Free Money: Scholarships at LBCC

School can be expensive!

This Wednesday and Thursday is a free scholarship workshop for all students interested in money to help pay for school. No registration to the workshop is necessary. It will be held in the Calapooia Center room 203 from noon to 1 p.m. both days.

"Anyone can come, bring your lunch and stay as long as you want," said Sharon Wall of the financial aid office.

Wall, in a joint effort with the LBCC Foundation, is organizing the event to help guide students through the process of finding available scholarships, filling out applications, collecting required documents, and to caution of common preventable mistakes that can lead to a denied application.

"We hope to make a difference in the number of applications we receive," said Wall.

Students will get help with how to look in the scholarship database for one best suited for you, inform of where the money comes from, and to discuss conflicts scholarships may or may not have with preexisting financial aid.

The terms of the scholarships and those who qualify for them can vary. Some have age requirements, some require a certain declared major, some require you to reside in a particular county, or some may be based on future goals you outline in an essay.

The workshop will help you learn where to look for one you can claim. Each year scholarships go unclaimed, the money is there, you just need to find it.

This term, the deadline to turn in applications is Oct. 24 at 5 p.m.

At that point, a committee will look at potential applicants who submitted complete paperwork. The decision process will take roughly a month to hear back your results.

"The committee reads everything so neatness counts. You want your best presentation," said Wall.

If you are rewarded a scholarship you will be eligible to receive the money at the start of winter term.

Here are a few tips to prepare yourself for the application process.

If you are a recent high school graduate, you will need to provide a transcript to establish your GPA. It's also helpful to show involvement in any activities such as sports, student government, or community projects. They can benefit your eligibility.

Everyone should prepare two letters of recommendation. They should not be from a parent as it will result in a denied application. They need to be someone on a professional level such as a teacher, coach or employer.