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Getting Started with STARS

The Vernon College On-Line Scholarship Application Process

For questions contact: Michelle A. Alexander, Executive Director,

Vernon College Foundation

Scholarship Applications must be completed by March 1, 2015.

All incomplete Applications will be automatically purged on March 2, 2015.

Go to the Vernon College Home Page at On the left hand side of the Home Page scroll down until you see the button “Apply Now for Vernon College Scholarships” click on it. This will take you to the Stars Instruction Page. Once you have read the instructions clink on the link to the STARS Home Page to begin your application.

You can work on your application anytime until March 1, 2015, including changing or adding information. But remember, the entire application must be completed and saved by March 1, 2015 or it will be automatically purged on March 2, 2015.

As a new applicant, click on the button that says “Sign Up” This will open the first page of the application.

Fill out that section completely.

  • Enter your first, middle, and last name using Upper and Lower case letters.
  • Enter your gender and ethnicity, both of which are drop down boxes.
  • Enter your street address or P. O. Box Number as well as the city, state, county, and zip code.
  • Enter home phone and cell phone numbers, including area code. If you do not wish to be contacted at work, leave the “work phone” blank.
  • If you have an already assigned Vernon College Student ID Number, enter that number in the box marked “Student ID #.” If you do not have a Vernon College Student ID Number STARS will generate a STARS application ID number for you -- X87-587-580. Important: this is not a Vernon a Vernon College Student ID number.
  • You must enter a valid email address. All communications from STARS will be to the email address that you provide on this page. Make sure that it is a valid email address. If your email
  • Address changes you must change it in STARS or notify the Vernon College Scholarship Office with the new email address if it changes after March 1, 2015.
  • However, if you are a graduating high school senior, you will receive your scholarship offer certificate either during your Awards Night, Graduation Ceremonies, or through the U.S. Mail.
  • Enter a user name and password. This user name and password is how you will be able to access the STARS system if you need to at a later date.
  • After you have completed this section, click either: Save and Exit which is at the bottom left of the page (not shown in this screen shot) or Save and Continue which is at the bottom right of the page (not shown in this screen shot).

Once you hit “Save and Continue” the next screen will be the Questionnaire.

  • Complete each question. Some scholarships are tied to those questions.
  • If you are a dual credit student at Vernon College make sure you click “Dual Credit Student.”

  • At the end of the questionnaire, click Save.

This will take you to the next Tab: Academic Information

  • Even if you are a returning Vernon College student, you must complete the High School Information Section.
  • Select your high school from the drop down box. If your high school is not listed, click on OTHER HIGH SCHOOL NOT LISTED.
  • Enter your expected graduation date.
  • Select the major area of study or program from the drop down box.
  • Complete the rest of the academic information and click Save.
  • If you are a graduating senior, your high school counselor will send your class rank before March 1 to: Michelle A. Alexander, Vernon College, 4400 College Drive, Vernon, TX 76384.

All of the questions in the “Student Essay Questions” Tab must be answered.

For those questions that do not apply to you, type N/A. Once you have answered those, click Save and Continue. It is very important to thoroughly answer the questions that do apply to you because this information helps the Vernon College Scholarship Committee in the selection deliberations. The more complete the answers, the better.

If there are incomplete sections, sections with no answer or without N/A in the text box, those applications will be marked incomplete and purged on March 2, 2015.

The next tab will be the Documents Screen.

Some of our scholarships specifically request letters of recommendation or other information. If you are applying for one of these scholarships this is where you will upload those documents.

  • If you are a graduating high school senior a transcript is not required.
  • If you took dual credit classes as Vernon College while in high school, you must upload a copy of your Vernon College unofficial transcript.
  • If you are a returning Vernon College student or transfer student you must upload a copy of your unofficial Vernon College Transcript.
  • If you need help contact the Vernon College Scholarship Office.

The next tab will be the Scholarship Application Screen.

This is the list of scholarships that, based upon your answers in the questionnaire, STARS has recommends for your consideration. You must click on each scholarship, read the criteria, and check the box yes I am eligible or no I am not. If there is a documentation requirement, you must upload whatever the required documentation is for that scholarship in order to be eligible for consideration.

Once you have reviewed the eligible scholarshipsand answered the eligibility questions for each scholarship, your Scholarship Application Screen will indicate which scholarships you applied for with the words “Applied For” under the status column. You must complete the entire application process including applying for each scholarship. Including uploading any documents requested by specific scholarships.

Scholarship Applications must be completed by March 1, 2015.

Incomplete Scholarship Applications are automatically purged from the system on March 2, 2015.

All Vernon College scholarships are awarded by the Vernon College Scholarship Committee. To accept your scholarship, if one is offered, you must sign and return the Scholarship Contract and write and send a thank you note to the donor(s) by the deadline stated in your Scholarship Offer Letter. This information will be contained in the Scholarship Offer Packet that will be sent to you if you are selected for a scholarship.

Questions: Contact Michelle A. Alexander or LeAnn Scharbrough at