Local scholarships up for grabs

Written by Simrundeep Kaur

By the time applications have been filled out and sent to colleges, students and parents start searching for scholarships and financial aid packages. Often times the first applications to cross their minds are for the LAM Scholarship, Cal Grant, and FAFSA. However, there are a multitude of other scholarships being offered locally. Best Buy, Kaiser Permanente Asian Association, Washington Hospital Medical Staff and Heald College are only a few of the many being offered. PTSA and Boosters are also offering a scholarship for members.  Career specialist Michelene Wittmer has set up a page on the school website dedicated to providing information on scholarships.

The list includes scholarships being offered, the criterion for each scholarship, the amount of money being given and the deadlines by which to apply. Wittmer also added links to relevant websites, which includes Fastweb, one of the largest databases for scholarships in the nation.

“Everything that crosses my desk, I’ve put up on the website,” Wittmer said.

The scholarships can be applied to a vast variety of interests. Some are being offered to those interested in a career in medicine, others to those of specific backgrounds and ethnicities and some for athletes, or those aspiring to be in a career involving athletics.

“I’ve heard of a scholarship for people that are either left-handed or right-handed,” senior Bhupinder Kaur said.

Many of the application forms can be found in the Career Center, while most applications can be found online.

Wittmer also mentioned that if money is still tight, contacting the actual college or university will help.

“Often times the schools are willing to help in covering some of the costs or setting up payment plans, especially if you are going to go there,” Wittmer said.

Economically, Wittmer has definitely seen a change in the number of scholarships being offered, but no significant difference in the amount of money being offered. One that has dropped significantly, however, is the LAM scholarship, which went from $10,000 to $4,000.

The information is accessible and extremely helpful to those that need it, and Wittmer encourages all seniors to apply for scholarships even if it is not a necessity. Some scholarships have earlier deadlines than others and require essays, or letters of recommendation, whereas others only require an application to be filled.