workshops | ScholarMatch

Teaming up to offer scholarship workshops

by selina | April 10, 2012

Last week, we teamed up with the Mission Economic Development Agency to offer a workshop on finding and applying for scholarships. We discussed some important tips – ideas like apply early and set up a calendar – and worked with students on crafting their scholarship personal statements. About 20 students attended, and they all applied for a scholarship on the spot. In doing so, they were automatically entered to win an additional scholarship from MEDA. Thanks to MEDA for the opportunity and to Caminos for letting us share their computer lab to host the workshop. If you’re interested in learning more about our financial aid programs, click here or contact us.

Telling Your Story: A Mini Personal Statement Workshop

by selina | March 9, 2012

One of the most challenging aspects of applying to college is writing a great personal statement. It is easy to get overwhelmed trying to figure out what universities look for and how to write a powerful essay. One of our goals at ScholarMatch is to help students become expert personal statement writers!

On Thursday, March 8th we hosted a workshop at our ScholarMatch office for high school students from the Geneva Carbarn’s creative writing class, taught by Mariama Lockington. Twelve students from different schools participated in exercises led by ScholarMatch staff to help prepare them to write awesome personal statements. In the class, we emphasized that storytelling is an impactful strategy when writing these essays. We provided students with personal statement do’s and don’ts, tips to make their essays stand out, and encouraged their confidence to share their stories. Students left feeling more confident about their abilities to write solid and honest essays. One student said, “I wish I had known about ScholarMatch when I was writing my personal statement. I was having such a hard time, but they way they explained it made it so much easier to understand.”

Do you, or someone you know, need guidance with a personal statement for a scholarship or other academic needs? Call us at (415) 652-2766 to make an appointment in our office at 849 Valencia Street in San Francisco. Be sure to check out our Programs page to find a list of our current workshops.

Need help understanding your financial aid award? We’re here to help!

by kent | March 8, 2012

College financial aid awards can be full of baffling terminology: EFC, grants, scholarships, work study, subsidized and unsubsidized loans … and we want to help you sort through all that! Read More…

College 101 Workshop Builds Confidence in Families

by kent | November 17, 2011

If your parents didn’t go to college, you would face many difficult questions: Which high school classes will put you on track to get into a good school? How do you navigate the complicated application and financial aid process? How does it actually work once you get in? Many families are in this position, and to support them as early as possible, ScholarMatch held a College 101 workshop in Spanish and English last Wednesday.

Rose Carmona, a seasoned financial aid officer at San Francisco State University, facilitated a workshop on the basics of college, including different types of schools and scholarships, to over a dozen parents and their children. The majority of the families had not heard this type of information prior to the workshop, so everyone was extremely interested in the material, asking many insightful questions.

We designed the workshop for younger students who have not yet entered high school or who just began their freshman year, as well as for parents who were hearing the information for the first time. One parent said of the workshop, “We’re really grateful for your help. We don’t know very much about the college process. These workshops, and your help, make college seem more possible for my daughter.”

Students left feeling relieved about their college concerns, and all of them felt confident about applying to college in the future. We look forward to hosting these families next semester as we continue to bring college to them. If you our your family could use this type of support, or if you know someone who would, get in touch with us to set up an appointment.

Need personal statement help? We’re expertly trained

by kent | November 3, 2011

Risa Nye, an experienced personal statement reader for the University of California system, recently trained ScholarMatch interns and staff to help students with personal statements. She offered insight on the do’s and don’ts of college essays. If you are a student or if you know a student who would like to learn what’s on those lists, here’s what we can do for you.

ScholarMatch is offering extended drop-in hours for students who need help on their college personal statements from Tuesday, November 8th, until Thursday, December 15th. Our doors will stay open on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 6:30PM. All students have to do is e-mail us or call us at 415-652-2766.

All our services are free! To offer these much-needed workshops, we need your help. If you can, make a donation of any size to support ScholarMatch’s scholarships and personalized college-success programs.

Students Enjoy our Career-focused Workshop

by kent | September 13, 2011

ScholarMatch offers a range of free college readiness workshops to high-school students during the academic year. For the past few weeks, students have been attending our career-focused workshop, "Why College?" The class provides a clear path to future careers and colleges, built on individual student academic interests.

Students have showed tons of enthusiasm at each class, considering what they might want to be when they get older and what colleges have the majors and resources for them to succeed. In the photo seen here, Lilia presents to the class about what inspires her to become a veterinarian. She’s attending Lowell High School and wants to attend Harvard University in the fall of 2015.

The workshop will culminate in a dialogue with a University of California Berkeley student from the Mission neighborhood, who will give our students insight into applying to college and inspiration to do well in school.

Students in this workshop are invited to return to ScholarMatch in November with their parents for the bilingual “College 101” workshop, an introduction to parents and students about the various types of college and financial aid options available to families.

To support other workshops like these, head here to make a donation!

Highlights from our first workshop for parents

by kent | May 26, 2011

Families flooded the ScholarMatch office on Friday, May 20 to hear from local experts about how to prepare their children for college in their first few years of high school. This was the first bilingual workshop offered to parents and students.

Those who attended heard presentations from Rose Carmona, a Financial Aid Officer from San Francisco State University, and Carmela Gomez, parent of a ScholarMatch scholarship recipient who is now attending Pitzer College. Rose shared with parents a treasure trove of introductory college information, from what types of colleges are available to what types of financial aid can be located once students get to their senior year. All of our parents were hearing this information for the first time and were very thoughtful with their questions and attention.

Carmela encouraged her peers to be advocates for their children’s educations with teachers, the school district, and with college access community resources, such as ScholarMatch. She shared strategies with parents about how she equipped her son with tools to make good decisions for himself on achieving good grades, choosing friends, and dreaming big for his future.

In their evaluations, parents were thankful for all the information they received and were committed to coming to future ScholarMatch events and learn more about college for their children. Thanks y muchas gracias to everyone who attended!

Get up to speed on this week’s student workshop: "Intro to College Knowledge”

by kent | May 6, 2011

What happens when you combine a group of students about to start high school with a dose of basic college information? You get outbursts of knowledge, excitement, and a large helping of pre-Cinco de Mayo verve.

Our workshop participants played a game where they competed for college knowledge glory. Categories covered in the competition included, "Paying for college," "College course requirements," "Famous college students," and "How ScholarMatch can help."

Students were highly knowledgeable about what it takes to get in to college. They successfully answered questions about being involved in extra-curricular activities, the difference between scholarships and loans, and many other topics.

They left the fun-filled, informative workshop with a roadmap to getting off on the right foot the first year of high school.

Read about our recent workshop: “How to Read Your Financial Aid Award Letter”

by kent | May 6, 2011

When students first open their college acceptance letters, they’re filled with joy and anticipation. When they open financial aid awards, chances are the technical language might leave them with plenty of questions. ScholarMatch is here to help.

During our workshop on April 26, students got a chance to bring in their financial aid award letters, talk one-on-one with ScholarMatch staff, and learn the exact meanings of each grant, loan, and award listed therein. In addition to learning new information, students also got a chance to share their knowledge about financial aid options, as you can see in the photo above.

Students left ScholarMatch with strong comprehension of their award letters; they were empowered to ask questions about making adjustments in their aid or moving toward matriculation. ScholarMatch was thrilled to support students in making informed decisions about their current and future financial aid understanding.

Don’t wait for another ScholarMatch workshop to get your financial aid questions answered! Contact us today to make an appointment with one of our staff members: ScholarQuestions@scholarmatch.org, text or call us at (415) 652-2766, Monday through Friday, 12 PM – 5 PM.