Louisiana Smart Start 2014-2015 Scholarship Application If you have internet access you may apply online at https://aim.applyists.net/lasmartstart There are many benefits to applying online. A few include: You can start and stop the application at any time before the deadline. Your entered data is saved. You will receive incomplete reminder emails if your online application is not complete. If a required document is missing required information and is rejected, you will receive an email. If you forget to enter any required fields, you will be alerted when you try to submit online. Applicants must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for this scholarship: Be an African American/Black. Be a high school senior graduating from a Louisiana high school. Be a Louisiana resident. Have legal authorization to work in the U.S. Be applying to and then accepted at one of the participating colleges. Have a minimum of a B average and a minimum ACT score of 21. Demonstrate financial need. Note: Legal dependents of JPMorgan Chase employees are not eligible. Participating Colleges: To qualify for consideration, you must apply to and be accepted by one of the following colleges associated with the Smart Start Program: Dillard University Grambling State University Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana State University Shreveport Louisiana Tech University Southern University Southern University New Orleans Southern University Shreveport University of Louisiana Lafayette University of Louisiana Monroe University of New Orleans Xavier University of Louisiana Award details: The number of scholarships awarded will be determined by the sponsor. Recipients will receive a full-tuition scholarship to one of the participating colleges. Recipients must have at least a 2.7 GPA for the first year and 3.0 thereafter to maintain the scholarship. Yearly stipend for books and supplies. Support networks including peer advisors and Smart Start Program Management. Selection Criteria: An independent selection committee will evaluate the applications and select the winners. The committee will consider financial need, community involvement, essay content, recommendations and academic achievements and records. Notification and Recipient Responsibility: Notifications are sent approximately two months past the deadline. If you are selected as a recipient, you will receive further information on accepting the award in the award letter. Winner and non-winner notifications will be sent by email. Be sure to add ContactUS@applyists.com to your email address book or safe senders list so these important emails are not sent to your junk mail folder. Do not opt out of any email sent from ContactUs@applyists.com or you may not receive vital information regarding you scholarship applications. If you are selected as a recipient, you must enroll as a full-time undergraduate student at one of the participating Louisiana colleges in the year in which the scholarship is awarded. You must continue in school the entire academic year without interruption unless approved by the scholarship sponsor. You must deliver the scholarship check(s) to the proper office at the recipient s institution. Checks are mailed in August to your home address as displayed on the My Profile page at https://aim.applyists.net and made payable to the institution listed on the My Profile page. To access your My Profile go to https://aim.applyists.net and login using the email address you provided on the application. Click the I forgot my password link to set up a password. The green My Profile tab will be on your homepage. Note: Your email address will only be used for communication about your scholarship applications or other opportunities administered by ISTS for which you may be eligible to apply. We will not provide your email address to any third-parties. Decisions of the selection committees are final and are not subject to appeal. No application feedback will be given. Checking the Status of the Application: Allow 2-3 weeks after submitting all of the information for processing. Go to https://aim.applyists.net and login using the email address you provided on the application. Click the I forgot my password link to set up a password. Your status will be displayed on your homepage next to the application link.
Making Changes to the Application: Allow 2-3 weeks after submitting all of the information for processing. Go to https://aim.applyists.net and log in to your account using the email address provided on the application. Click the I forgot my password link to set up a password. After logging in, click the link for your application and then click the tab that needs to be corrected or updated and move to the next page. The data is saved when you move to the next page. Tax Information: Tax laws vary by country. In the United States, scholarship funds used exclusively for the payment of tuition or textbooks are normally not taxable. You are responsible for taxes, if any, that may be assessed against your scholarship award. We recommend consulting your tax advisor for more guidance. Program Administration To assure complete impartiality in selection of winners and to maintain a high level of professionalism, the program is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc., a firm that specializes in managing sponsored scholarship programs. Questions For additional information regarding the scholarship program contact ISTS by email at ContactUs@applyists.com or by phone at (855-670-4787). When emailing, include the name of the scholarship program or sponsor. Complete the full application below, then obtain and include a copy of your Student Aid Report. You may also include a copy of your transcript and ACT/SAT scores, but it is not required. You are required to have one Academic Verification, one Professional Recommendation, and one Personal Recommendation submitted for your application to be complete. Your Academic Verification should be submitted by your Guidance Counselor. Your Personal Recommendation and Professional Recommendation must be submitted by a teacher or former employer. Mail or email your application for this scholarship prior to January 17, 2014. STUDENT INFORMATION (Required for all applicants) First Name Last Name Initial Date Permanent Mailing Address Apt. City State Zip Code Home Phone Number (xxx) xxx-xxxx Cell Phone Number (xxx) xxx-xxxx Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy) REQUIRED: Email address (enter an address you check often) Race Gender (optional) How did you find out about the program? (optional) Chase Bank Branch Current Smart Start Intern High School College Fair/Visit High School Guidance Counselor Participating College Online Other (Please list) ACADEMIC INFORMATION-HIGH SCHOOL (Required for all applicants) High School Name Graduation Date High School Address City State Zip Code Have you taken the ACT or SAT? If so, list your scores in the spaces provided. YES NO SAT-Critical Reading SAT-Math SAT-Written ACT Composite ACADEMIC INFORMATION-COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY (Required for all applicants) First Choice College/University Name - Do not abbreviate Second Choice College/University Name - Do not abbreviate Third Choice College/University Name - Do not abbreviate Major/Course of Study Career Choice Fourth Choice College/University Name - Do not abbreviate Class Level in Fall 2014 (circle one) 1-Freshman 2-Sophomore 3-Junior 4-Senior Anticipated Graduation Date (mm/dd/yyyyy)
FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Required for all applicants) Provide the information based on the most recent federal income tax return of the parent(s) who claimed you as a dependent. Do not provide your personal tax information. If your parents have not yet filed a tax return this year, you may provide information based on last year s tax return. Household Adjusted Gross Income $ Number of people in the household Number of dependents who will be attending college in the fall RESUME Tell us how you ve stayed involved while pursuing your education. Include full names with descriptions rather than acronyms. If you are still participating, enter N/A in the End Date. If you have more items than will fit into the space provided, you may attach a list in the same format as below. Do not attach a resume that is not in this format. It will not be reviewed. Community Service Description (unpaid activities not required for school credit) Total Hours Start Date End Date Still involved? Y/N Extracurricular Activity Number of Years Involved Highest Position Held Honor or Award Level (School, State, National, etc.) Number of Years Achieved Employer (Work/Internship History) Position Start Date End Date Avg. hours per week ESSAYS (Required for all applicants) For each essay include your name, the essay topic and the name of the program you are applying for in the upper left corner of the page, and submit it with the rest of your application packet. Achievement essay, in no more than 300 words Of your academic and personal experience, describe the one that gave you the feeling of greatest achievement or personal pride. Team Projects essays, in no more than 150 words for each Describe a team project in which you participated. What did you learn about yourself during your participation in the project? What did you learn about your teammates? College Major essay, in no more than 500 words Complete your statement on "Why I chose my college major/area of study and how I plan to apply it to my career goals after graduation from college."
Student Name Student Email The above named student is applying for the Louisiana Smart Start Scholarship. One of the requirements to complete this application is to have this form completed by their Guidance Counselor and an official and most recent transcript of grades and a high school profile mailed or emailed to the address listed below. Failure to provide the transcript will disqualify the student from the scholarship program. Please complete this form and return it with the requested documents to the email or address below by January 17, 2014. GUIDANCE COUNSELOR CONTACT INFORMATION (Required for all applicants) Title First Name Last Name Email Address Phone Number High School Name ACADEMIC INFORMATION-HIGH SCHOOL (Required for all applicants) Is this student a senior in high school? (Circle One) YES The GPA is (circle one): weighted / un-weighted ACT Composite SAT-Critical Reading SAT-Math SAT-Written NO Number of semesters the student has completed: GPA on a 4.0 scale * Class Rank Class Size My School does not rank students * Converting the GPA is a simple process. Start by finding out the GPA Scale. Then divide the GPA by that number and multiply the result by four (4). The standardized GPA should be rounded to two (2) decimal points. If the last digit in the GPA is 1 through 4, round down (i.e. 3.533 becomes 3.53). If the last digit in the GPA is 5 through 9, round up (i.e. 3.536 becomes 3.54). For example: If the GPA is 5.3 on a scale of 6.0, the process is: If the GPA is 79 on a scale of 100, the process is: Divide the GPA (5.3) by the GPA scale (6.0): 5.3 6 = 0.8833 Divide the GPA (79) by the GPA scale (100): 79 100 = 0.79 Now take this result (0.8833) and multiply by 4:.8833 X 4 = 3.5332 Now take this result (0.79) and multiply by 4:.79 X 4 = 3.16 The standardized GPA you should enter on the application is 3.53. The standardized GPA you should enter on the application is 3.16.
Student Name Student Email The above named student is applying for the Louisiana Smart Start Scholarship. One of the requirements to complete this application is to have this form completed by a teacher or employer. Please complete this form and return it to the email or address below by January 17, 2014. RECOMMENDER CONTACT INFORMATION (Required for all applicants) First Name Last Name Institution/Company Email Address Phone Number Relationship to Applicant RECOMMENDATION - Please provide evaluations and statements of the topics below based on your experience with the student. (Required for all applicants) Professionalism (Holds himself/herself to the highest standards of performance, gets the job done right and on time, takes action to sharpen talents. Teamwork (Asks for help when appropriate from whoever is best able to provide it, shows respect for the opinion of others). Initiative (Is innovative and creative, searches for opportunities to add value). Respect for Others (Shows sensitivity to the needs of others, listens to what is said even when he/she disagrees). Leadership (Assumes lead role to see project/activity to completion, able to motivate others and assumes responsibility). Ability to Balance School/Work/Activities (Able to handle multiple tasks without compromising quality, able to prioritize and meet deadlines). Please use the space below to describe any academic, employment, and community distinctions which the applicant has achieved (e.g., Class or Organization Officer, Fund Raising, Chairperson or Participant). Has the applicant shown exceptional qualities or performed any special services which you feel should be noted?
Student Name Student Email The above named student is applying for the Louisiana Smart Start Scholarship. One of the requirements to complete this application is to have this form completed by a teacher or employer. Please complete this form and return it to the email or address below by January 17, 2014. RECOMMENDER CONTACT INFORMATION (Required for all applicants) First Name Last Name Institution/Company Email Address Phone Number Relationship to Applicant RECOMMENDATION - Please provide evaluations and statements of the topics below based on your experience with the student. (Required for all applicants) Professionalism (Holds himself/herself to the highest standards of performance, gets the job done right and on time, takes action to sharpen talents. Teamwork (Asks for help when appropriate from whoever is best able to provide it, shows respect for the opinion of others). Initiative (Is innovative and creative, searches for opportunities to add value). Respect for Others (Shows sensitivity to the needs of others, listens to what is said even when he/she disagrees). Leadership (Assumes lead role to see project/activity to completion, able to motivate others and assumes responsibility). Ability to Balance School/Work/Activities (Able to handle multiple tasks without compromising quality, able to prioritize and meet deadlines). Please use the space below to describe any academic, employment, and community distinctions which the applicant has achieved (e.g., Class or Organization Officer, Fund Raising, Chairperson or Participant). Has the applicant shown exceptional qualities or performed any special services which you feel should be noted?
APPLICATION CHECKLIST- You may use the following checklist to ensure the application process is complete. All documents must arrive in the same package for the submission to be considered complete. Incomplete applications will not be considered. I have included my complete, signed application. I have included a copy of my Student Aid Report. I have included my essays. I have requested my professional and personal recommendations from either a teacher or an employer. I have requested my academic verification from my high school Guidance Counselor. I understand these documents may be scanned and I have not stapled or clipped pages together. I have kept a copy of my entire submission for my records. I am submitting my application prior to the deadline of January 17, 2014. TERMS and CONDITIONS I understand it is my responsibility to make sure the application process is complete by the required deadline. If not, the application may be disqualified from the awards competition and may not be considered for an award. This application, upon receipt, becomes the property of the program sponsor, and of International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. I agree that, if selected as an award winner for the 2014-15 Louisiana Smart Start Scholarship, the program sponsor or its agents may use my name and likeness and any other information or materials provided in connection with this program for purposes of news, publicity and advertising in all media, including but not limited to print and electronic media, press releases, internet websites, and video media. To comply with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, I hereby grant permission for school officials to release secondary school records and other requested information, if necessary. If you are under 18, your parent or guardian must also agree to these Terms and Conditions. Student Signature Date Parent/Guardian Signature (if student is under 18 years old) Date