SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION PROCESS

In order to be considered for a scholarship, students must complete the online application. The ACE website contains the online application (see more about this in section III below). Only students that are marked ACTIVE in the database will be able to access the scholarship application.

Student must submit a completed application by the deadline.

A COMPLETED application includes the following information:

• Application
• Essays
• Recommendations
• Transcript

ONLINE APPLICATION

LOGIN HERE: http://www.acementor.org | Click “Sign into Your Account/Register with a Program” in the upper right corner

Login with the user name (which is an email address) and password that you first used to sign up for ACE.  Click “Scholarships” in the left side-bar then “View Scholarships.”  Click “ACE Greater Philadelphia 2023 Scholarship” to begin your application.

TIP | As long as you do not hit “complete” on the application, you may leave the form incomplete and return as needed to finish it.

The student must complete ALL sections of the application including the essays!

ESSAYS

TIP | Essays should be well thought out and written prior to application submission. Most students find it helpful to write their essays using word processing software (i.e. Microsoft Word) and then simply cut and paste their answers into the online application.

The following essays are included in the online application:

• Which segment of the industry (architecture, engineering, construction, or related field) do you wish to enter and why? Were you planning a career in this field before starting the ACE program or did ACE help steer you in that direction? If so, how/why? Also, please tell us your top three choice for your future education (what schools)
• Describe your experience with your ACE mentors? How will this experience help you as you transition from high school? What effect did this experience have on your college choice, or choice of study? What was the most valuable lesson you learned from your time with the ACE Mentor program?
• Pick a personal experience from your own life and explain how it has influenced your development. What have you learned from this experience? How do you think this achievement will influence your future goals (personal or professional)?
• Is there anything else you would like to share with the scholarship committee?

RECOMMENDATIONS

The student needs to obtain the following recommendations in order for the scholarship application to be complete.

1. Teacher or Guidance Counselor
   2. ACE Team Leader or Team Member
   3. Employer, Clergy, Coach, and/or Volunteer Organizations (optional)

The student must request his/her teacher/guidance counselor, an ACE team member and (at their option) an employer to write a recommendation in an electronic format.
The recommendation should be sent to the student as a PDF file via email. The student can then attach the form to his/her application.

FORM 1 – Team Leader or Mentor Evaluation form

FORM 2 – Recommendation form (Employer, Clergy, Coach, and/or Volunteer Organizations)

*(Forms 1 & 2 are included at the end of this document)

TRANSCRIPT

Students must obtain an official academic transcript from their high school. If the school is willing to send it electronically, attach the file to the application.

Many schools require the transcript to be mailed to a person other than the student. In this case, please give your students the affiliate’s contact information for the school to email the transcript: Melissa Raffel, Affiliate Director, mraffel@acementor.org

COMPLETION OF APPLICATION

The end of the application has a section called “Application Submission”

Students must not check #2 until the application is completed in full; otherwise they will not be able to return to an unfinished application.

TIP | Two of the primary criteria for evaluating applicants will be their attendance and participation in the ACE Program.

SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Positive Attitude

1. Creative and Critical thinking
2. Contribution to the success of the team
3. Interest/commitment to continuing education in the Design & Construction industry
4. Potential for success in the Design & Construction industry
5. Articulate and complete responses to questions on the scholarship application
6. Letters of Recommendations

TIP | If you are fortunate enough to have been awarded an ACE Mentor Program scholarship, the following terms will apply to your award.

1. Fields of study covered by this scholarship are architecture, engineering, construction, and related disciplines, as approved by the ACE Mentor Program of America and/or a scholarship recipient’s local ACE affiliate.
2. A check will be issued in the fall of each year in the amount of one-fourth of the scholarship award. This payment shall be made in four annual installments, or until the student graduates from the program, whichever comes first.
3. The student may change colleges without affecting this scholarship, but must notify the ACE Mentor Program about the transfer and adhere to all other terms.
4. To avoid forfeiting any remaining scholarship funds, the student must remain in good academic standing, continue in a field of study covered by ACE, and annually provide a disbursement form and transcript to ACE.
5. The student is responsible for providing ACE with the required information each year.
6. The student must accept the terms of this scholarship and initiate disbursement of scholarship funds within two years of graduation from high school. If the scholarship is not accepted and payments are not initiated within two years, ACE will rescind the scholarship.
7. Once the first scholarship installment is paid, the student must use the remaining funds within five years. Any funds remaining after five years will be forfeited.

Student must use full amount of the scholarship within seven years of graduation from high school. Any funds remaining after this period will be forfeited.

• March 15 | By this date, the scholarship guidelines and application will have been e-mailed to students. Applications may be started on-line.
• April 15 | No new applications may be started. Open applications may continue to be worked on.
• April 22 | Deadline for all student applications to be submitted. (Including sealed transcripts and 2 letters of recommendation). Check the guidelines and the application process for expectations. Application process is CLOSED. No changes to applications without approval.
• April 23 – 30 | Scholarship Committee meets to make final rankings and selections for ACE scholarships
• May 3 | Scholarship winners will be notified and will receive an invitation to attend the ACE Greater Philadelphia End of Year Celebration.
• May 10 | Final award amounts to be determined based on fundraising efforts
• May 2024 | End of Year Celebration | Date, Time, & Location TBD