine will help you to identify scholarships you may be eligible to apply for. Below is a sampling of links to some of the scholarship search engines available to you.

There are many scholarship search engines to choose from. In addition to Naviance, some of the most popular scholarship search engines are:

College Board

Going Merry

Fast Web

***Links to additional scholarship search engines are listed below.***

Please contact us if you have any questions. We may be reached at 631-730-1575 press 3 for the Guidance Office, email your School Counselor, or click here to make an appointment.

Website: https://www.southcountry.org/schools/bhs_guidance
Location: 205 Beaver Dam Road, Brookhaven, NY, USA
Phone: 631-730-1575