Tag Archives: scholarships

15 Outside Scholarships To Apply For 

When you look at the cost for college, it’s important to keep in mind 100 percent of PUC students receive one or more forms of financial aid. In fact, we’ve awarded over $30 million dollars in financial aid to our students. However, even with all the scholarships PUC offers (which we encourage you to look at right now!), it’s still expensive. That’s why it’s important to look elsewhere for financial help. 

There are countless outside scholarship opportunities you can find online. Some of them are serious and require essays to be written while others are fun and ask for a video or project. The process to find those scholarships can be a little time-consuming, but don’t let that stop you from receiving free money. If you don’t know where to start looking for scholarships, here are 15 you can apply for.  

All About Education Scholarship 

Deadline: April 30, 2020 

Award: $3,000

Every student dreams of receiving free money for their college tuition. All this scholarship requires is an essay of 250 words or less about how a $3,000 scholarship for education will make a difference in your life. 

3rd Annual Litner + Deganian College Scholarship Program 

Deadline: March 31, 2020, at 9 a.m. EST. 

Award: $2,500

Litner + Deganian is looking for a creative-minded student to create a superhero focused on reducing car accidents and accident-related deaths among teens to be the mascot of their company.

Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway 

Deadline: Re-opens mid-August 2020 

Award: $100,000 

Dr Pepper is awarding over $1,000,000 to help students reach their biggest goals. You must be 18-24 and attending school for the 2020-2021 year. You will need to submit a video talking about your academic and professional goals and how winning this tuition will impact your life. This giveaway does not open until mid-August, so you have time to be creative, show how passionate you are and give them a sense of who you are. 

Superpower Scholarship 

Deadline: March 31, 2020 

Award: $2,500

If you are a hero or villain enthusiast, this super scholarship can give you the power to win free college money. In 250 words or less, write about a superhero or villain you would want to change places with for a day and why. 

ResumeCompanion Annual Scholarship 

Deadline: July 15, 2020 

Award: $1,000

This fun award lets you create a resume based on the life of any fictional or nonfictional character, from TV, history, literature, or myth. The resume should not be about yourself or your own experiences. Resumes should be no longer than two pages and there is not a required GPA. 

Flavor of the Month Scholarship 

Deadline: July 31, 2020 

Award: $1,500

Everybody loves ice cream, so why not write about what flavor of ice cream you would be and why for $1,500! 

Fifth Month Scholarship 

Deadline: May 31, 2020 

Award: $1,500

This unique scholarship wants to know what is so special about five. In 250 words or less, write a letter to the number five explaining why five is important. You can either be serious or funny. 

2020 General Marketing Education Scholarship – Marketing Education 

Deadline: December 15, 2020 

Award: $1,000 

This scholarship requires you to submit a 1,000-word minimum essay about your educational goals and plans after graduation. You will also need to explain why you deserve to win this scholarship and what it would mean to you if you won. 

ServiceScape Scholarship 2020 

Deadline: November 29, 2020 

Award: $1,000 

To apply for this scholarship, ServiceScape wants students to write a 300-word essay on the topic of: How does writing impact today’s world? You also need to submit a headshot with your essay. 

Halloween Costume Scholarship 

Deadline: October 31, 2020 

Award: $1,000

The cost of college is pretty scary, but the thought of free money is far from spooky. All you have to do for this scholarship is write about your favorite costume worn by either you or your pet. 

Do-Over Scholarship 

Deadline: June 30, 2020 

Award: $1,500

In 250 words or less, you will need to write about a mistake you made and if you were allowed one do-over in life, what would it be and why? Don’t make the mistake of missing out on this scholarship.

GoSkills Scholarship 

Deadline: March 15, 2020 

Award: $2,000

If you are a female college student who wants to start your own online business, this scholarship is for you. Besides talking about yourself, you will need to share reasons why you’re scared of starting your business, what’s holding you back, and who your female boss role model is and why. This isn’t an essay, but more of a conversation. 

Build U. Scholarship 

Deadline: April 15, 2020 

Award: $2,500 Scholarship Each Semester 

If you are majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM), this scholarship is for you. In less than 1,000 words, explain why you admire a company or organization that best exemplifies core values. You will also need to submit a short video answering the question: “What would the Build U. Scholarship mean for your education?” 

The Blades of Green Scholarship Fund 

Deadline: March 27, 2020 

Award: $1,000

If you are seeking environmental studies or related fields, this scholarship is for you. This scholarship is based on your academic excellence, the pursuit of further study in environmental education, and passion for further study. In 350-500 words, describe your career plans after graduation, passion for your intended field, and what inspired you to choose your career path. This application must be submitted by mail. 

University Frames Scholarship Program 

Deadline: June 15, 2020 

Award: $1,000

This scholarship is only for 3rd-year undergrad students who have a GPA of at least 3.0. You must write a 400-500 word essay describing your future goals after you graduate and what important lessons you have learned in school and how you will apply them in your future goals. You will also need to send a photo or selfie holding an invisible diploma frame. 

Don’t miss the opportunity of receiving free money for your education. There’s money out there just waiting to be given, all you need to do is look!

 

 

Take A Look at PUC’s Scholarships​

It’s really easy to get overwhelmed by the thought of paying for college. The thing is, all PUC students, 100 percent, receive at least one form of financial aid. Our finance team is committed to working with you and your family to be sure the opportunity of an Adventist education is possible whether it’s through scholarships, grants, or helping you understand the loan options available to you so don’t feel discouraged by the sticker price! 

PUC offers scholarships based on a variety of factors, including leadership, participation in music groups or athletic programs, and of course high GPA and high test scores. There are also scholarships available depending on your program of study, like the Adventist Mission Scholarship, available to theology and education majors. Visit puc.edu/scholarships to see all available scholarships. 

Here is just a preview of a few merit-based scholarships available. 

President’s Scholarship (Renewable with a 3.0 GPA)

    – 3.75-4.0 GPA or 29+ ACT / 1350+ SAT 

    – $13,000 / 4-Year Total: $52,000

Dean’s Scholarship (Renewable with a 3.0 GPA) 

   – 3.5-3.74 GPA or 26+ ACT / 1200+ SAT

   – $12,000 / 4-Year Total: $48,000

Trustee’s Scholarship (Renewable with a 3.0 GPA) 

   – 3.25-3.49 GPA 

   – $10,000 / 4-Year Total: $40,000

Founder’s Scholarship (Renewable with a 3.0 GPA) 

   – 3.0-3.24 GPA 

   – $9,000 / 4-Year Total: $36,000 

For high-achieving students, PUC offers the prestigious Maxwell Scholarship, worth up to a whopping $116,000. Students meeting qualifications receive full tuition based on their unweighted cumulative GPA and test scores; requirements are a 3.9-4.0 GPA and a 34+ ACT or 1500+ SAT. 

There are also several other PUC scholarships worth checking out, like the Legacy Scholarship for students whose parents attended PUC, and the Mostert Leadership Scholarship, which recognizes students for selected leadership roles held during their junior and/or senior years. 

Visit puc.edu/scholarships to see all available scholarships. If you have questions about what you might qualify for, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of financial aid counselors, who can give you a financial aid estimate that shows what it might cost for you to attend PUC. Call (800) 862-7080, option 1 or email studentfinance@puc.edu to talk with a counselor now.

 

It’s ACT/SAT Time! Are You Prepared?

Fall is officially in full swing which means you have a lot of things on your “preparing for college” checklist! We hope one of those is preparing for the ACT or SAT. We know the idea of sitting down and taking them might be a bit overwhelming but we hope you know how important they are! Did you know that while a lot of colleges have score requirements for admissions, PUC doesn’t? While that might ease some of your anxiety, it shouldn’t stop you from preparing for and taking them because there are some BIG reasons to take them and score well! 

Note: PUC accepts both the ACT and the SAT. To have your test scores sent to PUC, make sure you include PUC’s school code; 0362 for ACT and 4600 for SAT. 

You need them to register for classes

A little different than most state and public schools, PUC doesn’t require test scores for admission for first-time college students, with a few exceptions. However, you still need to submit test scores for placement into math and English classes, so it is something you will have to turn in eventually when you register for classes in the spring. 

For transfer students, test scores are only required for students who have not successfully taken the equivalent to College Algebra or English 101.

Learn more about PUC’s admissions requirements

You could earn a scholarship

PUC uses test scores for several scholarships for incoming freshmen, including the Maxwell scholarship, the college’s most prestigious scholarship; and the President’s, Dean’s, Trustee’s, and Founder’s scholarships. Each of these scholarships require a certain GPA and a certain test score range and is potentially worth a great deal of money, from $36,000 all the way up to $112,000. It’s definitely a wise decision to make sure you take time to adequately prepare for the ACT or SAT since the better you score, the higher the scholarship you’re eligible for. 

Learn more about PUC’s scholarships

Retaking it could result in a higher scholarship

With the fall just getting started, there’s still plenty of time to take either test or retake one if you aren’t satisfied with your score. This might not sound like the most fun since it’s several hours of your time, but it can be worth it since there’s serious scholarship money available for students who do well on these tests. It can be the difference between earning thousands of dollars more if you can significantly increase your score. If you took the ACT but didn’t do well, it may even be worth trying the SAT to see if that results in a higher score. 

Learn more about the ACTs, including registration deadlines and fees.

Learn more about the SATs, including registration deadlines and fees.

Our team of admissions counselors is ready to help if you have questions about applying to PUC! Call our office at (800) 862-7080, option 2 Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. to get connected with a counselor. You can also email admissions@puc.edu.

Good luck! 

 

Five Commonly Asked Financial Aid Questions

As you can imagine, college finances are a hot topic for prospective students and parents. While some things are more difficult to explain than others, here are five of the most commonly asked questions and very simple answers to help get you started. Reach out to PUC’s team of financial aid counselors if you have additional questions or need clarification on anything!

How do I apply for financial aid at PUC?

The most important thing you can do is file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is an online form you will submit each year that determines your eligibility for student financial aid. Filing the FAFSA also potentially qualifies you for a Pell Grant, which is a subsidy from the U.S. federal government, and is something you don’t have to pay back. Amounts can change each year, but for the 2018-2019 award year, the maximum Pell Grant award is $6,095.

According to a study by NerdWallet, in 2014 U.S. high school graduates left a whopping $2.9 billion in free federal grant money on the table just by not completing the FAFSA, which made them ineligible for a Pell Grant. In our great state of California, over 100,000 seniors would have qualified for Pell Grants if they had filed their FAFSA, but as a result, they lost $396,401,205. See how critical it can be for you to take the time to do the FAFSA?

If you live in California, we also strongly recommend you apply for Cal Grant. Cal Grant is a financial aid program administered by the California Student Aid Commission that provides aid to California undergraduates, vocational training students, and those in teacher certification programs. The short version: A Cal Grant is money for college you don’t have to pay back!

Cal Grants can be used at most colleges in California. If you’re planning on attending a private non-profit California college like PUC, Cal Grant is worth up to $9,084 per year. That’s over $36,000 to help pay for four years of college—and it’s free!

Don’t forget to apply for PUC scholarships as well. Visit puc.edu/scholarships to see everything we offer as well as scholarship requirements, deadlines, and their applications.

How can I get an estimate of what PUC might cost me?

Once we have your FAFSA data on file, our team of financial aid counselors can determine how much financial aid you are eligible for and create a personalized estimate where you can see how much per month it would cost to attend PUC. It’s incredibly helpful and absolutely an essential thing for you to have when making a decision about where to attend college.

While you wait for your estimate, you can also use PUC’s net price calculator to receive a free preliminary estimate of your aid eligibility, including grants, loans, and PUC scholarships.

Should I apply for aid anyway, even I think I won’t qualify for anything?

Yes, absolutely! Even if you think you won’t qualify for financial aid, or if you aren’t planning on taking out loans, it’s still recommended you file FAFSA. It might surprise you what you qualify for! Many families mistakenly think they won’t be eligible for aid and prevent themselves from receiving financial aid by failing to apply for it. There are a few sources of aid such as unsubsidized Stafford and PLUS loans that are available regardless of need. You also never know when your circumstances may change, and it’s always better to have the option of more financial aid available, should you need it.

Where should I look for outside scholarships?

It’s estimated there are 1.5 million scholarships in the United States alone, so it’s time to get to work if you haven’t already started your scholarship search!

Here are several scholarship websites worth checking out: 

Are there jobs at PUC to help pay off my tuition bill?

Having a job while in college can help defray the costs of obtaining a degree, and equip you with some of the necessary skills needed to enter the workforce post-graduation. In 2017-18 approximately 500 students were working on-campus at PUC, some with multiple jobs. Learn more by reading our “How to Get a Student Job at PUC” blog post!

Our Student Finance team is here to help if you have questions about financial aid and scholarships. Call (800) 862-7080, option 1 or email studentfinance@puc.edu to get connected with a financial aid counselor now.