With a new online process, BC has a lot of scholarships to offer.
Director of financial aid and Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&S) Primavera Arvizu said, “We have over 600 scholarships to offer, ranging from 100 to 3000 dollars.” The process was switched from paper to online to save time and money. “Everything was done by paper and the review process took a very long time, plus there was cost associated with copies…. By having everything online you have a trail, plus it is easier for students, just a couple clicks and you can type your statements, email professors a request of recommendation, and check when they have been submitted,” Arvizu said.
If that doesn’t sound simplified enough “Rather you have a quick question or need help, There are workshops being offered weekly and you can sign up for those through your inside BC accounts.”
When asked if she thought more students would apply this year because of the new easier switch Arvizu said “I think more will apply. We have been ramping up the marketing using social media, online email letters, posted on inside BC and web page, made fliers and posters, informed the entire faculty, and made a video. We want to get the message out to students who don’t check their email, so we used as many alternative routes as possible.”
This year BC is also doing what Arvizu called “target marketing” in which she said, “Last year there was a decline in students applying with the paper applications so we are hoping to use target marketing to increase the number of applicants. Specific workshops/scholarships have been requested by the athletic departments and EOP&S to help those students as well.”
For the instructors that are open to it, Arvizu also plans to stop by classrooms to do presentations, as well as send out another string of emails and use more social media time. “I think the word is out there but we are going to keep messaging” Arizu said.
If you are interested in who qualifies and how you are picked, Arvizu said “A variety of things determine that. There are scholarship committees, and then there are donors who want to review their own scholarship applicants. Each scholarship has criteria that needs to be met by students and that depends on the donor who offers the scholarship.”
Some of the scholarships are based on GPA, and others can range from academics to voluntary works, obstacles and hardships to first generation students. “You don’t know it is out there till you apply!” Arvizu said.