Fall Online Scholarship Applications Due April 1; Free Completion Sessions March 14

College of DuPage fall Foundation scholarship applications are due on Sunday, April 1, and the Office of Student Financial Assistance will hold two Scholarship Completion Sessions at noon and 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14, in the Student Resource Center, Room 3687.

Scholarship applications are now submitted online through the Scholarship Tracking and Review System. STARS Online was implemented in November 2011 for spring Foundation scholarships, and the number of students submitting applications surpassed all previous figures.

“STARS far exceeded our expectations,” said Brenda Marcy, coordinator of Scholarships at College of DuPage. “The new system makes it easier for students to apply and for us to review their applications more efficiently.”

Previously, the unduplicated headcount of applicants for any given term never exceeded 400, Marcy said. In November, more than 700 individuals filled out an online profile and more than 500 completed a minimum of one spring scholarship application.

With fall scholarships traditionally attracting more applicants, Marcy estimates that more than 1,000 people could apply online.

To begin the process, students should go to www.cod.edu/foundation/scholarship.htm to review scholarship criteria, then click the “Apply Now” button to reach STARS Online and enter their myACCESS login and password. The information collected on a short series of screens will be used to create profiles and match applicants with recommended scholarships.

“Until the due date, students can go online to modify their applications or submit an updated essay,” Marcy said. “We also encourage applicants to fill out the optional fields, as that information can help the reviewer.”

After April 1, all application reviews will be completed online, which allows College of DuPage to notify students who receive fall scholarships in mid-May rather than in August. This especially helps students who are making fall college enrollment decisions, Marcy said.

The COD Foundation offers a wide array of scholarship opportunities to COD students. Scholarships focus on academic achievement, specific programs or other criteria. Marcy noted that many students don't realize they qualify for scholarships.

“Too many students believe scholarships are offered only to high academic achievers,” Marcy said. “We encourage students to at least fill out the profile online and find out what scholarships are available to them. Because the whole process is now online, it's so much easier to apply.”

For more information, visit www.cod.edu/foundation/scholarship.htm.

For more information about the free sessions on March 14, email financialaid@cod.edu.