The Foreign Service Journal, December 2016

80 DECEMBER 2016 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT submit this financial aid form, developed by the College Board, as well. Bottom line: check with each of your colleges to be sure of the details of all of their financial aid policies. To Get Started The following list contains just a few of the many resources available to you for finding scholarships. There are scholar- ships and tuition credits available based on GPA, SAT and ACT test scores; state residency; IB diploma; career and major choices; being a military or Foreign Service family member; doing volunteer, charitable and church work; knowing a foreign language; through a parent’s private employer; and more. There are also very specific, often downright odd scholarships: for very tall people or very short people, for example. Or for golf caddies (http://www.wgaesf. org/). There’s even an “AFSA” scholarship that has nothing to do with the Foreign Service—that AFSA scholarship comes from the American Fire Sprinkler Asso- ciation (www.afsascholarship.org) . If you decide to apply for outside scholarships, treat the process as a part- time job, starting well before senior year with your research, and taking careful note of deadlines. Do your homework, find the scholarships that you’re most likely to win, and apply early and often! Here are some resources to get you started. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Common wisdom is to submit the FAFSA even if you think you don’t qualify for aid. You may be pleasantly surprised to find you qualify. www.fafsa.gov College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile This financial aid application, run by the College Board, is required by almost 300 private colleges in order to consider you for any assistance. www.css-profile.com/ AFSA At the American Foreign Service Association’s scholarship Web page, you can find detailed information on how to apply for an AFSA scholarship, as well as a wealth of resources on financial aid, college admissions and other educational advice. www.afsa.org/afsa-scholarships U.S. Department of State The State Department’s Family Liaison Office maintains a page on scholarships and financial aid for Foreign Service dependents, including scholarships from AFSA, the Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW), the Foreign Service Youth Foundation, Clements Insurance, and links to Defense Intelligence Agency and other foreign affairs agency-sponsored scholarships. You’ll also find helpful information on financial aid, educational travel and other processes unique to the Foreign Service. www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c21963.htm FastWeb One of the first scholarship websites and still one of the best, offering lists Unlike loans, scholarships and grants are gifts—and a gift is always better than a loan.