University of Virginia Jefferson Scholarship

About:

The Jefferson Scholars Foundation offers Jefferson Scholarships for undergraduate study at the University of Virginia. The goal of the Foundation is to attract the most outstanding students in the nation and the world to the University, students who are extraordinary leaders, scholars, and citizens. Individual merit in these three areas is the sole criterion for selection. Financial need, which the University meets through other resources, is not a consideration in making nominations, recommendations, or selections.

The Foundation is financially prepared to renew the scholarship grant for eight semesters of study, but all grants are made in advance for one semester only and are renewed each semester at the sole discretion of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation Board of Directors. A grant will be canceled by conduct that, in the sole judgment of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation Board of Directors, is contrary to the high standards of the  Jefferson Scholars Foundation.

The stipend totals over $200,000.00 for residents outside the Commonwealth of Virginia. This sum represents the actual reported cost, including tuition, room, board, books, and miscellaneous expenses, for students enrolled full time in the University over four years. These  amounts may be increased or decreased at the at the sole discretion of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation  Board of Directors to adjust for increases and decreases in costs as outlined by the University of Virginia  Board of Visitors.

Criteria for Selection:

The Jefferson Scholars Foundation seeks to attract to the Grounds of the University the most promising student leaders in the world, individuals who demonstrate superior potential for providing exceptional contributions to the University as students and to the world at large as alumni of the University. In granting  the awards the Foundation will have regard for the ideals of excellence exhibited by Thomas Jefferson:

• Leadership ability
• Scholarship ability
• Responsible citizenship

If selected as a recipient of the Jefferson Scholarship, the deadline for accepting the offer will be April 18, 2014. Once enrolled in the University of Virginia, a Jefferson Scholar should be a superior citizen of the student body, both in conduct and achievement. A Scholar should contribute to the University community  in a positive and constructive fashion and should show promise for so doing as a member of the alumni community.
 

How To Apply:

To apply to become Biotechnology High School’s Nominee for the Jefferson Scholarship, you must submit an essay of 600 words or less in response to the following topic.

Essays are due to in Mr. Brown’s mailbox by 2:30 pm on Monday, November 18. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Jefferson Scholarship Essay Prompt:

Tell us how you exemplify the ideals of excellence exhibited by Thomas Jefferson: leadership ability, scholarship ability and responsible citizenship.

Boston University Trustee Scholars Program

About:

Boston University’s most prestigious merit-based award recognizes students who show outstanding academic and leadership abilities. Trustee Scholars are intellectually and creatively adventurous and demonstrate viewpoints, experiences or achievements beyond the usual. They are, in other words, not just top students, but extraordinary people.  At BU, scholars also become part of a unique campus community that offers many intellectual, cultural, and social opportunities

While the competition is especially rigorous, the benefits are considerable. A Trustee Scholarship covers full undergraduate tuition plus the University orientation and mandatory undergraduate student fees and is renewable for four years if certain criteria are met.

 
How To Apply:

To apply to become Biotechnology High School’s Trustee Scholarship Nominee, you must submit an essay of 600 words or less in response to one of the following topics.

Essays are due to in Mr. Brown’s mailbox by 2:30 pm on Monday, November 18. Late submissions will not be accepted. 

Trustee Scholarship Essay Prompts:

(1) Recent disclosures have revealed that the US government maintains a database that logs all American telephone calls and actively collects the contents of large numbers of domestic and foreign emails. National security officials have testified that these once-secret programs have disrupted more than 50 “potential terrorist events.” The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a suit against the Obama administration demanding an end to this surveillance, contending that it “gives the government a comprehensive record of our associations and public movements, revealing a wealth of detail about our familial, political, professional, religious, and intimate associations.” In your opinion, what are the considerations in determining how much domestic surveillance is warranted to prevent possible terrorist attacks? Do you agree with the ACLU’s position or that of the government? Where do you draw the line regarding data collection and when this should be prohibited?

(2) According to Dr. Francis Collins, head of the Human Genome Project, scientists will soon be able to perform genetic testing to determine an individual’s likelihood of developing 25 major diseases such as cancer, arterial sclerosis, and diabetes. Similar in-vitro testing will be available as well, permitting parents to know the probability of debilitating—as well as “undesirable”—traits in fertilized eggs before they are implanted in the womb. What are the arguments against making such information widely available? Do you agree or disagree with these arguments?

(3) Responding to the overwhelming amount of facts, information, and opinions that come to us through our electronic devices, the author Pico Iyer has written: “The only way to do justice to our onscreen lives is by summoning exactly the emotional and moral clarity that can’t be found on any screen.” Do you agree with this statement? Why?

Local FAFSA Workshops

Between now and the end of January, different high schools across Monmouth County will be hosting FAFSA/Financial Aid workshops to help senior parents better understand the FAFSA and to ask questions.  As we learn of more dates, we will post them to this site.   Please confirm all dates and times with the high school before attending in case of any changes to their schedule.

FAFSA Resource:

• Guide To Completing the 2013 - 2014 FAFSA

Monmouth County FAFSA Workshops

Red Bank Regional - Monday, November 11th at 6:30 in the Auditorium

Manalapan will host the FRHSD's FAFSA information session on November 13th at 6:30pm in the Auditorium

Raritan High School - Tuesday, November 19th at 6:30pm

Wall High School - Tuesday, November 19th at 6:30 in the Auditorium

Keyport High School - Thursday, November 21st at 6pm in room 108.

Allentown High School - Tuesday, December 3rd at 7pm in the Auditorium

Middletown South High School - Wednesday, December 4th at 6:00 in the Theater

Manasquan High School - Thursday, December 5th at 7pm in the Auditorium

Matawan - Aberdeen Reg. HS - Wednesday, December 11th at 7pm in the Auditorium

Shore Regional HS - Monday, January 6th at 7pm in the Auditorium

Holmdel High School - Tuesday, January 7th at 7pm in the Auditorium

Ocean Township High School - Wednesday, January 8th at 7pm in the Auditorium

Neptune High School - Thursday, January 9th at 7pm in the Library

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional HS - Thursday, January 23 at 7pm in the Auditorium

Common App Issues & EA/ED Deadline Extensions

As detailed in this recent NY Times Article, the new Common Application has been riddled with technical difficulties and glitches. Some of the main issues reported thus far from students include:

• Getting locked out of the system
• Problems formatting essays
• Inability to preview the application before submitting
• Confusion if the application fee was sent/received

Recognizing the technical difficulties, several colleges have extended their Early Action / Decision Deadlines. So far, we know of the following extensions:

• Georgia Tech - From Oct 15 to Oct 21
• University of North Carolina - From Oct 15 to Oct 21
• UChicago - From Nov 1 to Nov 8
• Columbia - From Nov 1 to Nov 8
• Duke - From Nov 1 to Nov 8

The Common App is working hard to fix the problems -- click here for a list of issues that have been fixed by the Common App.

Despite the recent improvements, the issues with the Common App are even more of a reason to submit your applications early, at least one in week in advance, leaving time to deal with any unforeseen difficulties.

If you learn of any any additional schools that are extending their deadlines, please email us so that we can update our list.

A Parent's Guide to Making College More Affordable

Zinch is offering 30% off of a new course geared towards the parents of high school students who need help navigating the process of paying for college. More information on the course is below:

Zinch Presents: A Parent's Guide to Making College More Affordable is an online course designed for the busy parent who wants straightforward and simple, yet thorough answers on how to navigate the confusing process of paying for college. The course's unique self-paced format and combination of on-demand videos and live office hours was designed to work around your schedule and provide immediate answers and help when you need it most.

Zinch, a free site dedicated to helping college-bound high school students connect with best-fit colleges and scholarships, has teamed up with Jodi Okun, an expert on the college financial aid process, to offer a comprehensive course with the following content:

• Over 30 video lessons covering: 
  • The cost of college including creating financial aid timelines & using the net-price calculator 
  • All about applications – FAFSA, CSS PROFILE, IDOC, NCP 
  • What to do after you've applied including comparing packages and how to follow up 
  • How to cover the gap through grants, loans, etc. 
• 14 hours of live “office hours” with Jodi Okun where you can connect with her directly to ask questions related to your unique family situation. 
• Detailed, step-by-step walk-throughs on how to complete important applications: the CSS Profile (released in October) and the FAFSA (released in January) at no additional cost. 
• College timeline, budget worksheets and a downloadable dictionary of key terms. 
• Q&A postings after each lecture to ask Jodi specific questions. 
• Lifetime access to all course content and a 30-day money back guarantee.

Click here to learn more and enroll in the course for $34 (over 30% off)