AFSA Scholarship Application Instructions - VI. Completing the ARt Merit Application

VI. Completing the Art Merit Application - Tips

1. Complete the Art Merit Award application.

2. Submit a two to three page typed, double-spaced essay which answers the following question: "Describe the importance of your art in your life including whether you intend to pursue your art as a career." Grammar and analytical skills will be taken into consideration in judging the essay. Go to: http://www.afsa.org/scholar/scoringmerit.cfm for details on how merit applications are scored.

3. Provide the AFSA Transcript Form to your school guidance office to complete. Make sure you mark that you are applying for the Art Merit Award. Your school needs to send, email or fax your official transcript and the AFSA Transcript Form. If you attend a non-American school, have an equivalent record sent. It is your responsibility to verify with your school that this will arrive at AFSA by February 6.

4. Two letters of recommendation (using the AFSA Recommendation Form) are required from someone familiar with your art, academic, extracurricular or volunteer work. Parents may not write letters of recommendations.The AFSA Recommendation Form must be used. Please inform the writer that only a one page attachment is allowed. This can be sent with the application or under separate cover. All documents must arrive by February 6, and it is your responsibility to see that these do so.

5. Select one art category listed below and submit your work per the category instructions. Students wishing to have their art submissions returned must include a written request and stamped, self-addressed envelope. Students can submit only in one category. If overseas, students may want to work with USIS employees at post to help them "burn" a CD.

6. In order for your application to be complete the following needs to arrive at AFSA no later than February 6:

1. AFSA Art Merit Award Application
2. Art Submission via the instructions.
3. Two AFSA Recommendation Forms
4. Essay
5. Academic Transcript and AFSA Transcript Form.

• Five pictures (black and white or color) or computer jpg files (via email or on a CD) of five different works of your art work. Mark each picture with your name, medium, date completed, dimensions, and indicate the top. Submitted work must have been completed within the last year.

• Submit a CD of a solo performance consisting of one or two pieces, the total not exceed five minutes. Works may not be submitted in any other format. Label the CD with your name and date of performance. For each piece performed include title, composer, instrument played, and key. Submitted work(s) must have been completed within the last year.

• Submit two works via hard copy or electronically. Include your name, title of the work, and date completed on each submission. Submitted work(s) must have been completed within the last year.

• Submit a CD or DVD consisting of one or two performances. The CD/DVD may be of an entire performance, but the applicant must indicate up to a two minute segment the judges are to view. Mark the CD/DVD with your name, indicating the name of the performance and date and include any other information that would help the judges to identify yourself in the submission if there are other dancers in the performance. Include a short paragraph summarizing the performance for those who may be unfamiliar with the work. Submitted work(s) must have been within the last year.