This month

Planning your future

• Feature — Leadership and college admissions
• It's a fact —Coming Soon: Scholarships from the Charley Wootan Grant Program
• Stay on track — A checklist of "to-dos"
• Take notice — Important dates
• All about AIEmail — Subscribe, suggest, review

Feature

Leadership and college admissions

When you're looking for activities to get involved in, find ones that interest you. In addition, activities that give you the chance to take on leadership roles can show the college admissions counselors at the colleges you're applying to that you're a top candidate.

Let's take a look at a couple of examples:

• Worked at the Hamburger Hut
• Debate team member
• Baseball player

• Assistant manager at the Hamburger Hut
• Debate team captain
• Varsity baseball captain

Who would you be most likely to admit? Probably Applicant No. 771. Activities requiring leadership and responsibility are the most memorable and impressive.

When describing your roles, don't be afraid to brag a little. You need to highlight the importance of your contributions and responsibilities. Admissions officers like to accept students who take the lead both inside and outside of the classroom. If you are a student council member, don't just say "student council member." Put your volunteer position in context — "Ran against five other students for student council. My campaign included organizing a campaign committee, creating posters, making speeches, and handing out flyers."

Remember that you can take a leading role even if the baseball and debate team captain positions are taken. You can organize activities yourself. Anything that shows initiative on your part will stand out from the crowd. Ideas for taking a lead:

• Volunteer in a political campaign or local government. This requires more initiative than joining a group at school, and admissions counselors will take notice.
• Form a new group at school that supports a candidate, issue, or other activity that you might enjoy. This would be very impressive. It shows initiative, creativity, and leadership.
• Write a monthly column that gives you the opportunity to express your opinions and showcase your talents.
• Be creative, and don't be afraid of trying something unusual.

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It's a Fact

Coming Soon: Scholarships from the Charley Wootan Grant Program

AIEmail wants you to know about a scholarship opportunity available soon that you should apply for. TG — the same company that brings you AIEmail — sponsors the Charley Wootan Grant Program. The scholarship honors the memory of former Chairperson of the TG Board of Directors, Dr. Charley V. Wootan, in recognition of his profound impact on education and the lives of many students and their families.

For the 2008-09 academic year, TG will award $2 million to students through the Charley Wootan Grant Program. The program offers grants ranging from $1,000 to $4,245 to qualified undergraduate students.

Applications for the scholarship will be available by or before March 15. To be considered, an application packet must be complete and postmarked by May 5, 2008.

Only the first 5,000 applications received by Scholarship America will be given consideration. You should complete the application and mail all required documentation in one envelope as soon as possible. Charley Wootan Grants are awarded for one year only; however, recipients will be encouraged to reapply in subsequent years.

Visit the Charley Wootan Grant page on TG Online to apply.

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Stay on track

Checklist for this week

For freshmen

• Continue to study hard for good grades. Don't give up.
• Review your schedule for next year.
• Continue to investigate and plan summer volunteer activities.
• Watch for leadership opportunities in clubs and organizations, or start your own group or activity.

For sophomores

• Research summer job opportunities.
• Review your schedule for next year.
• Investigate summer precollege programs.
• Plan summer community service or volunteer activities.
• Watch for leadership opportunities in clubs and organizations.

For juniors

• Take care of last-minute studying for the April ACT.
• Register for the May and/or June SAT. June is the last time it will be administered until next October.
• Prepare for Advanced Placement exams.
• Review your schedule for next year. Make sure you have all courses needed for graduation.
• Attend any college presentations at your high school this month.
• Continue investigating precollege programs.

For seniors

• Begin preparations on the list of people to whom you will send graduation announcements.
• Review any admissions status letters you have received.
• Review financial aid information with your parents. Send in any necessary paperwork.
• Complete and return any summer orientation materials sent by your chosen college.
• Return any requested housing contract information.

For parents

• Review financial aid award letters (www.AIE.org/College/ccs_awardlt.cfm) with your senior.
• Provide any payments necessary for housing contracts, summer orientation programs, or other fees for your senior.
• Provide any fee payments necessary for your junior's ACT/SAT test registrations.
• Encourage your teenager to make plans for summer jobs and volunteer activities.
• Assist your senior with the preparation of graduation announcements.
• Encourage your teen to study for upcoming Advanced Placement exams.
• Assist with the completion of any college paperwork that must be filed by May 1.

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Take notice

Important dates

Mark down these dates.

To get more information on the SAT or SAT Subject Tests, access useful tools, or register, visit the College Board's Web Site(www.collegeboard.com) or call (609) 771-7600.

To get more information on the ACT, access useful tools, or register, visit the ACT Web Site (www.act.org) or call (319) 337-1270.

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All about AIEmail

Subscribe, suggest, review

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©2008 Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (www.tgslc.org)