ELIGIBILITY
Students who are residents of Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay, Southport or Edgecomb and who are graduates of Boothbay Region High School or have attended Boothbay Region High School and have special circumstances approved by a majority of the Awards Committee and by a majority of the Board of Directors, who are continuing their education at any post-secondary college, school, or institution approved by the Awards Committee are eligible to apply for a grant each year they are in school as a matriculated student.
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AWARD CRITERIA
Grants are based on two criteria: 1) Financial Need as determined by your college; and 2) your college's policy for applying outside grants to its financial aid packages.
Financial Need is determined by a college based on the information provided on your Student Aid Report (SAR), tax return, and financial aid application. Colleges provide a financial aid package based on their resources which may cover part (leaving an "Unmet Need") or all ("Full Funding") of your Financial Need.
By law, the college must include all outside aid resources when determining financial aid packages. The effect of your college's policy on outside aid can be significant. Colleges establish their own policies, so students attending different colleges may see their awards from the Student Aid Fund affected differently. The Student Aid Fund contacts colleges each year to verify the their respective policies for applying outside aid. In order to facilitate this process, we are including a model release of financial aid information letter at the end of this link that can serve as a model letter to be sent by you to your institution.
If the college has provided a "Full Funding" Aid package, which can include a grant, a loan and/or a work study, any award from the Student Aid Fund will result in a change in the original aid package from the college. How the college will alter its aid package will determine whether a grant from the Student Aid Fund will benefit the applicant.
If the college determines that there is an "Unmet Need", the Student Aid Fund can make an award up to the full amount of the Unmet Need before affecting the aid package provided by the college.
Because of the many variables involved--the varying costs of different colleges, the college's policies for outside aid, and family circumstances--it is not appropriate to compare one student's award from the Student Aid Fund to another.
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THE ROLE OF DOLLARS FOR SCHOLARS
The Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund is affiliated with Dollars for Scholars, a national scholarship organization. Some colleges have agreed to match awards from Dollars For Scholars chapters, and others have agreed to not alter grants that have already been promised if additional grants come from the Student Aid Fund. Through these programs, the Student Aid Fund is able to make its grants even more beneficial to students.
PAYMENTS:
One half of an award is sent to the college in July, and the second half is sent in the last week of December. If you have questions about your award being sent, please call Hamilton Meserve @ 207-350-7288.
IMPORTANT DATES
Those current High School seniors for whom a grant from the Student Aid Fund will help make a decision about which college to attend should plan on submitting their completed applications by March 31st. Completed application deadline for upperclassmen and students who do not need an early decision is May 1st.
The application must be delivered to the Boothbay Region High School guidance counselor, 236 Townsend Avenue, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538. Award decisions are made by April 15 for applications submitted by March 30th; and by May 20 for applications submitted by May 1st. You will be notified by the guidance counselor if you are a senior needing early award information. All other applicants can expect written notification shortly following BRHS graduation.
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CHECKLIST
An application is not complete unless all documentation is provided. It is your responsibility to insure your application is complete. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Use this checklist to be sure your application is complete:
/__/ completed student aid fund application, including complete address and telephone number;
/__/ copy of your Student Aid Report (S.A.R.) returned to you from FAFSA;
/__/ a copy of the financial aid award letter from your college's financial aid office; and
/__/ release of financial aid information, which you send to your institution (see back page).
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
If you have any questions, please contact the BRHS Guidance Office at 207-633-2421 or by email hlorrain@csd3.org
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