Golden Opportunity—DeVry University DeVry University, one of North America's leading career-oriented institutions for business, technology, and management education is offering scholarships valued at $2,000 per semester to incoming first-year students who have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award! The scholarship is worth up to $18,000 toward the completion of one of DeVry's Associate or Bachelor's degree programs. To be eligible for a DeVry scholarship, students must meet the following criteria: Apply for admission to DeVry. Provide a copy of the Girl Scout Gold Award Certificate on or after applying for admission. Meet the entrance requirements to DeVry. Read, sign, and adhere to the scholarship terms and conditions. Begin classes at DeVry within one calendar year of high school graduation. Be U.S. citizens or have permanent residency status. For more information, contact Thonie Simpson, National High School Program Manager for DeVry University at (630) 706-3122.

Turning Gold into Green
How Volunteering Can Help You Pay for School

By Patricia J. Paddock, staff writer

Did you earn your Girl Scout Gold Award®? How about your Girl Scout Silver Award®? What cool community service projects have you spearheaded or worked on?

Many colleges and universities offer scholarships to girls who have earned their Girl Scout Gold Award. Others offer scholarships to Girl Scouts because an alum was a Girl Scout, and gave money to help others from the Movement. Still other schools have a president's or community service or leadership scholarship—and your Girl Scout experiences can make you a shoo-in for those.

How It Works

1. Apply to, and get accepted by, the college.
   It might sound backwards—you may be ruling out schools because you think there's no way you could afford to go to them. But look at it from the financial aid department's point of view—the school gets hundreds of applications for each available slot. Why should the financial aid department spend their time sorting through kids who may have a need, but aren't going to get accepted?
   
   
2. Fill out the school's financial aid form.
   Many schools use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The great thing about that is that you have to fill out the info only once, and you can do so online. Just make sure you have all the info you need—your social security number, your parents' W2 forms, etc., because the site is timed—however, you can save your application, and then get what you need and come back and finish it.
   
   
   Some schools also require specific forms that need to be completed for their schools. It's like having a resume, but still having to fill out a job application—even though you think the two cover the same info, it's not an exact match.
   
   
3. Check out Girl Scout specific scholarships online here!
   There's a pretty inclusive listing of schools that offer scholarships for Girl Scouts on the STUDIO 2B site.

The Follow-Up

• Concerned that your family's financial situation has changed since last year's tax info was put together? Include that info in a cover letter. Don't be shy—they won't know if you don't tell them.
  
  
• Mailing the application? Include a self-addressed, stamped postcard and ask them to send it back to you upon receipt. Or send it "Return Receipt Requested" or via a tracking number—that way you'll know for sure that your application's arrived in one piece.
  
  
• Once you get a financial aid offering, keep in mind that that's all it is—an offering. Think they misread some of the numbers? Wish you had let them know about your folks' un—or under—employment? Got a better offering from ANY COLLEGE, but your heart is set on DREAM U? Let them know. Make an appointment with a financial aid officer and go in and plead your case. Too far to travel? Ask for a phone conference.