Buck’s foundation office faculty teamed up with the financial aid staff and launched an Online Scholarship Program this past June 1, which has since been receiving praise from students.

“The main goal of the site is to make sure many students apply,” said Tobi Bruhn, the executive director of the Bucks Foundation and Alumni Relations. “We [the college] don’t want to see any scholarships go unclaimed.”

The intent of creating the online applications was to make the process of applying for a scholarship less confusing and cumbersome. The web site offers over 100 different scholarships for nearly every major, yet students can still apply even if they haven’t chosen their major yet.

“This web site is very beneficial. There’s really nothing to lose with applying,” Zaryab Ali, a 20-year-old Bucks student said. “The worst thing that could happen is getting rejected, but at least trying again would be simple.”

The online application also alleviates some other confusion, like knowing which program to apply for. It’s not likely that most people will know which program they are most qualified for, or what program’s criteria is the best fit for them.

On the website, there is a “match up” option where, after answering a few general questions pertaining to majors, credits and grade point averages, the site provides a list of best matches and then possible matches. The site recommends students read through the criteria listing from the selections offered to ensure they will qualify.

Bruhn said that the transition might be a little tough from paper to online but “applications are up, and hopefully that’s an indication [that the website is going well].”

However, many students seem to like the website for its user-friendliness.

“It [the website] sounds a lot easier than submitting a paper application, and not having to wait forever to hear back from them sounds great,” said Kristina Gottschall, 20, a cinema and videos production major.

Most of the scholarship programs are offered during the start of the spring semester. On Feb. 1 students can apply for a majority of the scholarships available, and they can apply to more than one program at a time. There are also disability services and financial aid available on the site. Students who wish to visit the online application site can go to http://www.bucks.edu/about/foundation/scholarships/ and click on “apply now.”