Looking High and Low for Tuition Help

What does a rummage sale in Santa Ana have in common with a bingo night in Fullerton? Both raise money to help Orange County high schoolers get to college.

The Santa Ana High School parents and the Fullerton Elks know that their cash awards of a few hundred dollars per student will make only a small dent in the total cost of four years of higher education.

But their efforts have helped many students over the years buy books for their first college term, and cut the sticker shock of some hefty first tuition bills. Trouble is, few students know the money is out there.

While national contests get the most attention, there is less competition for abundant but often-overlooked local scholarships and grants. There is even a prize for tall high school seniors in Orange County (male applicant minimum, 6 feet 2, female 5 feet 10).

A local award might seem small by comparison. But a student who collects a handful of such scholarships might do better than one who goes for a famous national grant and just misses.

Now, in the months between college application deadlines and the mailing of acceptance letters, is the critical time for those who want to tap local funds. Many applications are due in February, March and April.

Jason Lee knows this. The senior at Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton is trolling for dollars as he waits to learn whether he will be admitted to Ivy League or top-ranked California schools.

Despite his straight A’s and Eagle Scout record of community service, Lee fears he might not qualify for government or university grants because his family’s income is upper middle class. So he spends several hours a week hunting for obscure scholarship applications, writing essays, copying his resume and gathering recommendations.

“I’m almost certain my parents will be able to support me,� Lee said. “But I’d feel kind of guilty if I didn’t try to help out in some way.�

Lee is a semifinalist in the nationally prestigious Coca-Cola scholarship contest, but he has also applied for local scholarships, including two offered through Target and JC Penney stores worth $1,000 or more.

The search for aid can be daunting. Even parents who are savvy with stock quotes and mutual funds can get lost in mountains of financial aid paperwork. Meanwhile, the price of four years of university education has reached six figures for the most expensive private schools.

But the good news for bewildered parents and students is that help is available. Most of it is free, and much of it is local. Here’s a brief primer:

Talk to school counselors. Most high schools have at least one staff expert on college admissions and financial aid. These counselors keep track of key deadlines and collect scores of aid applications year-round. If they don’t have a particular form, they’ll know where to find it. Many schools have lists of scholarships available only to their students.

Believe it or not, many students don’t even take this first step. “It’s like pulling teeth to get kids to come in here and pick up these applications,� said Elsa Galvan, an assistant principal at Santa Ana High.

Get organized. Draw up a resume of student activities and accomplishments, highlighting community service. Get copies of transcripts and line up teachers and other reliable adult sources for recommendations. You’ll need them for most applications.

Get a guide. Bookstores and libraries stock many sourcebooks of varying quality. Most are directed to a national audience. The College Board publishes a step-by-step guide called College Costs and Financial Aid Handbook 1997, for $16.95. One useful World Wide Web site is the Financial Aid Information Page, at https://www.finaid.org, sponsored by a national group of financial aid officers.

Apply for government and university aid. Large state and federal grants are available for needy students. Even affluent families may qualify for government-subsidized loans at reduced rates. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which measures family resources and student needs, is the most crucial document. It is due March 2.

Most colleges and universities award aid themselves. Typically, they also require the federal application. Help with the paperwork is available on a toll-free number: (800) 4-FED-AID.

Start looking in your town. Check with community groups your family may belong to. Try the chamber of commerce or a service club, like the Elks, Rotary, Daughters of the American Revolution, or Soroptomists. The Orange County Community Foundation, a nonprofit agency based in Irvine, is a clearinghouse for several countywide scholarships: (714) 553-4202. Many businesses offer scholarships to children of employees.

Use built-in links. Look to groups or organizations with which you or your family already have an affinity: your family’s house of worship; ethnic organizations; your parents’ employers; hobby or arts groups to which you or your family belong. Many of these offer small grants or scholarships.

Judy Koyama’s daughter Jenny, a senior at Sunny Hills High, holds a strong B average and is active in drama, varsity basketball and Girl Scouts. Jenny is applying to several private and public schools, including UC Riverside, where the estimated annual cost for tuition, room and board is more than $12,000. And she’s seeking local scholarships anywhere she can find them: Orange County Buddhist groups, Japanese American associations and other community service agencies.

“Basically, anything she qualifies for, she goes after,� said Judy Koyama, who also has a college-bound son a year behind Jenny. “Have you seen how expensive it is to go to school lately?�

Parents and teachers also chip in. At the end of January, the Parent-Teacher-Student Assn. at Santa Ana High School sold antiques, curios and other donated goods to raise money for its annual scholarship awards, raising $2,200.

“We know that most of our students are in real financial need,� said Simone Eichenberger, co-president of the association. “Sometimes, without the award of a scholarship, students may change their mind and not go on to school. There are a number of good students who are borderline. So the money does make a difference.�

Others raising money for students include Fullerton Elks Lodge No. 1993, which holds Tuesday night bingo matches, and a group called the Tall Club of Orange County, which has an annual service auction. An officer for the Tall Club said the group’s awards are based mainly on academic performance, with the obvious height requirement.

Alas, high school counselors said they weren’t aware of a similar award for short students.

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Where the Money Is: Available Scholarships Here are some local scholarships now available to college-bound high school students. Check school counseling offices for details.

The Orange County Community Foundation will award several scholarships. Among them:

* The Centennial Academic Scholarship, worth $1,500 to $2,500, for county students with community service and high grades. Application deadline Feb. 22.

* The Centennial Fine Arts Award, worth $1,000 to $2,000, for county students specializing in the arts. Deadline Feb. 22.

* The Centennial Certification Award, worth $500 to $1,500, for county students entering undergraduate certification studies, in fields such as law enforcement or auto repair. Deadline Feb. 22.

* The Arthur Jackman Award, worth $600, for several students in the Garden Grove Unified School District who are seeking technical or vocational degrees. Deadline May 13.

* The Justice John A. Arguelles Scholarship, worth $1,000, for up to four Latino students in or near the Santa Ana Unified School District. Deadline March 1.

In addition:

* The Irvine Co. will award $48,000 in scholarships to 20 leading seniors at Irvine, Woodbridge, University, Newport Harbor, Corona del Mar, Estancia, Costa Mesa, Foothill, Tustin and Laguna Beach high schools. Application deadline Feb. 26.

* The Tall Club of Orange County will award a scholarship of several hundred dollars this spring to one leading student in the county. Male applicants must be at least 6 feet 2 inches tall, and females at least 5 feet 10. Deadline sometime in April.

* The Anaheim General Hospital Auxiliary will award scholarships to high-ranking students who have volunteered in hospitals or health clinics. Deadline March 31.

* The California Strawberry Commission will award from $500 to $1,500 to students whose parents were employed for two consecutive strawberry harvests in Orange or San Diego counties. Deadline April 1.

* The Shepherd Machinery Co. will award up to $3,000 to students who plan to study civil engineering from Orange and neighboring counties. Deadline April 1.

* Cal State Fullerton will award President’s Scholarships, paying full university fees, to entering freshman with very high grades and test scores. Deadline Feb. 21.

* UC Irvine offers Regents’ Scholarships, based on merit, worth up to $4,059 a year, or the full cost of California student fees. Deadline March 2.