Applying for financial aid and scholarships is an important step in the college planning and application process. Please review the resources below to guide you through this process.
For more than 30 years community members in the St. Vrain Valley have supported SVVSD students by giving scholarships. Many of these community members have donated individually or as an organization, but all have had the mission to help local students pursue their college
and workforce goals.
While all organizations have operated independently of one another, the scholarships have been linked as a packet for ease of disseminating the information to SVVSD seniors. The St. Vrain Valley Local Scholarship List, has a variety of scholarships, all of which are available to every SVVSD seniors through their NavianceFC account (found on each high schools’ home pages). All SVVSD high school students have a Naviance account.
Naviance is a platform where students can access college information, career planning and scholarships. Please ask your student to login to their account, and you can use this platform together to research scholarships.
The scholarship description packet is available through every counseling offices. Each scholarship and their application, or internet link, are listed in Naviance. It is the responsibility of the student to complete the applications, which will include additional materials, including but not limited to: essays, letters of recommendation, Student Aid Reports (SAR) from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and community service hours.
The St. Vrain Valley Local Scholarships are listed in Naviance as SVVSD LOCAL and then the name. An example is: SVVSD LOCAL: Hispanic Education Foundation. Students can use the SVVSD LOCAL filter in Naviance to find just the local scholarships.
If you have any questions about the scholarship applications, please email your student’s high school counselor and they will guide you in the right direction.
Erie-Specific Scholarships
1.Get the Facts
- Know your child’s credentials. Review your child’s eligibility for scholarships by staying up to date on your child’s transcript, standardized test scores and creating a list of his/her club, sports and extracurricular activities.
2. Sticker Price vs. Affordability
- Paying for college is a family decision.
- The tuition price in the brochure is not what low income families pay. 65% of college students receive financial assistance to attend college
- Financing a child’s college education at a 4 year institution generally costs $50K – $80K. If you are like most families, and you want to be considered for scholarships and grants, in most cases you will need to provide the following financial documentation to scholarship providers and colleges: IRS Form 1040 or 1040EZ, W’s, 1099’s, child support, TANF letter, social security, unemployment or veteran’s benefits.
- Colleges use a formula to determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). This is the amount that your family is expected to pay for your child’s college education. You can estimate your EFC by using a free online calculator, such as the FAFSA4Caster.
- Paying for college is a family decision and your child may need to know your household income. Prepare your tax return in January or as early as possible. This will be helpful as you fill out the FAFSA (Federal…), which is required in order to apply for federal aid, such as Pell and Map grants…
3. Research
- Help your child by signing up for free online alerts from websites like FastWeb and other scholarship sites
- Look at College/ University Specific Scholarships
4 Talk as a family
- Have open an honest conversations about what is reasonable, what and if the parents/ guardians can contribute, if there is savings, work study, what is reasonable etc.
Through the Western Undergraduate Exchange:
- Reap steep nonresident tuition discounts—averaging $9,400/year!
- Choose from hundreds of majors at 160+ two-/four-year schools in 16 Western states/U.S. territories (CNMI and Guam).
- Graduate with more options, less debt.
- With WUE, out-of-state students pay no more than 150% of in-state tuition at participating schools, compared with nonresident rates that can exceed 300% of in-state rates.
Eligible students must be from a WICHE member state.
Important WUE Tips (taken from https://www.wiche.edu/wue/students)
- Are you a resident of a WICHE member state or U.S. Territory (CNMI or Guam)? Are you planning to study at a public college or university in another WICHE state?
- Select from 160+ WUE network schools. Download a PDF list, or check the WUE Savings Finder for each school’s details.
- Do the schools on your list offer your chosen area of study? Verify! Most majors are eligible for the WUE tuition discount at most universities and colleges, but not always. Selected schools may exclude high-demand majors from WUE rate eligibility.
- Do you meet your top-choice schools’ WUE admissions criteria? Your residency alone doesn’t guarantee you the WUE discount. Many colleges and universities have additional criteria such as ACT/SAT test scores or high school GPA. Some schools use WUE as a merit award and set more rigorous criteria for WUE applicants.
- Apply directly to the schools. WICHE doesn’t process applications (there is no general WUE application); WICHE does not participate in the student-selection process. When you apply, indicate you want to be considered for the WUE discount. Usually the admissions office handles WUE requests, but at some schools you work with their scholarship or financial aid office.
- Apply early. Many schools have an early application deadline for WUE applicants; check your choice schools’ WUE webpages for the most current deadlines. If you apply after your school has reached its quota of discounted WUE seats, you could miss out!
- Be informed. Read our comprehensive WUE FAQ and see how much you could save with WUE (updated every December). NOTE: The WUE discount (150% of resident tuition or less) only applies to the tuition. Fees are typically standard for residents and nonresidents; they must be paid in addition to tuition.
- Got WUE? Congratulations! If you’ve been admitted and awarded the WUE rate, keep all correspondence confirming your WUE award. To keep your WUE discount for the duration of your studies, study hard and remain in good academic standing. Some schools require a minimum number of credit hours per term. Be sure to confirm all requirements directly with your WUE school. IMPORTANT: Students cannot count time enrolled through WUE toward building in-state residency.
- Still have questions? If your questions are specific to a certain school, please call their admissions office. If you’ve read these tips, the WUE FAQ, your choice school’s WUE information (their WUE profile on our website and the school’s WUE website) and still have questions, contact us at [email protected] or 303.541.0270