What is the purpose of the profile on the Dollars for Scholars website?
The profile is a master scholarship application that can be submitted for national scholarships and for the local Pella Dollars for Scholars scholarships.
This website can act as a "portal" to gain access to information about scholarships available through Fastweb and those managed by Scholarship America. Links to information about these scholarships are posted periodically. We encourage you to check on these opportunities frequently!
Your profile will also serve as a central place to store all your information where it can be easily accessed when needed for completing paper scholarship applications.
Why can't I use my school email address for my profile?
The system requires that a permanent email address be used for establishing your profile and entering contact information. Your school email address is not considered to be a permanent email address because it will no longer be valid after you have graduated. It will be necessary for us to remain in contact after your high school graduation. If you started your profile using your school email address, just edit the email address on your profile replacing it with the permanent one.
What is the requirement for length of essays, and where can I find more information and hints about essay writing?
Essays must be 100 - 250 words in length. More information and hints about essay writing is contained on the Students & Parents page of our website. Click the link in the previous sentence, scroll about half way down the page, and look for the heading, highlighted in blue, titled, "Guidance for Essay Questions". You will find additional information there.
Does my profile need to be complete or show 100% on the progress bar before I can match to national scholarships?
Your progress bar will show 100% completion when all single starred (*) and double starred (**) items are complete. To increase your chances of matches to local scholarships, your profile should be as complete as possible.
What national scholarships will be available on this website?
The information in your profile determines scholarship offerings to which you may be matched. Remember, complete profile information, including the "Estimated Family Contribution" (EFC) from your Federal student financial aid form (FAFSA), will increase your chances of additional matches to scholarships we offer.
Our website allows you to have access to national scholarships through Fastweb. This service provides links to discover information about scholarships offered on a nationwide basis.
How do I match to scholarships and submit my profile?
Click in the "My Scholarships" section of your Profile Dashboard to see the scholarships to which you are matched. This page allows you to submit your profile for the scholarships listed. Submitting the profile and applying for the listed scholarships is accomplished by clicking the "submit app" button. This button is located to the right of each scholarship listed. Remember, you must click the "submit app" button for each scholarship for which you wish to apply. Please make sure you have completed all the requirements for each scholarship, including essays and references, before clicking the "submit app" button.
A log of the scholarships for which you have applied is maintained on this page. Please check this page frequently. Scholarships to which you are matched could change daily, as individual scholarship application periods open and close. Don't miss any scholarship opportunities!
My profile includes financial information. What kind of controls are in place to protect my family privacy?
Only the parent providing financial information has access to the details. Your profile information will only reveal the "Estimated Family Contribution" (EFC) amount from completion of the Federal student financial aid form (FAFSA). The detail of any financial information will not be visible to scholarship sponsors, members of the Pella DFS Board of Directors, or members of the Scholars Awards Committee.
One of my national scholarship matches requires the name and address of a local Dollars for Scholars official and an email address for a reference. Where can I find this information?
Your local contact person is the current Pella DFS president. You can contact him by clicking this link: pelladfs@gmail.com. Notice that the email is pre-populated with subject and message. Please add any additional information that is required by the scholarship requesting reference, and remember to provide your name to identify you as the sender. The DFS president will respond directly to all inquiries.
Complete contact information, including address, is found by clicking HERE .
I am not interested in applying for any national scholarships. Do I have to complete all the sections of the profile if I only wish to apply for a local Pella Dollars for Scholars scholarship?
To take advantage of all possible scholarship opportunities, we highly recommend that you complete the entire profile. For local scholarships, information on the profile is used to generate the points accumulated for scoring the scholarship applications. Completing all the sections of the profile increases your chances of scoring maximum points, which may lead to higher dollar awards. Additionally, national scholarships that you may find of interest could be brought to your attention. You might change your mind!
