It’s now easier than ever to compete for and receive scholarship funds

Scholarship applicants no longer need a letter of recommendation to access their share of a $400,000 funding pool.

Starting with this current cycle, the Santa Ana College Foundation’s Scholarship Program requires students to complete a detailed application while making a professional reference optional.

Officials recognize that not every student at a two-year college has forged relationships with professors or campus staff. The last application cycle saw over 200 applications unfinished with the original process possibly creating barriers.

“We are trying to make this an equitable and accessible process for our students,” says Melissa Felter, the director of Special Programs, Development & Alumni Relations of the Santa Ana College Foundation.

Some students welcome the change. First-year elementary education major Lilian Duran had never heard of the SAC Scholarship Program, but as a self-described “shy” person, understands the struggle of getting a letter.

“It would encourage students to apply because it is one less thing to worry about,” says Duran. “Maybe some people don’t have a teacher to ask or don’t want to get the letter of recommendation.”

Noah Mendieta, a second-year English major, was familiar with the scholarship program but was unaware of the change. “I never applied,” admits Mendieta. “I wanted to last year, but then I said I’d do it next year.”

Mendieta also believes the change can help students. “A lot of people don’t apply in the first place,” says Mendieta. “Maybe this will encourage more students to apply.”

The push for a more inclusive and accessible application process was voiced at the 2024 National Scholarship Providers Association Annual Conference.

Whether this change will increase applications will only be revealed after the 2025-2026 application cycle has ended. According to Xochitl Swenson, scholarship coordinator of the Santa Ana College Foundation, the change is a test to see if more students will apply for scholarships. “We would like to see scholarship funds in more students’ hands,” claims Swenson.

The change is not permanent, and numbers will likely affect the decision on whether or not letters of recommendation will continue to be a part of the application process.

When applying for the scholarship program, applicants will still have the option to provide a letter of recommendation.

“I think it is the best of both worlds. It is a way [students can] share more about themselves, but maybe not everyone can provide a letter of recommendation,” says Felter.

Students have until Feb. 24 to submit applications.