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- » Contact Our Staff
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the difference between a nominator and a recommender? |
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DEADLINE: Scholarship Applications are due
November 30, 2011 at 4:00 p.m., Mountain Standard Time.
What is the Daniels Scholarship?
In establishing the Daniels Scholarship, Bill Daniels wanted to seek out young leaders who demonstrate character, honesty, and a personal commitment to service. The Daniels Scholarship Program is unique in many ways. Daniels Scholars aren't expected to have perfect grades, what we look for is potential. Daniels Scholars are chosen for their willingness to work hard, their strength of character, their passion to succeed, and their commitment to giving back to their communities. The Daniels Fund awards hundreds of scholarships each year to promising students across our four-state region. The Daniels Scholarship Program is both exciting and challenging, and we encouage you to read on to see if a Daniels Scholarship might be right for you.
Where can the Daniels Scholarship be used?
Daniels Scholarships may be used at any two- or four-year not-for-profit accredited college or university in the United States. Students must intend to complete a bachelor’s degree.
The Daniels Fund strongly encourages students to apply to college by the end of December 2011. Please note that the Daniels Scholarship can only be used at one of the schools listed in your Daniels Scholarship application. In other words, students may not apply to a new school once they have been awarded a Daniels Scholarship.
Who can apply for the Daniels Scholarship?
To be eligible to apply for a Daniels Scholarship, students must satisfy all of the following:
- Be nominated by a designated Referral Agency (see www.danielsfund.org for a list).
- Be a current high school student expecting to graduate during the 2011-2012 academic school year from any high school in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming.
- Be a current resident of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming.
- At the time of application, be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident of the U.S., or have refugee or asylum status in the U.S.
- Demonstrate financial need (see “What is Financial Need?”).
- Take the ACT by October 22, 2011 and achieve an exam composite score of 17 or higher, or take the SAT by October 1, 2011 and achieve a combined math and critical reading score of 830 or higher.
For more information, please see the Printable Student Guide at:
Daniels Scholarship Student Guide
What is the application deadline?
The deadline to submit the application is November 30, 2011 at 4:00 p.m., Mountain Time.
What is Financial Need?
The Daniels Scholarship is a supplemental scholarship. As such, the Daniels Fund works in partnership with Daniels Scholars, their families, higher education institutions, and federal and state financial aid resources to help financially support students to achieve a four-year college degree.
One of the primary eligibility criteria for the Daniels Scholarship is financial need. The Daniels Fund determines financial need by evaluating a number of factors, including the applicant family’s income, assets and family size. However, the most important factor used to determine an applicant’s financial need is his or her family’s ability to pay toward the costs of college. This ability, often referred to as the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), is calculated and determined for the Daniels Fund by College Board.
Determining Your Financial Eligibility
In general, a family of four, with one child in college, and a family income of up to $50,000 has a reasonable chance to be financially eligible for the Daniels Scholarship. Conversely, a family earning more than $75,000 is probably not financially eligible. While these are general rules, the Daniels Fund evaluates all applicants on an individual basis.
The Daniels Fund uses a College Board tool to determine an applicant’s financial eligibility for the Daniels Scholarship. In general, a family with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) between $0 and $5,500 is likely to be financially eligible for the Daniels Scholarship. However, the Daniels Fund reserves the right to examine a number of factors in making the final determination of an applicant’s financial eligibility. The Daniels Scholarship Program reviews its threshold for financial eligibility on an annual basis.
The College Board offers a calculator to assist families in determining their Estimated Family Contribution (EFC). Before applicants begin their Daniels Scholarship application, it is highly recommended that they, along with their parents, visit the website below to gain insight into their family’s Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) and likelihood of eligibility for the Daniels Scholarship.
http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp
Tips for using the College Board EFC Calculator:
- Have previous year tax returns available for parents and applicant (if applicable)
- Website navigation tools are at the bottom of each page
- When you come to the step prompting you to “Pick a Formula” select Institutional Methodology formula (IM)
- Completing the EFC Calculator should take approximately 15 minutes.
- Keep this information for your personal records – this is not something Daniels Fund will request from you.
Should you need further guidance regarding financial eligibility for the Daniels Scholarship Program, please contact the Daniels Fund.
What are Referral Agencies?
Referral Agencies are high schools and youth serving organizations that have been selected to participate in the Daniels Scholarship nomination process. For a list of designated Referral Agencies in each state, visit www.danielsfund.org. You need only one nomination from one Referral Agency. A nomination is not a guarantee that you will be awarded a Daniels Scholarship.
What is the difference between a Nominator and a Recommender?
Nominator - An authorized representative from the agency that has worked with the nominated student and can provide candid, detailed responses based on the scholarship eligibility and selection criteria. The nominator will complete an online evaluation of the student and can monitor the status of multiple applicants.
Recommender - An individual that the applicant has identified to complete an online recommedation who can provide candid, detailed responses based on the scholarship eligibility and selection criteria. Recommenders do not have the ability to monitor the status of applications. Each student applicant must have two recommenders, in addition to the nominator.
How does a Referral Agency nominate me?
Referral Agencies will provide you with a nomination card. The nomination card will contain the Referral Agency name, the nominator’s name and e-mail address. The card will also contain details on how to access the Daniels Scholarship online application.
When you login and begin the online application process, you will be prompted to enter your Referral Agency nominator’s e-mail address. The nominator will receive an automated e-mail message prompting them to complete a nomination on your behalf. Nominations must be submitted by December 2, 2011 at 4:00 p.m., Mountain Time.
You should follow-up with your nominator to be sure he/she receives the e-mail and completes the nomination prior to the scholarship deadline.
How do I get recommendations?
You will be required to obtain two recommendations from people who know you well such as a teacher, employer, religious leader or coach. These recommendations are in addition to the one submitted on your behalf by your nominator.
When you login and begin the online application process, you will be prompted to enter your recommender’s e-mail addresses. Each recommender will receive an automated e-mail message prompting them to complete a recommendation on your behalf. Recommendations must be submitted by December 2, 2011 at 4:00 p.m., Mountain Time.
You should follow-up with your recommenders to be sure that they received the e-mail and will complete the recommendation prior to the scholarship deadline.
How do I know that my application has been properly submitted?
You will receive a confirmation e-mail once your application is successfully submitted.
What makes a complete application?
- Complete online application
- An online nomination from a Referral Agency
- Two recommendations
Your application will be incomplete if any of the three components are missing by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not move on in the scholarship selection process.
How do I know the status of my application?
Go to the Daniels Fund application site (your URL) and click the Review My Status button. Use your application user ID and password to log in. There you will be able to view the status of your application, and your nomination and recommendations. This page will include specific instructions and details.
While creating my registration account, I was told that the account already exists. I have never tried to login before, how can that be?
During registration you must select a unique User ID – something that no one else in the system has ever used before. If you complete a registration and immediately get a message that the account cannot be created because it already exists, it is likely that you have tried to register with a User ID that is already in use by another applicant. You will have to try something different for the User ID. Be sure to write down what you have tried, prior to clicking Submit. Keep track of the User ID that works successfully, and save it until after the scholarship deadline has passed. Once you have registered successfully, A confirmation e-mail will be sent to you to help you remember your User ID.
How do I change my password or User ID?
Your User ID is a unique identifier that was created when you first filled out the registration section, and it cannot be changed. If you have forgotten your User ID, go to the login page and click on Forgot User ID or Password? for additional instructions.
You have options for changing your password. Upon failure of an attempted login, click the Forgot User ID or Password? link located on the login page to have your password sent to your e-mail account.
I am locked out of my account. What do I do now?
If you have tried three consecutive times to login with an incorrect User ID or password, you will receive a message that your account is disabled. If this happens, please e-mail appsupport@danielsfund.org and provide an explanation (i.e., “My account is disabled.”) and the following information:
- Your first and last name
- The name of your school
- The city, state, and county where your school is located
Do I have to finish my application all at once, or can I save it and come back later?
You will be able to work on your application from September 15, 2011 to November 30, 2011, 4:00pm Mountain Time. To save your updates, click the Save button and then log out. The next time you login, you will be able to continue where you stopped. While you are not required to complete an application all at once, please note, once you click the Submit button, no changes can be made.
Why did I get an error message about my short answer questions?
This may happen when you save your short answer question responses or go to another page. The error is usually related to the text character count. The response cannot be more than 1200 characters, according to our system’s character counter. If you exceed the limit, the system will not allow you to submit your response. Reduce the number of characters, and it should work.
Why do I see strange symbols in the text box when I copy and paste my short answer question responses?
Special characters (apostrophes or double quotations marks) and formatting (bold, italics, underlining, etc.) may be problematic when you choose to cut and paste from another software program. To avoid this problem, remove or replace the special character(s) and formatting before pasting. For more information, please click here:
https://www.act.org/host/rpsweb/pdf/SpecialCharacters.pdf
How do I properly log out?
When you are ready to log out, be sure you have saved any updates that you were working on. Log out using the Logout tab in the left navigation menu.
What happens after the scholarship deadline?
Applicants will be notified of their status by the end of January. Students who become semifinalists must provide the following documents by February 24, 2012:
- Official high school transcript(s)
- Copies of ACT/SAT exam results
- Copies of 2011 income tax information (Please note: Your family will need to complete their 2011 tax returns no later than February 22, 2012.)
- Proof of U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, or asylum status
- CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE
- Other documents as requested
Final awards will be announced in April.
Contact Us
Thank you for your interest in the Daniels Scholarship program. For more information, use the contact form, or call 877-791-4726 (toll free).
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