WC streamlines scholarship applications

For the Weatherford College Foundation, making the scholarship process more transparent and easier to access for students is a priority this year as it managed to raise an estimated $18,000 in funds last week at its annual golf tournament.

"There are lots of great sponsors," said Brent Baker, Weatherford College vice president of institutional advancement at the golf tournament.

While students can currently apply for scholarships online, The college is working on revamping its online scholarship system so it is user friendly and accessible to students, Baker said.

An estimated two-thirds of full-time students paid for college with the help of financial aid in the form of grants and scholarships in 2014-15, according to College Board, an american non-profit educational institution that also administers national standardized tests.

The system will also make it easier for the various committees to review applicants as well, Baker said.

"We give more than $250,000 in scholarship funds every year and this year, we're instituting a new online system for students to apply for scholarships," he said. "It should be a more user-friendly, dynamic system for students applying."

Students who are interested in higher education is always a good thing, said said Crystal Brown, Weatherford College public relations coordinator.

"It's exciting to see students who are passionate about learning and who want to go out and attain their goals," she said."It's important to be a well rounded person. You can never stop learning. You learn your entire life."

The new system currently being worked on is supposed to help students navigate the amount of scholarships available and the requirements for them, in a more easier-to-see manner, Baker said.

"The biggest difference will be the ability to sort and review," he said. "What I'm hoping it does, is it makes it easier for students to apply whether they're in high school and about to apply to college or current WC students. I'm always surprised by how few students apply. I think that there's a misconception out there that you have to have a 4.0 GPA to earn a scholarship and that's just not true."

"Anyone that's planning to attend Weatherford College in the Fall of 2017 should apply for scholarships," he continued. 

Source: WC streamlines scholarship applications