How Do We Decide?
The most rewarding task for a member of the Bootstraps Board of Directors is serving on the Awards Committee. Awarding scholarships and loans is the heart of Bootstraps and being on the committee reminds us why we do what we do.
The Awards Committee supports the broader mission of Bootstraps Inc. by matching student applicants with available scholarships and loans. The matching process balances financial need, student qualifications (merit), and the specific wishes of the donors who fund scholarships and loans. Financial need is determined from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completed by students. Merit is assessed by reviewing academic performance (GPA, test scores, and class rank), extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, jobs), and community service. Student essays and teacher recommendations provide additional information about both financial need and student qualifications.
The intention of Bootstraps is to help applicants with the greatest financial need so they do not experience a financial barrier in pursuing higher education; therefore, an applicant may receive more than one award. Financial need takes into account the results of the FAFSA and the cost of attendance of the applicants chosen school. Financial need is determined using the formula:
Cost of Attendance - Student Aid Index = Financial Need
During the initial review process, all applicants are anonymous to the committee members. Once all reviews are complete and the time comes to meet with teachers for additional applicant feedback, the names of the applicants are revealed to the committee. In addition to teacher interviews, approximately half of the applicants are randomly chosen for an in-person interview.
The entire committee comes together for three four-hour meetings to review all the data collected and match the applicants with appropriate scholarships and loans. Applicants are notified by mail of the decisions reached by the committee.
The culmination of the process is the recipient orientation in April and the reception held at the Lake House in May each year where recipients and donors meet and celebrate.
The Awards Committee supports the broader mission of Bootstraps Inc. by matching student applicants with available scholarships and loans. The matching process balances financial need, student qualifications (merit), and the specific wishes of the donors who fund scholarships and loans. Financial need is determined from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completed by students. Merit is assessed by reviewing academic performance (GPA, test scores, and class rank), extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, jobs), and community service. Student essays and teacher recommendations provide additional information about both financial need and student qualifications.
The intention of Bootstraps is to help applicants with the greatest financial need so they do not experience a financial barrier in pursuing higher education; therefore, an applicant may receive more than one award. Financial need takes into account the results of the FAFSA and the cost of attendance of the applicants chosen school. Financial need is determined using the formula:
Cost of Attendance - Student Aid Index = Financial Need
During the initial review process, all applicants are anonymous to the committee members. Once all reviews are complete and the time comes to meet with teachers for additional applicant feedback, the names of the applicants are revealed to the committee. In addition to teacher interviews, approximately half of the applicants are randomly chosen for an in-person interview.
The entire committee comes together for three four-hour meetings to review all the data collected and match the applicants with appropriate scholarships and loans. Applicants are notified by mail of the decisions reached by the committee.
The culmination of the process is the recipient orientation in April and the reception held at the Lake House in May each year where recipients and donors meet and celebrate.
