Sometimes getting into a first-choice college or other post-secondary institution isn’t the hardest part of a senior’s plans. For many, determining just how to afford their post-secondary education is a much more difficult problem to solve.

Fortunately financial aid and scholarships can make the cost of college much more reasonable, if students know where to look and how to apply.

“Scholarships can help reduce to out-of-pocket cost of college and reduce the amount of loans that students need to borrow,” said Tyrone High School College Adviser Sara White.

Tyrone seniors have the opportunity to compete for over $30,000 in local scholarships available only to them, and over $20,000 in other scholarships open only to residents of Blair and Huntingdon counties.

“The more that students can relieve the financial stress of college the more likely they will be able to spend their time and energy succeeding in their college classes and building a strong network of friendship and support on campus,” said White.

The application deadline for most of these local scholarships is March 4, 2019.

To access local scholarships, Tyrone seniors should go onto the Google Classroom page “TASD Local Scholarships 2019.”  This page is only accessible to TAHS seniors using their tasd.us Goggle accounts.

Once on the Classroom page, there are three steps to apply for these scholarships.

First, students must fill out the Common Application on Classroom.  White says that students should make sure to be accurate with the form and make sure to re-submit every time they add something.

The next step is to choose all scholarships that apply to each individual student.

“Scroll through the list and pick out scholarships that you may think apply to you,” said White, “Whether they be for academics, athletics, attendance, extracurricular activities, or other things you do. Don’t be afraid to apply for scholarships. Even if you are not sure if you qualify, it doesn’t hurt!”

Students must also complete the scholarship checklist on Google Sheets so that the school knows for which scholarships they would like to be considered.

The last step is to check all requirements for scholarships.

“Some scholarships have certain requirements such as a letter of recommendation from a teacher. Make sure to ask a teacher for a recommendation, and if they are able they must have a certain header and sign their name in pen; once you have the letter, turn the letter in to the Guidance Office,” said White.

There are two scholarships that are due March 1st, but the rest are due March 4th.

While scholarships are important, there are other ways to lower the cost of college.

White recommends that even if students know exactly which college they want to attend, they should still consider other choices.

“Apply to at least three to five colleges and then compare their different financial aid awards,” said White.

She also suggests that students apply to different types of schools. State schools like IUP, Lock Haven, and Clarion tend to be cheaper and state-related schools like Penn State or Pitt can be more expensive.

Many private colleges can be much more expensive up front,  but some end up being even less expensive than state schools because they tend to award larger scholarships to their students.

“Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Pennsylvania State Grant Application (PHEAA) in the fall of a student’s senior year to see if you might qualify for money from the government to help pay for college,” said White. ​”Even if your family does not qualify for government grants, many colleges require the FAFSA for their own scholarship programs.”

White has also been meeting with underclassmen to talk about applying for colleges, signing up for the SAT, getting prepared to file for the FAFSA, and other things that are involved with their senior year.

“Underclassman can prepare for scholarship applications by working hard in high school classes and participating in sports, school clubs, after-school jobs, and community service. Strong grades and a commitment to the Tyrone community look great on both college and scholarship applications,” said White.