How to Apply | Bay Area Scholarship

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• As of January 15, 2024, is a senior (i.e. student in their final year of secondary school) at a high school located in the 9 Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma);
• Plans to attend a not-for-profit four-year college or university within the United States immediately after high school graduation; and
• Is from a low-income household, defined as having a maximum Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) of $7,500 as indicated by the FAFSA, California Dream Act application, or equivalentSubscribe to receive text messages from Making Waves Education Foundation by visiting making-waves.org/ai and completing the sign-up form.

Additionally, applicants must complete the following:
✓ Sign up for our College and Career Chatbot 
✓ Follow @makingwavesfn (Making Waves Education Foundation) on TikTok.
✓ Submit a completed Scholarship Program appliction

Official scholarship rules

Individuals affiliated with private/non-profit organizations providing college advising or financial scholarships may be considered double-served and could be ineligible for the Making Waves Education Foundation Scholarship. Students are required to promptly inform the Making Waves Education Foundation if they are receiving support from a similar program.  Please email us at if you are unsure.

✓ Ensure access to email 
✓ Unweighted high school cumulative GPA (through fall semester senior year)
✓ Confirm county where applicant high school is located
✓ Resume (optional)
✓ Estimated Federal Pell Grant

The following documents are required for digital upload (accepted files: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf) 

✓ 1 letter of recommendation 
✓ Copy of unofficial transcript
✓ Copy of FAFSA report, Dream Act report, or Financial Aid estimator
✓ Complete SAI estimator application 

*In order to ensure authenticity, we are unable to accept blurry or unclear documents. 

Unofficial High School Transcript
Obtaining an unofficial high school transcript can depend on the policies and procedures of the specific high school you attend. Reach out to the registrar’s office at your high school. They may require you to visit in person, log into an online portal, or fill out a request form.

High School GPA
Total GPA for grades 9-12 thus far.  Choose the *weighted number if you have more than one number on your transcript. This information can typically be found at the bottom of your transcript. Please ask an administrator at your high school if you need assistance.  

High School County
The nine-county San Francisco Bay Area region includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties. Please use the high school directory to confirm the county in which your school is located.

Letter of Recommendation
A letter which supports your application to join this program. The letter should speak to who you are, what your goals are and/or about your work ethic. The letter must be from someone unrelated, such as a current teacher, employer, community organizational leader.

Estimated Federal Pell Grant
Verify that you are Pell eligible. You may obtain this information from the Federal Student Aid Estimator. 

Copy of FAFSA report, Dream Act report, OR Financial Aid estimator 
If you have already submitted FAFSA , you’ll get Student Aid Report (SAR), an electronic or paper document that summarizes the information you reported on your FAFSA form.

You do not have to complete your FAFSA application before applying to this scholarship to verify that you are Pell eligible. You may obtain this information from the Federal Student Aid Estimator. 

If you have completed the Dream Act Application, there is a very similar document called the Cal Student Aid Report (Cal SAR) which is a summary of all information reported on the Dream Act, available a few days after you submit your application. 

Or, you may utilize the Federal Student Aid Estimator,  a summary of all information appears on the confirmation page when you complete and submit your form.

*_{completion of the FAFSA is a requirement to join our program, even if not completed prior to the scholarship application}

Student Aid Index
Verify that your Student Aid Index (SAI) is 7,500 or less.  You may obtain this information from the Federal Financial Aid Estimator.

The format is an online form that must be completed in one sitting. We recommend gathering all requested materials and saving in one place for easy access.

Applicants must confirm they have:
✓ Signed up for our College and Career Chatbot
✓ Followed @makingwavesfn on TikTok

Applicants must confirm they are:
✓ A high school senior planning to graduate from a high school within the nine Bay Area counties
✓ Planning on attend a 4 year college institution

Applicants must supply:
✓ Name, phone, and email address
✓ Name of high school
✓ Weighted high school GPA (thru fall semester senior year)
✓ Student Aid Index (SAI)
✓ Copy of unofficial transcript
✓ Estimated Federal Pell Grant
✓ Financial Aid Report

*Note: Individuals affiliated with private/non-profit organizations providing college advising or financial scholarships may be considered double-served and could be ineligible for the Making Waves Education Foundation Scholarship. Students are required to promptly inform the Making Waves Education Foundation if they are receiving support from a similar program.  Please email us at if you are unsure.

Once part one is submitted, applicants will be verified for eligibility within 1-2 business days and notified via email.

Once all requested information and materials have been gathered, most people complete the form in 20-30 minutes. Be sure to gather all your materials before starting as the online application form must be completed in one sitting.

You will need to provide your name, email, phone number, and name of high school and complete the following:

✓ Sign up for our College and Career Chatbot 
✓ Follow @makingwavesfn on TikTok 
✓ Ensure access to email 
✓ Provide your high school cumulative GPA (through fall semester senior year) 

The following documents are required for digital upload (accepted files: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf) 
✓ Copy of unofficial transcript
✓ Copy of FAFSA report, Dream Act report, or Financial Aid estimator 
✓ Complete SAI estimator application 

*In order to ensure authenticity, we are unable to accept blurry or unclear documents. 

Once applicants receive eligibility verification via email, applicants will receive an email invitation to answer 2 short written prompts (150 words max), submit a personal statement (300 words max), and upload a recommendation letter.  
Preview the short answer and personal statement prompts

Your active participation is crucial for us to gain a comprehensive understanding of your story and vision. 

Here are a few tips before you get started: 

• Preview the short answer and personal statement prompts
• Create and save a document on your computer or preferred electronic device where you can work on your drafted responses over time.  *The linked form will NOT save your progress as you draft your responses. 
• Share your responses and obtain feedback from an individual you trust to ensure you are conveying the message you wish to deliver. 
• Please adhere to the word count.  

Please complete and submit by Tuesday, February 26, 2024 by 11:59 P.M. PST 

Once all requested information and materials have been gathered, most applicants complete the form in 30-60 minutes. Be sure to gather all your materials before starting as the online application form must be completed in one sitting.

✓ Written responses to two short prompt questions (150 words max)
✓ Written personal statement (300 words max)

_{*In order to prevent lost work, we recommend saving written responses on a seperate document and copy/pasting.}

Preview the short answer and personal statement prompts

The following documents are required for digital upload (accepted files: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf) 

✓ 1 letter of recommendation 
_{*In order to ensure authenticity, we are unable to accept blurry or unclear documents.} 

This section involves submitting video responses to a series of questions that will help us better understand your unique perspectives, experiences, and goals. Your active participation is crucial for us to gain a comprehensive understanding of your story and vision. 

Through online tool SparkHire, applicants will be guided through the process of viewing video questions and recording answers. Applicants are provided ample time to practice, record, and submit their video answers.

Please note, this section must be completed in one sitting.

Before you start

• Take time to preview the questions
• Practice – take some time to practice responses before recording and submitting

• Dress appropriately – first impressions are important

• Be yourself – you’ve worked hard to get to this point, smile and be confident 

Be sure to complete this step by the application deadline of Monday, February 26, 2024, at 11:59 P.M. PST 

Time estimate to complete:

At least 30 minutes.

You will need: 

• Access to a phone camera or laptop/desktop camera 
• A quiet and comfortable space to record