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Schools

Be wary of easy scholarship offers

By MARYAN PELLAND
Published January 11, 2007

With the holidays now a memory, it is the time for college-bound juniors and seniors to find out what scholarships are out there and begin applying to schools.

But it's important to know about the pitfalls.

The Hernando County School Board has information about scams and cons associated with finding college money, and many, as you might expect, have to do with the Internet.

One of the most visited Web sites, fastweb.com, says it has information about more than 1.3-million scholarships. They post information about scams, too.

Here are five tips to help avoid scams:

- If you ask questions and can't get a straight answer from an agency or organization, go elsewhere. Legitimate money providers are happy to help you understand every step of the process. Experts advise that you ask a lot of questions.

- No scholarship application should require fees or demand specific credit card or bank account information. This includes prizes or awards, too.

- If it is difficult to determine the brick-and-mortar location of the organization making an offer, move on. Names, addresses and phone numbers for legitimate organizations are easy to find.

The state of Florida has a Web site that helps verify names of businesses operating in the state: http://fic.sunbiz.org/corpweb/inquiry/ficmenu.html.

- If you get a surprise phone call, letter or e-mail announcing that you've won a prize, award or scholarship you didn't apply for, check it out carefully. If they put pressure on you to act or respond quickly, that is your signal to put on the brakes.

- No scholarship, award or prize is ever guaranteed to a certain individual applicant. It takes effort, qualifications and work to find and access college funding. Beware of wild promises.

Cortez Community Bank in Brooksville is among the donors that helps provide local scholarship money through the Hernando County Education Foundation. Don Page, bank president and CEO, emphasizes that if you feel all is not right with an offer, trust your instincts.

He says the chances of finding funding often are better at a state level than a national level.

Guidance professionals advise that students should never pass up a solid opportunity. Start early and apply everywhere you can.

But be cautious throughout the process.

"I can't say it strongly enough: Never give your Social Security number or credit card numbers to anyone if you aren't absolutely sure of who they are," Page said. "Check it out, and check again."

Scholarship information sources

For information, contact your school guidance department or try these Web sites:

- www.facts.org

- www.fastweb.monster.com

- Florida office of Financial Assistance - https://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/home/osfahomepg.htm

- Hernando County Education Foundation: Kathleen Reitz, executive director, (352) 797-7029

-Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union Scholarship Foundation: 1-800-999-5887

- Florida Department of Education Financial Aid Applicants (FFAA) hotline: 1-888-827-2004

[Last modified January 11, 2007, 07:01:48]