Dell Scholars Aps

The Dell Scholars application process opens today.  AVID Center is proud to continue its relationship with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF) this year to select another group of Dell Scholars.  Since 2004, nearly 1,000 students have been selected as Scholars, including 176 selected last year.

Many of you have been through this process before and are familiar with the procedures and timelines.  However, for those unfamiliar or who need a refresher, following are important notes regarding the process for 2010-2011. 

1. You should receive an email from the MSDF and Oscar Sweeten-Lopez, for the Dell Scholars next week.  Please note there is not a poster mailing this year.
   
2. You can contact the customer support group for any questions about Dell Scholars.  The email is apply@dellscholars.org and the phone number is 1-800-294-2039.  The web address for the program is dellscholars.org.
   
3. If your students happen to receive a message that they did not pass the eligibility quiz due to their high school not being associated with AVID, please have them submit a request through the built-in response option located below the eligibility message.  The student will be asked to provide the name of his/her AVID counselor and contact information.  Dell Scholar customer support will contact the counselor to confirm AVID is at that high school. Once confirmation from the counselor is received, the school can be added to the database quickly, and students can continue with application process immediately.
   
4. We can also field questions on behalf of AVID Center.  Our emails are lmorse@avidcenter.org and sbaratte@avidcenter.org.
   
5. The MSDF team expects to select 300 Dell Scholars this year.  Based on past practice, it is fair to assume that more than half of those selected will be AVID students, with some from other college-readiness programs.
   
6. The scholarships are $20,000 awards, which can be spread over six years, including graduate studies.  The program website lists the guidelines, but, in a nutshell, successful applicants must have at least a 2.4 GPA, have overcome obstacles, demonstrate an interest in attending a four-year college, and are Pell Grant eligible.
   
7. The application period runs from November 1, 2010 to January 15, 2011.  Students who are chosen as semi-finalists via their applications and essays will then have their AVID teachers submit recommendations.  MSDF anticipates notifying the awardees by April 10.
   
8. As district and regional directors, you can help the process by making sure that all of your AVID sites with seniors encourage the best possible candidates to apply.  Preliminary studies by MSDF indicate that AVID Dell Scholars are persisting in college at a very high rate, well above 90%.
   
9. If you would like to review the list of previous Dell Scholars, please use the dellscholars.org website.  AVID Center also maintains a database limited strictly to AVID students who have been selected, which we can provide.

 

Congratulations on all your past successes on behalf of our students, and good luck this year!

SAT Training Camp with the Rockets!

Here is a link to all the information:  http://www.nba.com/rockets/community/sat_training_camp_2010_02_26.html
I wanted to relay this information to you, sounds like a GREAT opportunity:

Students that Attend Receive:
o Twenty (20) students will win the chance to take the Princeton Review SAT Training Course
for only $50. This course is valued at $600. Students must submit essay to be
considered. Deadline for submitting essay is Tuesday, March 23rd. Details Attached.
o First 300 Students to Register & Attend will Receive Two (2) tickets to Rockets vs. Wizards
game on March 30, 2010.
o All students will receive Rockets/Comcast Memorbilia

The Houston Rockets, Comcast and the Princeton Review will again host the annual SAT Training
Camp for high school students and their parents. This FREE college preparatory workshop will be
held at Toyota Center on Sunday, March 28, 2010 from 12:00pm-4:00pm.

SAT Training Camp will present a full menu of information to help guide parents and students
through the college application process. Sessions will include financial aid and admissions
workshops, Princeton Review test taking seminar, as well as one-on-one discussions with
representatives from local colleges and universities.

Finally, students and parents will hear from Rockets players and education experts about “what it
takes” to succeed in college. Panelists will also answer personal questions.
The “SAT Training Camp” is FREE, but space is limited. Please distribute the attached
application to your students in grades 9-12. Registration forms are also available on-line at
Rockets.com. Click on Community/SAT Training Camp. Deadline to register is Tuesday,
March 23, 2010.

Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund

 Attention:

Important Announcement From

The Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund

Board of Directors

Scholarship Applications Are Open To

JUNIORS

In

Independent School Districts,

Private, and Charter Schools

within Harris and Fort Bend Counties

(Application Deadline February 26, 2010)

 go to:  http://www.lindalorelle.org

QuestBridge Scholarships for Juniors

QuestBridge Scholarships

QuestBridge is a scholarship program that seeks to award college scholarships to high school juniors who have a strong academic record and an annual household income of less than $60,000. Many past award recipients have also been part of the first generation in their family to attend college. Scholarships are open to all qualified students, regardless of race or ethnicity.” The application deadline is March 29, 2010.

As this scholarship opportunity would be perfect for our AVID students.  The link to their website with more information is www.questbridge.org .  We strongly encourage junior-year AVID students to apply.