2. The ideal time period for filing your taxes is February, as it leaves enough time to submit the FAFSA form and complete the paperwork for the Institute Scholarship Application. First, collect all W2 forms from your past year's employers (these forms provide exact figures for your income and taxes). Next, identify your tax situation (e.g. dependent or independent). This may require contacting your legal guardian(s) or parent(s). (To claim independent status before the age of 24, you often need to petition the federal government. The financial aid office of your educational institution can offer advice in this case.) For assistance with your taxes, visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov or contact a local accounting firm. For the do-it-yourselfers, software programs, such as TaxAct (www.taxact.com), provide economical and quick methods of completing and submitting your taxes, and you can always download the appropriate forms (such as the typical 1040) on the IRS website (www.irs.gov/).

3. Because the purpose of the FAFSA is to find out what federal aid you qualify for, it is important to complete and submit the application before the majority of the funds are distributed. Thus, the perfect time to apply is in late-February or early-March, immediately after you have filed your taxes. The easiest way to submit your application is via the Department of Education's FAFSA website (www.fafsa.ed.gov).

4. After you have completed the FAFSA, please submit the ADHA Institute Financial Needs Assessment Form to your college or institution's financial aid office. We recommend that you submit this form prior to April 1 in order to allow sufficient time for its completion.

5. Next, contact your program director in order to fill out the Acknowledgment of Enrollment Form and a dental hygiene faculty member (preferably your advisor) in order to complete the Faculty Evaluation Form. These documents, along with the Needs Assessment Form, are required in order to submit the application.

6. Begin completing the student section of the application. If at any time you need additional copies, they can be downloaded from the Scholarship section. The deadline for the all applications is June 30, although we recommend mailing your application at least 2 weeks prior to that date. Further, in order to ensure that your application is received by our office, please contact us between April 1 and April 30 - (800) 735-4916.

7. Finally, please remember these pieces of advice. First, it is very important to follow all of the directions in the application. If sections of your application are blank, or its instructions are not clearly followed, then it is likely to be disqualified. Further, in the essay portion of the scholarship application, please remember to plainly define your post-graduate goals. Once again, please feel free to contact Institute staff members if you have any questions.

We hope that these tips will assist you in applying for an ADHA Institute for Oral Health scholarship. If you have any questions, please call the number listed above, visit the Scholarship section of the Institute website, or contact the Institute via e-mail at institute@adha.net. Good luck with your application.