SCHOLARSHIPS

​The 2023 Scholarship Application process will open on Tuesday,  January 10th and close 11:59 pm on Tuesday, March 15th. 

Scholarship Information – Please read before applying

​The scholarship application must be completed and submitted online no later than 11:59 pm Tuesday, March 15th EST for you to be considered for a college scholarship. You may log in as many times as needed. Your entries within the application will be automatically saved, but you may also click SAVE DRAFT at the bottom of the application.  To submit your final version, click APPLY at the bottom of the application.

​All required fields (marked with a red asterisk) must be completed and the necessary documents must be uploaded for the application to be completed and for you to be considered for a scholarship.

The scholarships we offer are funded by local community donors that include individuals, businesses, civic organizations, and churches. We are given strict guidelines for awarding these scholarships.  Please answer each question thoroughly and thoughtfully so that our panel of Reviewers may be able to choose the right applicant for these particular scholarships.  There is only one application to fill out. You will be notified in May if you’ve been selected to receive a scholarship and invited to the scholarship announcement ceremony in June.  Checks are available AFTER recipients submit their completed Scholarship Agreement, along with a copy of their “thank you” letter to their respective donor, to our office, typically in early July. 

Eligibility Requirements:

​Applicants must satisfy one of the following requirements:

• High school graduate as of May of 2023 or a previous graduate of a school located in Bartow County and will be enrolled as a full time student in an accredited college, university, or technical school during the current academic year;
• A home-schooled student who has been a Bartow County resident for 3 years or more and will be enrolled as a full time student in an accredited college, university, or technical school during the current academic year;
• A GED student who has been a Bartow County resident for 3 years or more and will be enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited college, university, or technical school during the current academic year;
• A non-traditional student who has been a resident of Bartow County for 3  years or more and will be enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited college, university, or technical school during the current academic year.

NOTE: Proof of residency may be requested if you are not a graduate of a High School located in Bartow County.

Application Process and Materials Needed:

• The online application process requires a username and password. 
• An Application Checklist of required documents is listed below. Documents can be uploaded as attachments to your online application. Uploaded documents should be in PDF format.
• Office hours are Monday – Thursday 8:30am – 4:30pm.  Office is closed Fridays.
• All documents must be received electronically by  11:59 pm Tuesday, March 15th EST. Any application or ‘trailing’ documents received after this time will NOT be considered. 
• If the application does not contain all documents needed or any discrepancies are found close to the deadline date, we will be unable to assist you or contact you to resolve matters. Your application will be considered incomplete.  Start the process early!
• If you need additional help with your application, please contact our office prior to deadline.

Checklist for High School Senior and Dual-Enrollment Applicants:

• Basic scholarship application completed online.
• Official High School transcript obtained and submitted through the online application.
• A copy of your official ACT and/or SAT scores.
• A 500-word essay outlining your educational and career goals and how getting a scholarship would impact you.  Also include what you aspire to accomplish in college and beyond. Include any leadership or work-study experience, citizenship, and service to others. Explain anything that would help the selection committee understand your desire to advance your education or describe circumstances that are obstacles in reaching your goal.  It is highly suggested that you create the essay in Word then copy and paste it into the application. Essay space is built into the application.
• A copy of one college letter of acceptance from an accredited college, university or technical school. One letter will suffice.
• A copy of the current Student Aid Report (SAR)* for those applying for need-based scholarships. (After successfully completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you will be emailed a SAR, which displays the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) in the upper right corner.)

* Any SAR not received by  11:59 pm Tuesday, March 15th EST will require the application to be placed on a ‘merit basis’ only, limiting the scholarships for which you are eligible.
NOTE: The application for government financial aid is available at www.fafsa.gov.  All students applying for need-based scholarships MUST complete this form.

Checklist for Current College Students:

• If you have received a scholarship from the Etowah Scholarship Foundation in the past academic year or are a college student, you must still complete the online application process for this year. 
• You must submit a copy of your official transcript and current Spring semester schedule proving full-time status (showing the number of credit hours). NOTE: We are no longer accepting transcripts emailed directly to our office. YOU must obtain a copy of your transcript and upload it into the application. 
• A 500-word essay outlining your educational and career goals and how getting a scholarship would impact you.  Also include what you aspire to accomplish in college and beyond. Include any leadership or work-study experience, citizenship, and service to others. Explain anything that would help the selection committee understand your desire to advance your education or describe circumstances that are obstacles in reaching your goal.  It is highly suggested that you create the essay in Word then copy and paste it into the application. Essay space is built into the application.
• A copy of the current Student Aid Report (SAR)* for those applying for need-based scholarships. (After successfully completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you will be emailed a SAR, which displays the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) in the upper right corner.)

* Any SAR not received by the deadline will require the application to be placed on a ‘merit basis’ only, limiting the scholarships for which you are eligible.
NOTE: The application for government financial aid is available at www.fafsa.gov.  All students applying for need-based scholarships MUST complete this form.

Checklist for Home-Schooled Students:

• Basic scholarship application completed online.
• A copy of your letter of acceptance from an accredited college, university or technical school that you plan to attend (one will suffice).
• A copy of your Home Study Program Declaration of Intent.
• A copy of your Annual Assessment Report supporting your GPA.
• A copy of your official ACT and/or SAT scores.
• A 500-word essay outlining your educational and career goals and how getting a scholarship would impact you.  Also include what you aspire to accomplish in college and beyond. Include any leadership or work-study experience, citizenship, and service to others. Explain anything that would help the selection committee understand your desire to advance your education or describe circumstances that are obstacles in reaching your goal.  It is highly suggested that you create the essay in Word then copy and paste it into the application. Essay space is built into the application.
• A copy of the current Student Aid Report (SAR)* for need-based scholarships. (After successfully completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you will receive a SAR, which displays the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) in the upper right corner.)

​* Any SAR not received by the deadline will require the application to be placed on a ‘merit basis’ only, limiting the scholarships for which you are eligible.
NOTE: Application for government financial aid is available at www.fafsa.gov. All students applying for need-based scholarships MUST complete this form.

Claiming your scholarship check:

• ESF will notify the applicant if they have been named a scholarship recipient around mid-May.  The recipient will receive an invitation in the mail to the Scholarship Announcement Ceremony held in June.
• The scholarship recipient will receive a Scholarship Agreement form in the mail at the beginning of July with the details of how to claim the scholarship check.
• Once all documents are received by our office, a check will be issued and will need to be picked up at our office.  We do not mail the checks directly to the college.
• All checks are payable to the recipient and to the college and are to be deposited into the student account at their school. 
• All checks are made in one disbursement.  The recipient should consult the financial aid office at their school on how they handle scholarship money for each semester.

​Frequently Asked Questions – Scholarship Application

(Q): How do I log-in again if I have forgotten or lost my username and password from last year?

​(A): Use your last known email address. Request a reset of your password if necessary. If this doesn’t work, log-in using a new email address.

(Q): What if I can’t complete the application in its entirety? Can I come back to it?

​
(A): Yes. Before you leave the application, click the “Save Draft”.  You may log-in as many times as you need to complete the application.  When you are completed with the application, click APPLY.

(Q): I answered all the application questions, but cannot submit successfully?

(A): Did you answer all the required fields marked with a red asterisk? Are you using reliable WiFi? In some cases unreliable WiFi will cause the curser to spin and not complete the process.

(Q): I’m a college student, do you still need my high school transcript, ACT/SAT scores or Letter of Acceptance?

(A): No, just your Official college transcript, plus your 2021 Spring semester schedule proving full-time status.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR RECIPIENTS?

Other Scholarship Resources

www.gafutures.org
www.bestcolleges.com/financial-aid/
www.reviews.com/best-scholarship-search-platforms/
www.fastweb.com
www.scholarships.com
www.scholly.com
www.studentscholarships.org
www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org
https://studentloans.net/guide-to-paying-for-college/
www.affordablecolleges.com/resources/paying-for-college-without-parents
www.affordablecolleges.com/resources/financial-aid-guide/
www.affordablecolleges.com/resources/fafsa/
https://www.discoverbusiness.us/resources/accounting-degree-scholarships/
https://www.discoverbusiness.us/resources/business-degree-scholarships/