Smart Money Moves
Scholarships & Financial Aid Newsletter April 2020
In This Edition You Will Find:
- Things You Can Do While Social Distancing
- Crosby Scholars Scholarships: April 30th Deadline Extension
- Not sure how to apply for Crosby Scholarships? Watch our How To Video!
- Forsyth Tech Scholarship Opportunities
- How to Appeal for More Financial Aid due to Coronavirus
Things You Can Do While Social Distancing
We are all being asked to adapt to a new situation that is dramatically different from our normal lives and daily routines. And even more, we are all being asked to change our behavior immediately and to stay at home indefinitely.
While adapting to our "new normal" definitely takes some getting used to, it is also hugely important that we adjust our routines and keep our loved ones safe by practicing social distancing.
So, what CAN YOU DO while social distancing? Check out these fun and creative ideas to help you feel connected while we all do our part to keep everyone safe and healthy!
If you're into Books
A book club! It’s the most obvious suggestion, but it’s obvious for a reason. One: It gives you something to do. Two: It gives you enforced social interaction on a deadline. Even if you can’t meet in person for now, you can keep your book club going through a group chat or a video conference hangout.
If you’re into movies/TV
Moving on with the club idea, start a movie or TV club with a few friends. If you want a bunch of things to watch, do a movie club. If you want to watch something over a long amount of time, then do a TV show – either something ripe for discussion (The Americans, Love is Blind, two shows that will never be mentioned in the same sentence ever again) or something that people will send a lot of emojis about (Love is Blind again, how about Jessica, right?!). This gives you social interaction with a purpose.
If you’re into music
Get your friends to throw all of the new songs they're listening to into a big group playlist to keep each other updated with what you're all doing and what you're listening to. You can change the playlist up every month, and it leaves us with insanely detailed, messy records of what we’ve been listening to.
It’s a great way to keep up with new music, and also a great way to troll your friends with music you know they’ll hate. Got a friend who only listens to country music? Throw some Doja Cat at them!
If you’re into podcasts
Okay, so you know those rambly, chatty podcasts that you tend to ignore? Now is the absolutely right time for them. There’s something inherently calming about the aural presence of two people having a nice time and joking around with each other. It simulates the feelings of actually hang out with people without having to provide your own conversation.
If you’re into games
Gamers the world over have been socializing with other players from the comfort of their homes for years. It’s arguably the most social media you can get! Whether playing games online with people (anything from online RPGs to basic things like card games) or sharing the things you make online, it’s pretty effortless to be social with people while playing. From The Sims and Minecraft to something simple like online chess or Scrabble, gaming let’s you have fun with your friends and socialize at the same time, without ever having to leave the house.
If you’re into food
A fun thing to do would be to form some sort of recipe club – find a few like minded friends to cook the same thing and share your results with each other. Share your photos, your variations, your substitutions. Form your own little cooking community!
Then: Eat the dinners together. Even though there’s no worse sound on a speaker than someone eating, there’s something weirdly calming about eating with people on a screen, especially when you have the physical freedom to do other things.
Just stay in touch
Ultimately, the thing to do is stay in touch with each other.
Ask people how they are. And vice versa: let people know how you are. It’s how the world goes around, and nobody hates hearing from the people who care about them. Especially, in these uncertain times, reach out to your gloomy friends, you know, the people whose curtains are closed by default. We love these people, and they love us back, but sometimes they might need to be shown or told it a bit more.
You might not be able to bring light in from the outside, but at least you can light up their notifications. Keep your distance from your loved ones – but don’t, you know, keep your distance.
source:https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/21-03-2020/how-to-keep-your-friends-while-keeping-your-distance/
Crosby Scholarships Deadline Extended until April 30
Scholarships with deadline extensions include:
- Harry Scofield Memorial Book Scholarship
- Fulton First Generation Scholarship
- Les and Evelyn Riley Memorial Scholarship
- Right Decisions / Right Now Scholarship
- Jessica Hill Davis Memorial Scholarship
- Bigs for Success Scholarship
- Judy McCann Ball Memorial Scholarship
- Ronnetta M. Mosby Legacy Award
Students must apply by clicking on the "Scholarship Application" link inside their Crosby Scholars Student Portal
Not sure how to apply for Crosby Scholarships? Check out this step-by-step video!
Learn how to upload required documents, manage your applications, and more!
Forsyth Tech Scholarship Opportunities
It's not too early to plan for Fall Semester! April is Scholarship Month at Forsyth Tech!
Not sure where you want to go to college? Do you think you might attend Forsyth Tech?
From today until April 30th, you can apply online for our scholarships! Not sure if you qualify?
Don't worry! You'll be paired with scholarships that you qualify for automatically. You'll need to have a Forsyth Tech Student ID and your 20-21 FAFSA completed by mid-April for scholarships that require financial need.
The best part? You only need to fill out ONE application to apply! Click HERE to get started.
How to Ask for More Financial Aid Due to the Coronavirus
Has your family been financially affected by the Coronavirus? If so, you should think about writing an appeal letter to your colleges Financial Aid office to ensure that you are being offered as much funding as possible.
The U.S. Department of Education has issued guidance to college financial aid administrators, allowing them to use professional judgement when “students and/or their families have been affected by COVID-19.”
The process for considering these financial aid appeals, however, has not changed due to the Coronavirus. In particular, the decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis and supported by documentation. Be prepared to provide documentation supporting your request.
The college financial aid administrator may make adjustments to the cost of attendance or the data elements used to calculate the expected family contribution (EFC) on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Many colleges may have emergency financial aid funds available.
Examples of special circumstances related to COVID-19 that might justify an adjustment include:
- The parent or student's employer closes for a period of time; laying off or furloughing staff
- Lost wages due to illness, a quarantine period or shelter-in-place order
- Inability to work because of illness (e.g., impaired lung function prevents a parent from engaging in substantial gainful activity)
The FAFSA is based on 2018 income. Changes in family income since 2018 are good grounds for an appeal for more financial aid.
You can appeal for more financial aid at any time. Students who have been admitted but not yet enrolled are also able to appeal for more financial aid, not just current college students. However, since funds are limited, begin your financial aid appeal as soon as possible before funds run out.
How to Apply for Financial Relief
To appeal for more financial aid, ask the college financial aid office for a professional judgment review. Some colleges have a form you can download from their web site. Others ask you to write a letter describing the special circumstances that affect your ability to pay for college. Include documentation of the special circumstances, such as copies of job layoff notices, pay stubs and doctor’s bills. Remember to keep your request as specific as you can, but also brief.
Questions? Contact Ashly Wilson, Financial Aid Coordinator
- Need help filling out the FAFSA? Have questions about how to interpret your Financial Aid Award Letter? Need help with FAFSA Verification? Contact Ashly Wilson at awilson@crosbyscholars.org
Crosby Scholars
Email: awilson@crosbyscholars.org
Website: crosbyscholars.org
Phone: 336-725-5371
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrosbyScholars?fref=ts
Twitter: @CrosbyScholars