Some T.C. Williams High School students have been receiving letters from private companies offering to help determine college admission and financial aid eligibility.
Executive Director of the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria Beth Lovain advises that parents should “do their homework” before scheduling an appointment with a for-profit company that offers financial aid services for a fee. Additionally, families should not have to pay or provide a credit card number to apply for scholarships or academic honors, she said.
The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, a non-profit organization located in T.C. Williams High School, has a full-time college adviser, Margaret Feldman, who works with students to find the best fit college, edit college essays, help with résumés, understand the financial aid process, and more. The Scholarship Fund also offers presentations and workshops for ACPS families on Finding Free Money for College, Financial Aid 101, and Completing the FAFSA, among other programming. The next workshop, Junior Financial Aid Night, will be held on April 29 in the T.C. Williams auditorium.
For more information, contact Lovain at the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria via scholarshipfund@acps.k12.va.us or 703-824-6730, or visit www.AlexScholarshipFund.org.