APPLICATION PROCESS

The following is the general procedure for applying for scholarships which use the DSACF Common Application. Slightly different procedures apply for scholarships which use other applications.

1. Check out the Scholarship Funds page and then each individual scholarship description and look at the application criteria for each. Some have special academic criteria (top 25%, 2.5 or greater GPA), some have financial need requirements, others have requirements about where you will study or what you will major in. Read these over carefully.

2. Consider your own situation and what/where you want to study. Narrow down the list of scholarships you will apply for. You can apply for as many as you would like, but be forewarned, the Scholarship Committee regards applying for scholarships you are not qualified for as not following directions. It does not leave a good impression.

3. Download the application near the bottom of this page. Read over all the questions and start to think about how you will answer the questions. Of course, the name and address questions don’t take much thought, but think seriously about the longer answer and essay questions. This is where you will either impress or bore the committee members.

4. Think about who you would like to write recommendations for you. Ask them. Give them the DSACF website URL and tell them the recommendation form is there for them to complete. Tell them it is OK if they send them separately and make sure they have the DSACF mailing address. Finally make sure they know the January 15th deadline. DO THIS BEFORE WINTER VACATION!

5. In you attend a public school in Duluth, return Scholarship Transcript Release Form (page 5 of the application) to your school guidance office. If not, talk to your Guidance Office and request your transcript. Also ask if they will send it directly or if you will send it with your other materials. If you will send it, follow up with them and ensure they deliver it to you in a sealed and signed envelope.

6. Read over the other pages of the DSACF website. In particular, if you are going to apply for financial need-based scholarships, start working with your parents to fill out the FAFSA application. The deadline is March 1 and not much can be done until your 2007 taxes are done, but let them know this is coming up and urge them to be on top of it too.

7. Start writing answers for the long answer and essay questions. Make sure they fit in the space allowed and make sure they have correct grammar and spelling. Have a parent or teacher read them over. It might be a good idea to write these answers with a word processor and later paste them into the application.

8. Fill out the form.

9. Print it out, confirm that all answers printed correctly and sign and date it.

10. Combine with all the other materials that are requested on the Application Checklist page and mail to the DSACF. Again, it is OK for recommendations and transcripts to arrive separately. Try to get things to our office early. The deadline is January 15th, but earlier is better. Everything must be received to the office by 5:00pm on the deadline date. Postmarks and electronic submissions will not be accepted.

11. Keep working on your taxes and other financial aid paperwork and get your FAFSA Student Aid Report to our office by March 1, 2008. Forwarding the email copy of the SAR to the DSACF office (dhammer @ dsacommunityfoundation.com, remove spaces) is acceptable.

APPLICATION FORMS

DSACF 2008 Common Scholarship Application
Students - Use this form to apply for most current scholarships available from the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation.

Scholarship Recommendation Form
Teachers, Counselors, Advisors, Administrators - Use this form to recommend a student for a particular scholarship.

Minnesota Power Community Involvement Scholarship
Students - Go to the Minnesota Power site to learn more and download an application for the Community Involvement scholarship. Applicants who need a recommendation for their application can either use the form directly above or ask their recommender to write a free form letter.

Minnesota Power New Generation Scholarship
Students - Go to the Minnesota Power site to learn more and download an application for the New Generation scholarship.

Greg Irons Student Scholarship
Students - Use this form to apply for the Greg Irons Student Scholarship.

Greg Irons Staff Award
Everyone - Use this form to nominate an employee of the Duluth Public Schools (faculty or staff) for the Greg Irons Faculty/Staff Award.

The Darrell & Palchie Asselin Scholarship
Students - Use this form to apply for the The Darrell & Palchie Asselin Scholarship.

The Julie Enberg Memorial Scholarship
Students - Use this form to apply for the The Julie Enberg Memorial Scholarship.

The Modern Woodman Scholarship
Students - Use this form to apply for the Modern Woodman Scholarship.

Small Business Education Scholarship
Entrepreneurs & Businesspeople - Use this form to apply for the Small Business Education Scholarship.

G. Scott Ransom Scholarship
Athletes - Go to the Duluth Alpine Club site to learn more and download an application for the Ransom scholarship. Deadline November 1, 2007

Unless otherwise noted, all scholarship application materials must be received to (not postmarked by) the Duluth Superior Community Foundation office by January 15, 2008. The office is located at:

Acceptance Renewal Form
Students - who have have received a scholarship award should use this form to accept/refuse/renew their award. This form is a 'new' pdf and needs the newest version of Adobe Reader to open. If you have trouble, please download the newest version and try again.