Houston Community College Foundation scholarship applications for the 2016-2017 academic year are now open until June 3.

During the application process, the questions are designed like a survey. For example, it will ask you if you are an engineering student or not.

Each scholarship has different set of criteria. “Basically what happens is during the application process is they fill the application, and that application is designed to cover every possible question for each application that we offer,” explains Scholarship Specialist Felicia Brooks.

Brooks said, “Once they click the ‘submit’ button, it will automatically apply them to anything they qualify for based on their answers.”

She also shares how they review the application, “Two people review the applications at all times.”

They decided to have a review committee to be fair to all students. The people are a part of the review committee are volunteers from outside HCC. They did not want to have situations where instructors would favor students they know to get scholarships, so all applications are blind reviewed by outsiders.

The system takes the average of both scores and ranks them from highest to lowest.

“I don’t know who is going to get rewarded until I receive the scores. They go by the scores and not by the name,” says Brooks.

Afterwards, they go by the student’s qualifications. Brooks said, “So if you have a high average, score but your GPA is a 2.3 and the scholarships asks for a 2.5 then you would not receive the scholarship.”

“We award to anybody that qualifies for the scholarship that they apply for. It’s not by age, race or anything of that nature,” she clarifies. As long as you are a current HCC student, you could receive the scholarship awards.

Once they send off the award letter, they expect certain things from the winners. For example, they would expect you to maintain your GPA at the requirement or higher.

There are several different kinds scholarships awarded through HCCSFoundation.org. They have some for every almost major, that way students have the opportunity to be successful in their chosen career path.

There is not a limit on how many you could apply to, and students may apply to more than one if they wish.

All the scholarships close on June 3 at 11:59pm. Once all applications are accepted, the review committee starts the selection process. There’s no scholarship that is due before June 3.

Current HCC student, Derrick Fury shares his experience with the scholarship program, “My experience was great.”

He received two different scholarships. In 2014 he received The Sahni Family Scholarship. He enjoyed being part of their events. In 2015, he received the John Quinones Scholarship. He explains to me the John Quinones Scholarship was for media.

“I didn’t experience any type of cons in the program, well there isn’t cons it’s free money.” He said.

Fury says he loved being a part of it and receiving scholarships back-to-back years. He is graduating this year and is ready to move on with his studies.

He shared a few words with me to all the other HCC students. He says, “I encourage students to go online and peruse scholarships and become a part of the program because it could change your life forever.”

All it takes is a little effort to fill out the application. Fury also said, “The worst they could tell you is no, but you would never know if you could receive one unless you try.”

Visit: HCCSFoundation.org