Altria College Opportunity Fund Application and Program Information

Altria College Opportunity Fund Application and Program Information

What is the Altria College Opportunity Fund? The Altria College Opportunity Fund is a competitive scholarship program designed to help qualified Richmond Public School graduates afford college degrees and prepare for the 21st-century workforce. In order to receive scholarships from the program, students must show a combination of: financial need academic promise readiness for college leadership in their schools and/or communities Scholarships are available to a limited number of graduating seniors accepted into 4-year bachelor s programs, 2-year associate degree programs, or 2-year vocational/technical certificate programs. Students interested in careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, teaching or Business will receive special consideration. Recipients of Altria College Opportunity Fund Scholarships will be eligible to renew for up to four years in a bachelor s degree program, or up to two years in a technical/vocational or associate degree program. Renewing students must meet the standards set by their higher education institutions for acceptable academic progress. In addition, renewing students are subject to SRP s minimum renewal standards (generally a 2.75 GPA, with special consideration given in some circumstances). Who Can Apply? To be eligible, a student must: Attend and plan to graduate from one of the high schools in the Richmond Public Schools system Have attended Richmond Public Schools for at least the junior and senior years Demonstrate clear evidence of family financial need, an outstanding commitment to academic achievement, community involvement and leadership capabilities Have a cumulative high-school grade point average of 2.8 or higher based on a 4-point scale Be a candidate for high school graduation at the end of the current academic year, with a plan to enroll in a full-time, accredited, non-profit 2- or 4-year university, college or community college degree program Hold legal residency status in the Commonwealth of Virginia Students will receive additional consideration if they: Have participated in academic enrichment and/or positive youth development programs in their communities, especially through Altria s partner organizations (see list on page 10); Demonstrate promise in one or more fields related to STEM, and have expressed interest in a career in a STEM field, Business or Education Where Can the Scholarships be Used? Scholarships can be used for approved programs at accredited, non-profit 2- or 4-year colleges and universities in the United States and Puerto Rico. What Do Scholarship Awards Cover? The scholarship amounts vary depending on the type of postsecondary education the student is pursuing: Up to $10,000 per year for 4-year bachelor s degree programs Up to $5,000 per year for 2-year technical/vocational or associate degree programs Altria College Opportunity Fund scholarships will provide last-dollar support, including replacement of student self-help (loans and work-study). Scholarship awards can apply to tuition and fees, room and board, books and required study materials, including one personal computer per student if required. 1 Scholarship amounts will vary based on college costs and other scholarship awards a student may receive.

How Many Scholarships will be Awarded? Altria will award up to 10 scholarships to eligible students in the Class of 2012. How and When do Students Apply? Scholarships are awarded through Educational Testing Service s Scholarship & Recognition Program (SRP). The mission of Educational Testing Service, a non-profit organization, is to advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research, and related services for all people worldwide. Each applicant must complete and sign the attached application (including essay questions) and Student Waiver Form, to authorize his or her high school to release academic performance information to the program. Applicants must also submit at least two letters of recommendation, one each from: a Richmond Public Schools official (teacher, guidance counselor, administrator or coach) an employer, non-family mentor or leader of an educational community partner organization. Students who have participated in programs with one or more of Altria s partner organizations (see list on page 10) should submit a third letter of recommendation by a program leader from one of the partner organizations. In addition, all applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit a copy of their Student Aid Reports with their scholarship applications. Applicants must turn in completed Altria College Opportunity Fund applications to their advisors or school counselors. School advisors must provide a brief character assessment, data on the student s rank-in-class, grade point average, standardized test scores and official academic transcript. Advisors are responsible for submitting the application and all required documentation to SRP for review before March 1, 2012. Applicants will receive an acknowledgment of receipt of the scholarship questionnaire. Applications, transcripts and letters of recommendation should be sent to: Altria College Opportunity Fund Scholarship & Recognition Programs P.O. Box 6730 Princeton, NJ 08541 SRP contact information: Phone: (609) 771-7878 Fax: (609) 771-7233 The scholarship application must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2012. Students who do not comply with these instructions or who miss deadlines will be ineligible for consideration. Who Selects the Winners? An independent panel of skilled professional reviewers from Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region will review all applications and choose the winning students. Panel members are selected by SRP; employees of Altria and its companies do not participate in the selection process and are not aware of the award winners until SRP has finalized all selections. All materials submitted to support a scholarship application are used only in the selection process. The folder of a scholarship recipient will remain in active status during the period the scholarship is in force and SRP will retain it for one year thereafter. All information is confidential and available for reference by SRP and as appropriate by the program sponsor. 2

How are Winners Chosen? SRP considers the following factors when choosing the Altria College Opportunity Fund scholarship recipients: clear evidence of family financial need; academic success and promise; demonstrated leadership capabilities and community engagement; participation in local enrichment programs; interest and ability in STEM; career interest in STEM, teaching or Business. Applicants must accept the decisions of SRP as final. No exceptions will be made and no appeals will be permitted. The Altria College Opportunity Fund selects scholarship recipients without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship status, protected veteran status or status in any group protected by state or local law. Applicants must be legal residents in the Commonwealth of Virginia to be eligible. When will Winners be Announced? All scholarship winners will be notified in April or May 2012. Stipend checks will be mailed by SRP on behalf of the Altria College Opportunity Fund in August 2012 to the educational institutions in which the winners are enrolled, after the college or university verifies enrollment. Any recipient of an award must enroll for the fall semester of the year the award is received. How and When is the Scholarship Paid? Each fall the entire yearly award is sent directly to the educational institution the recipient is attending, to be prorated over the terms that make up the academic year. At no time is the cash payment released directly to the student. The scholarships will be credited to the student s account and will be applied toward the educational expenses paid to the institution. It should be noted, however, that the yearly scholarship award may not cover the full cost of the term. Should a student anticipate an early graduation or wish to accelerate his or her program by summer school attendance, arrangements can be made for scholarship awards to be granted for full-time summer study, provided that the student meets renewal requirements. Such plans should be outlined in writing and submitted to SRP for review at least six weeks prior to the early graduation date or start of the summer program. Scholarships are not retroactive and will not be credited to semesters already completed. If a student withdraws from school for any reason during the school year, the student must notify SRP. How and When are Scholarships Renewed? Scholarships are renewed annually provided the following conditions are met: The student continues as a full-time undergraduate candidate in good academic standing, according to the standards set by the institution he or she attends. The student submits a complete Renewal Report Form (provided by SRP) and a complete official transcript of his or her grades to SRP at the end of each school year. How Do Other Scholarships, Prizes and Awards Affect the Altria College Opportunity Fund Scholarship? An Altria College Opportunity Fund recipient may accept prizes, awards and other scholarships, but he or she must report to SRP the name, amount and duration of any awards accepted. Failure to report other awards may disqualify the student from receiving the Altria College Opportunity Fund scholarship. An Altria College Opportunity Fund recipient cannot receive additional scholarships from Altria and its companies. 3

Altria College Opportunity Fund Scholarship Altria College Application Opportunity & Questionnaire Fund: This form is designed to collect information about your background, interests, academics, demonstrated leadership, and career plans. Your answers to these questions will be used only in connection with your application for the scholarship program and will be reviewed by an independent scholarship selection committee of education professionals. Please TYPE or PRINT LEGIBLY. You may, if you wish, type your responses on a computer (no smaller than 10 point type) and paste them into the spaces provided below each question, or attach additional pages as necessary. The completeness, neatness, and legibility of your replies will allow for a thorough and comprehensive review of your credentials. ZAPPLICANT INFORMATIONZ LEGAL NAME Scholarship Application & Questionnaire Last First MI PERMANENT HOME ADDRESS Number and Street City State Zip Code Female Male TELEPHONE NUMBER DATE OF BIRTH E-MAIL ADDRESS - - / / Month Day Year ZEDUCATIONZ HIGH SCHOOL NAME CITY STATE ZIP CODE Are you enrolled in college now? Yes No Enter your anticipated COLLEGE graduation date. What college do you attend or plan to attend? (include campus city/state) Are you currently a high school senior? Yes No Enter your HIGH SCHOOL graduation date. What is your planned major/course of study? Other than the high school named above, list all schools that you attended in the last three years. List first the school you attended most recently. Name of School Location (City and State) Dates of Attendance From the following list, please place a check next to the names of any organizations through which you have participated in special courses, programs or other activities since the beginning of 9 th grade. List courses/programs/activities for each organization in the space provided (you may attach a separate list if necessary). Names of Special Courses, Program or Activities Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Richmond & Tri-Cities Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond Communities In Schools of Richmond Performance Learning Centers Great Aspirations Scholarship Program (GRASP) Partnership for the Future Team Up Richmond University of Richmond Math Science Investigators Program University of Virginia College Guides Virginia Advanced Study Strategies Advanced Placement Preparation Program Important Note: If you indicated participation with one or more of the organizations listed above, you must select one and obtain a personal testimonial from someone at the organization familiar with your involvement in their program(s). The testimonial cannot substitute for one of your required letters of recommendation (see page 4). 4

ZSCHOOL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIESZ List activities in which you have participated during the last three years. (School clubs, student government, publications, varsity or club sports, theater arts, Beta Club, Scouting, 4-H, etc.) Please define any acronyms. Activity Dates of Participation Office/Position Held Awards or Honors (indicate either or ) List community agencies or organizations in which you have participated without pay during the last three years. (Religious groups, hospital volunteer, cultural activities, outreach programs, etc.) Name of Agency or Organization Kind of Activity Dates of Participation # of Hours per week If you listed a leadership role in one or more of the activities or organizations cited above, please choose one, detail your responsibilities, and explain the significance of your contribution to the organization. (100 word minimum) per week per week per week per week List jobs (including summer employment) you have held in the last three years. Employer or Type of Business Job or Type of Work Period of Employment Full-Time Part-Time Full-Time Part-Time Full-Time Part-Time Y Summer School Summer School Summer School Dates of Employment Hours per Week Of all your courses, activities, internships, and work experience, which one did you find most rewarding or personally satisfying? Explain why. 5

ZFAMILY INFORMATIONZ Enter complete information about your family below. Parent/Guardian/Other Parent/Guardian/Other Name Relationship to the Applicant (you) Occupation/Title Employer s Name Please describe your parents relationship to each other: Divorced Domestic Partners Married Separated Unmarried Widowed Brother(s): Number Age(s): Sister(s): Numbers Age(s): Enter the name(s) of the parent(s) or guardian(s) or other person(s) you live with, if different from above. How has a family member or family experience been influential in your life? ZFUTURE GOALSZ Leaders are shaped by their experiences - personal and professional, academic and familial. Consider your long-term goals and briefly discuss what you hope to be doing, both professionally and in your community, by the time you reach the age of 30. Describe your major influences for choosing this path. (100 word minimum) 6

ZRECOMMENDATION REQUIREMENTZ Two letters of recommendation are required: The first letter of recommendation should be provided by a guidance counselor, teacher, or school official who is familiar with your academic work. The second letter may come from a similar academic source, or from a personal contact (not a friend, classmate, or family member) who has knowledge of your activities outside the classroom (e.g. extracurricular activities, community service, work experience, etc.). The third letter should be from a program leader in one of Altria s partner organizations, if students have participated in one of the programs. ZAUTHORIZATION/CERTIFICATION/CONSENTZ Please review your responses, sign your name below, and give this form to a school official for completion. Your signature will authorize your school to release the information requested, including class rank and test scores, and certify that all information you entered on this form is accurate and true. By signing and submitting this application, you expressly consent to permit ETS, its third party service providers, and the sponsor to transfer among themselves, and to use, the information, including personal information, submitted with this application/questionnaire, solely for the purposes stated herein. NOTE: IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to ensure that your school releases the requested information by March 1, 2012. Student's Name (Please Print) Student's Signature Date Signature of Guardian (if applicant is under 18) S T U D E N T D O N O T W R I T E A N Y T H I N G B E L O W T H I S L I N E ZSCHOOL INFORMATION & EVALUATIONZ To be completed by guidance counselor/school official. Complete the information requested below, sign the form, and attach an official transcript of the student s grades that includes the senior year courses being taken. If a school profile is available, include one with this form. Completion of this section cannot serve as a substitute for one of the student s required letters of recommendation. Please provide the following information regarding the applicant s academic record. Student s Class Rank Student s Class Size Student s GPA GPA Scale Weighted Unweighted Standardized Test Scores (note: all SAT scores reported below must be from the SAME test administration.) ACT SAT Please rate the level of difficulty of the courses this student has taken and passed: Test Date Test Date Writing Composite Score Critical Reading Most Difficult Above Average Average Below Average Based on your knowledge of the applicant, please reply to each of the following statements by checking the box that most closely matches your professional opinion of the applicant s capabilities. Check only one box per statement. This student possesses a high level of academic ability. This student s academic performance has been exceptional. This student is highly involved in extracurricular/co-curricular activities. This student has demonstrated excellent leadership ability. This student has the self-discipline to excel in a variety of environments. This student is highly responsible. Your signature below indicates that you have reviewed the applicant s responses and certify that they are correct, insofar as the official school records indicate. Strongly Agree Thank you for taking the time to assist with this scholarship application. Math Agree Neutral Disagree Please make certain to include an official transcript. Strongly Disagree Print Name & Title of School Official Mail all scholarship materials by MARCH 1, 2012 to: Signature of School Official Telephone Number (with area code) E-Mail Address Date High School Code ALTRIA COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY FUND ETS SCHOLARSHIP & RECOGNITION PROGRAMS PO BOX 6730 7 Administrative services for the Altria College Opportunity Fund are provided by Scholarship & Recognition Programs, a unit of Educational Testing Service. Copyright 2011 Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS and the ETS logo are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service. AP and SAT are registered trademarks of the College Board. ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc.

Do I Need to Submit Test Scores? Students planning to submit an application for a scholarship must register for and take the SAT or ACT by no later than December of their senior year. Registration information for the SAT and ACT tests should be available from the applicant s high school guidance counselor or at the websites indicated below. If the applicant has already taken the SAT or ACT and does not plan to retest, he or she can arrange to have the testing agencies submit existing scores to SRP. There are two ways to submit existing scores: 1. Log on to the website for the appropriate testing agency, follow the instructions for ordering an additional score report and pay the fee with a credit card; or 2. Obtain an SAT Additional Report Request Form (ARRF) or ACT Additional Score Request form (ASR) from the applicant s high school and submit it to the testing agency with the appropriate payment. Additional score report requests must be submitted to the testing agencies no later than December 15. Please note that SRP receives electronic reporting from the testing agencies and can only verify receipt of test scores after January 2 of the award year. For information on SAT, please visit www.collegeboard.com/sat For information on ACT, please visit www.actstudent.org Do I Need to Submit a Separate Application to Attend Schools and Colleges? Yes, an applicant must submit a separate application for admission directly to the institution he or she wishes to attend. Each applicant is responsible for applying for admission on time and fulfilling all admission requirements. Scholarships are effective only after the applicant has been admitted to and enrolled in a qualified educational institution. What are the Conditions for Transfer? SRP will consider a transfer for a college student if the transfer is to occur at the beginning of an academic year. The student must notify SRP of his or her intent to transfer, provide evidence of good academic standing at the college attended and submit evidence of admission to and enrollment in the college to be entered. Mid-year transfers are permitted provided that SRP is notified in writing at least six weeks before the transfer occurs. It is the student s responsibility to request that the school return the unused portion of the scholarship funds to SRP. No check will be issued to the new institution until the unused portion of the scholarship is received by SRP. Students planning to transfer from a community college to a four-year institution may reapply through SRP for additional support from the Altria College Opportunity Fund to pursue a bachelor s degree, up to the program s 4-year maximum. There is no guarantee that the applicant will receive additional scholarship support; the program will consider the request based on the student s academic performance in the community college program in which he or she was enrolled. What if Studies are Interrupted? If a student s studies are interrupted by illness, accident or other extenuating circumstances, he or she may request that the scholarship be temporarily suspended during that time. Requests for scholarships to be suspended must be submitted promptly to SRP. Each will be reviewed and acted upon individually. Can a Scholarship be Terminated? Academic or disciplinary action resulting in suspension or dismissal from school automatically terminates the scholarship. Although honors level grades are not required, Altria College Opportunity Fund scholars are expected to do quality work in college. A record of D s and F s may result in suspension or termination of the scholarship. A Renewal Report Form and a transcript are required annually. Failure to provide this information when it is required may result in termination of the scholarship. 8

Can the Scholarship be Used to Study Abroad? Some students choose to study abroad, usually during the junior year. All study abroad opportunities must be associated with a full-time bachelor s program, sponsored by an accredited university in the United States or Puerto Rico and approved at least one month in advance by SRP. A stipend check cannot be disbursed to an institution located in a foreign country. If a study abroad program is approved, a check will be sent to the sponsoring home institution. Who Administers the Scholarship Program? All phases of the scholarship competition, including selection of winners and determination of award amounts, are administered by Scholarship & Recognition Programs, a division of Educational Testing Service, located in Princeton, NJ. SRP, an independent, non-profit organization, is the world s largest private educational testing and measurement corporation and is known for a commitment to advancing learning and increasing opportunities for students worldwide. For More Information Regarding the Scholarship Program The important points of the Altria College Opportunity Fund Scholarship Program have been outlined in this brochure. The decision of the Scholarship Committee will govern in settling any questions that may arise. Each parent or guardian should direct all questions and special information to SRP at (609) 771-7878. 9

Central Virginia Partners of the Altria College Opportunity Fund Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Richmond & Tri Cities Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond Communities in Schools of Richmond Performance Learning Centers Great Aspirations Scholarship Program (GRASP) Partnership for the Future Richmond Public Schools Team Up Richmond University of Richmond Math Science Investigators Program University of Virginia College Guides Virginia Advanced Study Strategies 10

Important Dates December 15, 2011 Applicants must have taken the SAT or ACT by December of the senior year in high school. January 2012 The scholarship program will be announced and application questionnaires will be made available through Richmond Public Schools and partner organizations. March 1, 2012 Application deadline. Applications must be postmarked by no later than March 1 and sent to: Altria College Opportunity Fund Scholarship & Recognition Programs P.O. Box 6730 Princeton, NJ 08541 March-April 2012 Applications will be reviewed and evaluated by SRP s selection committee. April/May 2012 Altria College Opportunity Fund award recipients will be notified. August 2012 SRP sends checks to the recipients institutions on behalf of the Altria College Opportunity Fund. For more information about Altria, visit altria.com.