RESOURCES: FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for a Point Scholarship?
To obtain a sense of the qualities Point Scholars most often demonstrate, applicants may read the current scholar bios that are posted on Point’s website. Exceptional academic performance is one characteristic that Point Foundation (Point) seeks in all its applicants and subsequent scholars. Additionally, proven leaderships skills and the desire to make a difference in the world is highly valued. Each person who applies for a Point scholarship is evaluated on the totality of their situation. Financial need, marginalization, academic excellence, community involvement, leadership and future goals are all key factors that are taken into consideration.
Does Point encourage graduate and post-graduate students to apply?
Absolutely. Applicants from all levels of higher education may apply for Point’s scholarship award.
Are community college students eligible to apply?
Yes, as long as the student is asking for financial support to transfer to an accredited four-year university. Point does not currently fund education at the community college level.
Are online degree-seeking candidates eligible to apply?
No, Point does not provide support for degrees that are obtained online.
What expenses does Point’s scholarship include and how much financial assistance is possible?
Point’s scholarship award covers a variety of expenses such as tuition, books, room, board and basic living expenses. Point estimates that a college education costs between $8,000 and $50,000 per year, depending on which school the scholar attends. Some scholars may only need money to cover living expenses or books while others may need more. Point’s Board of Directors makes every attempt to assist each scholar to the full extent possible so they may focus on their academic career rather than worry about funding.
Does Point provide scholarships to residents of foreign countries?
Point’s application process is open to all college students regardless of citizenship. However, the organization’s scope of support is limited to higher educational pursuits at accredited institutions that are located within the borders of the United States of America.
How can I apply for the upcoming school year?
Point’s 2008-2009 online scholarship award application will become available on December 12, 2008 and it will close at 11:59 pm PST on February 9, 2009.
What is my chance of becoming a Point Scholar?
In 2008, Point received over 1,347 completed applications. Of those 27 scholarships awards were issued to the highest ranking applicants.
Do application deadlines change?
No, Point’s application deadline is 11:59pm PST on February 9. 2009.
May I review Point’s application before applying?
Yes, we highly recommend a thorough review of the previous year’s application beforehand. An example of each section of last year’s online application may be read at any time at http://www.pointfoundation.org/apply.html
I would like to apply for a scholarship to study in spring of 2009. May I submit an application now?
No, scholarship awards for spring of 2009 are not available. Only applicants either starting or continuing in the fall of 2009 are eligible to apply for a Point Scholarship.
If I do not have regular access to the Internet, may I send in a paper application?
No, applications may only be submitted online. Applicants are strongly encouraged to obtain an e-mail address to facilitate quick and efficient communication. Free e-mail addresses are available on the internet at websites such as Yahoo and Gmail.
How will I know if Point received my application?
Point’s online application system automatically sends each applicant a personal identification number (PIN) and a confirmation e-mail when their online application is received. Applicants will not be contacted by Point unless they are selected to be a semifinalist at the end of February.
Where can I learn more about Point?
Please review Point’s website for additional information regarding Point Foundation. If you have additional questions, please contact Ray Noll by clicking .
Do I need to identify within the LGBT community to apply?
No, it is not required that you identify within the LGBT community to apply. Additionally, Point realizes that identities within “LGBT” do not apply to everyone on the Queer spectrum, and Point welcomes all spectrums of the Queer community to apply. Point does require that you have a history of leadership in or alliance with issues that affect the LGBT/Queer community and you must plan to continue this leadership/alliance in the future.
If I identify within the LGBT/Queer community, will I be expected to reveal this identification to the public?
Point does require scholars to reveal publically their association with Point, as well as their dedication and status as an ally to the Queer community with the public. If selected as a Point Scholar, you will be required to submit your photo & biography for our website, as well as be willing to attend and speak publicly at Point events.
If I become a Point Scholar what are the expectations?
Point Scholars receive a Contract of Excellence (COE) that must be reviewed, signed and returned and renewed annually to the organization before any scholarship funds are dispersed. The COE is a written statement that commits each scholar to the following actions.
(1) Provide Point with their official transcript and maintain at least a 3.3(B+) GPA every semester.
(2) Attend Point’s annual leadership conference held at the end of July each year that they are a Point Scholar.
(3) Communicate regularly with both their mentor and Point’s professional staff.
(4) Support Point’s vision and be willing to participate in Point events.
(5) Complete an LGBT community service project each year that they are a Point Scholar.
If my career goals are not exclusively focused on the LGBT community may I still apply?
Yes, Point selects scholars whom it believes have made a contribution to the LGBT community and will in the future. Some scholars will choose a career that focuses on the LGBT community and others will use their skills and influence to support the community, while not working full-time on LGBT issues. Talent and a drive to contribute are key characteristics of a Point Scholar. Point welcomes accomplished scholars in all fields.
If I apply and am not selected as a Point Scholar, may I reapply?
Yes, applicants may reapply the following year.
When I reapply, may I submit my old application?
No, the application changes each year and we want to see the most current information for each person who applies.
Whom do I contact regarding either application questions or concerns?
All questions and concerns can be addressed to Ray Noll by e-mail by clicking .
When are applicants notified regarding their application status?
Each person who submits an online application will automatically receive a confirmation e-mail.
Each person who is selected to be a semifinalist is personally notified by Point with an e-mail at the end of February.
Each person who is selected to be a finalist is notified by Point by e-mail and/or phone at the beginning of April and is required to attend an in-person interview with Point regents and members of the executive management team in San Francisco, California between April 16 and 18, 2009, for which Point provides travel, hotel and meals.
Each finalist who is awarded a Point Scholarship is personally notified by phone in early May.
I am not sure that I qualify (or identify) as either financially disadvantaged or marginalized, but I am confident that I have many of the other strengths (history of leadership, dedication to a field, etc.). Should I still apply?
Short answer: Yes, you may qualify and you should apply.
Long answer: Point’s selection committee weighs all facets of each person’s application. Marginalization, financial need, academic achievement, personal merit, leadership, professional and personal goals are all considered. Point supports scholars who have a variety of needs and who demonstrate a record of accomplishment and high achievement.
Will I need to submit any supplemental financial information?
Applicants are not required to submit supplemental financial information unless they are selected as a finalist (please refer to the Mailing-Required Supplemental Material section).
If I receive a Point Scholarship, do I have to pay back the financial assistance provided to me?
No, Point’s scholarship award is not a loan.
Are Point’s scholarship awards restricted to any specific geographic regions (i.e., San Francisco Bay area only)?
Point’s scholarship awards are limited only to scholars who study within the United States of America.
May I fax my application?
No, online submission is the only manner in which applications are accepted.
What happens if I am a semifinalist and my professor has not submitted their recommendation before the supplementary submission deadline?
All accompanying materials for semifinalists must be received by the deadline of March 3, 2009. It is each applicant’s responsibility to follow up with their references or educational institution to insure that all the supplementary documents are received by Point on time.
Are standardized test scores required to apply for Point’s scholarship?
If the institution you are attending or hoping to attend requires standardized tests, applicants must submit those scores on your application. Point’s online application accommodates both the old and new SAT score formats. Applicants who are applying for support for graduate and post- graduate studies must submit test scores required by each respective institution that they hope to attend (e.g. GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, and MAT).
In the case of an institution which an applicant hopes to attend (or is currently attending) which does not require any standardized tests, Point’s online application has a designated space to indicate you will not be submitting test scores.
If you are applying to a variety of institutions in which some require and some do not require testing, applicants should indicate that on their applications and submit for verification by Point ALL test scores that are required by each institution for admission.
If standardized test scores are required for admission to an educational institution for which you are hoping to receive Point support, official verification of your scores must be submitted if you become a semifinalist. Semifinalists need only submit verification of test scores for the university or college they are hoping to receive Point financial support, specifically if that school requires them for admission. For instance, if you are selected as a Point Semifinalist and the law school to which you are applying to requires LSAT testing for acceptance, you must send to Point your LSAT scores but not prior test scores related to your undergraduate admission. Semifinalists will be required to either mail, or e-mail the online score report provided on collegeboard.com, or submit the appropriate testing organization verification with the other required supplemental material. Point highly encourages you to e-mail the online score report.
What happens if I forget my password and username?
Go to the login page and follow instructions. If you are still unable to login, then contact, Ray Noll by e-mail by clicking
In the financial section of the application, it asks what my “estimated cost of education” is. What does this estimate include?
Your estimated cost of education includes tuition, housing, and books/supplies. Generally, most university financial aid websites provide this total based on geographic standards of living, tuition costs based on residency, and average book and supplies costs. If you have any questions regarding this amount, please contact your university financial aid and they should be able to provide you an accurate cost. This number should not be estimated based on your personal need, but rather the estimate provided by your university. If you are applying to several universities, please use the university you are most likely to attend.
What if the degree I am pursuing isn’t listed in the degree drop-down box?
Please select the degree most relevant to your studies and provide the actual name of the degree being pursued in the textbox provided for “majors.”
If I am selected as a semifinalist will Point let me know if you received my supplemental materials?
No, semifinalists who wish to receive confirmation of receipt of supplementary application materials should use certified mail.
May I send in my supplemental materials before I submit my application?
No, only semifinalists may send supplemental materials to Point Foundation after their application has been successfully submitted and after they have been selected by Point’s Selections Committee. All other materials received prematurely by applicants will be discarded.
Is it advantageous to submit my application early?
Early applications are always appreciated by Point’s committee of application readers. However, each and every application submitted by the deadline at 12:00 am PST on February 9, 2009 will be evaluated equally by Point.
Submitting Your Application
1. The information entered into Point’s online application is stored, but will not be read by Point Foundation until all required data fields are complete and the SUBMIT button has been pressed.
2. Each person who applies successfully will receive an automatic e-mail and a PIN to confirm Point’s receipt of their application. The PIN should be kept in a safe place and will be needed by each person who becomes a semifinalist.
3. The final deadline to submit an online application is 12:00 am PST February 9, 2009.
4. Other than the online application, no other information should be submitted unless a person is selected to be a semifinalist and so notified directly by Point.
Semifinalist candidates: requirements for submitting supplemental materials:
Point requires supplemental materials from each applicant who is selected to be a semifinalist. Semifinalists are notified by e-mail at the end of February and are required to have all supplemental material received by Point no later than Tuesday, March 3, 2009. Review the requirements below and gather the required material in advance in order to comfortably meet each appropriate deadline. Failure to submit materials on time will result in immediate loss of eligibility for any semifinalist. No exceptions will be granted.
All supplemental materials for each semifinalist must be sent to Point in one single envelope that includes the following items:
1. At least two (2) and no more than three (3) letters of recommendation. Two letters must be from a teacher or professor and must be addressed specifically to Point’s Selections Committee. For semifinalists who have been out of school for more than five years, a reference letter from a supervisor may suffice as one letter of recommendation.
2. Transcripts
a. First-year students need to submit a transcript from the most recent school they graduated from, as well as, a transcript from their first semester in college. For example, if you are an undergraduate semi-finalist at X university and are a first-year student in an undergraduate program, you are to submit both your fall term university transcript and your high school transcript. A first-year student in law school would submit their fall term law/university transcript and their transcript from the previous college or university from which they graduated.
b. Community college students if they are applying to transfer need to submit transcripts from all institutions from which they have received credits to initiate a transfer. If community college students have already transferred to a four-year university and have just completed their first semester they are to send transcripts from both their current university and the community college from which they transferred.
c. If, as a semifinalist, you have already attended a university for either one year or longer you need to submit only your current university transcript.
Please note that it can take up to five weeks to receive a transcript from an educational institution. Do not have transcripts sent directly to Point from an educational institution, as the information will not have a PIN or name on the outside of the envelope, and subsequently will not be accepted.
3. Verification of test scores that were submitted in the Point application. If standardized test scores are required for admission to an applicant’s educational institution for which they are hoping to receive Point support, official verification of that semifinalists’ testing is required. For instance, if you are selected as a Point Semifinalist who is an undergraduate senior at X University and the law school you are applying to require LSAT testing for acceptance, you must send to Point your LSAT scores only. Semifinalists will be required to either mail, or e-mail the online score report provided on collegeboard.com, or submit the appropriate testing organization verification with the other required supplemental material. Point highly encourages you to e-mail the online score report.
Please note that it may take up to five weeks to receive official scores. Point will not accept score verification directly from an educational institution. Semifinalists must first obtain their own scores and then include them with all other required supplemental materials.
4. A resume and/or CV.
5. Additional Information Form. This form will be provided by Point upon your selection as a semifinalist and must be filled out, signed, dated and sent with the other supplemental materials.
6. A list of three specific dates and times between March 17 and March 22, 2009 when a member of Point’s Selections Committee will be able to conduct a phone interview during the final selection process. Please include the respective time zone as well as the telephone number where you may be reached for each time slot.
For example:
On Tuesday, March 17, 2009, between 10:00 a.m and noon. (CST) I may be reached at (312) 555-1212.An interview date and time will be confirmed for each semifinalist who is selected to be a finalist.
Supplemental materials should not be sent until after an applicant has received an official e-mail from Point, notifying them of their semifinalist status.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS MUST HAVE ALL STAPLES REMOVED. THE APPLICANT’S FULL NAME AND PIN MUST BE WRITTEN CLEARLY ON EITHER THE FRONT OR THE BACK OF EVERY PIECE OF PAPER SUBMITTED, INCLUDING THE ENVELOPE THAT CONTAINS ALL OF THE CONTENTS. PLEASE DO NOT OPEN SEALED LETTERS OR TRANSCRIPTS.
Point will not return any supplemental material, regardless of whether or not a semifinalist is selected as a finalist, and/or Point Scholar. There are no exceptions to this policy.
Semifinalists will be notified by the beginning of April if they have been selected to be a finalist.
Semifinalist Supplemental Material Check List:
Must be received by March 3, 2009. (No exceptions)
All materials must be sent together in one, large envelope, with the applicant’s full name and PIN on the outside of the envelope. Mail to:
Point Foundation
5757 Wilshire Blvd Suite #370
Los Angeles, CA 90036
1. Two to three letters of recommendation that are specifically addressed to Point Foundation.
2. Transcripts
a. First-year students need to submit a transcript from the most recent school they graduated from, as well as a transcript from their first semester in college. For example, if you are an undergraduate semi-finalist at X university and are a first-year student in an undergraduate program, you are to submit both your fall term university transcript and your high school transcript. A first-year student in law school would submit their fall term law/university transcript and their transcript from the previous university from which they graduated.
b. Community college students need to submit transcripts from all institutions from which they have received credits to initiate a transfer. If community college students have already transferred to a four-year university and have just completed their first semester they are to send transcripts from both their current university and the community college from which they transferred.
c. If, as a semifinalist, you have already attended a university for either one year or longer you need to submit only your current university transcript.
Please note that it can take up to five weeks to receive a transcript from an educational institution. Do not have transcripts sent directly to Point from an educational institution, as the information will not have a PIN or name on the outside of the envelope, and subsequently will not be accepted.
3. Verification of test scores that were submitted in the Point application. If standardized test scores are required for admission to an applicant’s educational institution for which they are hoping to receive Point support, official verification of that testing is required. For instance, if you are selected as a Point Semifinalist applying to law school and the law school to which you are applying requires LSAT testing for acceptance, you are required to send to Point your LSAT scores only. Semifinalists will be required to either mail, or e-mail the online score report provided on collegeboard.com, or submit the appropriate testing organization verification with the other required supplemental material. Point highly encourages you to e-mail the online score report.
4. A resume and/or CV
5. A list of three specific dates, times and a phone number where you may be reached by Point for a phone interview between March 17 and March 22, 2009.
NO STAPLES
Semifinalists will receive the mailing address for supplemental materials when notified that they have been selected as a semifinalist.
For FINALISTS ONLY:
Point personally notifies each finalist by e-mail and/or phone with an invitation to attend an in-person interview with the organization’s board of regents and management staff. All finalists should save the date and be prepared to submit the final information indicated below to Point no later than March 27, 2009.
Attending the in-person interview:
All finalists must interview with Point’s Board of Regents and members of the executive management staff in person in San Francisco.
The interviews are coordinated by Point and will take place between Thursday, April 16 and Saturday, April 18 of 2009.
Transportation, lodging and meals are provided by Point.
On Friday, April 17 of 2009, Point will commemorate the National Day of Silence at its selections process in San Francisco.
All finalists must also attend the Point Finalist Recognition Dinner on Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. PT.
A legal guardian may accompany a finalist who is under the age of 18. However, Point will not reimburse any of the guardian’s costs related to such trip.
Final items of submission (by e-mail only):
A Student Aid Report (Completed & accepted http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/)
This report is required and may be submitted electronically. It is a governmental document that required by colleges and universities to determine eligibility for need-based financial assistance. Falsifying information on the FAFSA carries a criminal penalty. Please fill out the form thoroughly and accurately.
2. A professional looking photograph (Optional)
The deadline to submit SAR reports and a photograph is MARCH 27, 2009. E-mail submissions should be sent to Ray Noll by clicking
If you have read all of the above items and you are ready to proceed to the online application process, please click on the link below.
http://www.pointfoundation.org/apply.html
If you have any questions, please contact Ray Noll at Point’s headquarter office by e-mail by clicking .