Short Answer Questions

Tips for The Full Circle and TCU Scholarship applications

The Full Circle and TCU Scholarship applications have an essay style format with three short-answer questions.

These sections are your chance to share your story and give readers an opportunity to see how a scholarship would help you achieve your stated educational and professional goals and require you to discuss three elements: an obstacle that you have overcome in order to get to where you are now; your educational goals and how this scholarship will help you achieve those; and how your education will help your Native community.

We recommend that you type out your responses to the short-answer question in a Word document (like this template) to ensure safe keeping if you need to abandon the application before submission.

To enhance this section, start by creating an outline of your thoughts and initial answers to each question. The outline does not need to look perfect, but it will allow you to start thinking about and organizing these questions and how they relate to each other.

Here are two sample outlines to help get you started:

  • A Visual Outline for those who prefer to see the outline as part of the big picture.
  • A Textual Outline for those who prefer a more linear approach.
  • Whichever outline you choose, remember that they are not meant to be exhaustive. They are designed to help you organize your thoughts and begin planning for writing your final responses.
  • There is no right or wrong answer for these questions, but it is very important that you provide a thorough response to each short-answer question.

As always, don’t forget to check your grammar and spelling!

NOTE: The short-answer section is ONLY available in the application, not in the profile. This means you must have all of your application ready (INCLUDING YOUR TRANSCRIPT READY TO UPLOAD) when you answer these questions; otherwise your answers will not be saved.

Related Pages

Application Tips

Application FAQs

Additional Scholarships

College Success

Students Social Media

News & Events

Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day in the Face of Political Erasure

Falling on the second Monday of October, Indigenous Peoples Day is a chance to collectively celebrate the history, cultures, and contributions of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians to the United States. While not a federally recognized holiday, the need for such a day of learning and reflection could not be greater.

Indigenous Peoples Day shares a date with better known day of observance, Columbus Day. Cristoforo Colombo, otherwise known as Christopher Columbus, is celebrated by our nation, despite his never having stepped foot on what would become United States’ soil. Along with the many atrocities he carried out against Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean and Central and South America, he could also be considered the grandfather of revisionist history in the “New World.” It was Columbus who claimed in letters back to Spain that the Taino people viewed the Europeans as gods, despite having only been in contact with the locals for a matter of days and not speaking their language. Experts today tend to agree this was a gross misinterpretation of the Taino’s actions and words meant to validate not only Columbus’ expedition but further colonization efforts that would follow him.

The behavior of superiority and misguided history continues through policies and practices. Instead of celebrating the Indigenous peoples of this land, those in power seek to erase the symbols of past and current existence and ignore contributions of Native Americans. When we open ourselves to a genuine exploration of our past, we may be uncomfortable with many truths, but we also gift ourselves the opportunity to connect with peoples who stewarded and loved this land well before explorers and colonizers arrived. Practices to erase and ignore Indigenous peoples is a disservice to us all.

Indigenous people named places based on what they saw and their relationships with the land and water. But we seek to rename them. For example, the recent attempt to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America. Why? Lake Ontario is an anglicized version, but it still comes from of a Wendat (Huron-Wendat people) word meaning “the lake is beautiful” or “the lake is big.” What is our purpose in changing the name and what are we losing when we do not celebrate and acknowledge origins?

Mount Rushmore is another example, visited by approximately two million people a year. Yet, many are unaware that it is a defacement of Tuŋkášila Šákpe, a sacred site for the Lakota people that translates to The Six Grandfathers, which represent the six sacred directions. It was a choice that we made to value the acknowledgement of American Presidents over Indigenous people’s values, culture, sacred site, and in this case, right to the land. If we knew more, if we acknowledged more, would we make different choices?

Names, landmarks, history taught in classrooms, and yes, federally recognized holidays are not just a recognition of our past, they are the foundation for how we consider moving forward. We have a choice to decide what and who we celebrate and honor. We have a choice about what we allot time to reflect on and learn more about. Are we better as individuals and as a country for celebrating Christopher Columbus? Or would we be better if we acknowledged, celebrated, and learned from the Indigenous peoples of this land? It is a choice.

If you choose to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day and have a desire to learn more about the history, culture, and current contributions of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, we encourage you to take action. Supporting and exploring the National Museum of the American Indian is a great place to start. Supporting and learning more about tribal colleges and universities, who are leaders in educating for the future while uplifting rather than erasing the languages and cultures indigenous to this land, is another opportunity. You may choose to resist renaming landmarks. And you may choose to advocate for a federally recognized holiday honoring and celebrating Indigenous peoples.

Decennial Census: Proposed Changes Erase Support for Native People

Two proposed changes to the Decennial Census, which will next occur in 2030, would have drastic, detrimental effects on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people and Tribal Nations. On September 10, 2026, the U.S. Census Bureau proposed new regulatory changes. The first change would add new “residence criteria” to identify a person’s “usual residence” to determine whether to count them in the Census population and, potentially, add a question about an individual’s citizenship status. The second proposed change would prohibit questions about “race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation” on the decennial short-form questionnaire used for population count. These changes would eliminate a critical tool for assessing the size and needs of Native populations in the country and violate the trust and treaty obligations the federal government has with federally recognized Tribes.

Although Tribal Nations and their citizens receive support from the federal government rooted in trust and treaty obligations, we also recognize that the federal government and others often group American Indians and Alaska Natives into racial categories. Federal agencies currently use Census race data to not only determine funding levels but also program eligibility and allocations for formula funding for tribal communities and AI/AN services.

The proposed changes eliminate data that impacts support for broadband, housing, healthcare, education, workforce programs, childcare grants, and language, just to name a few. The proposed changes to residency criteria impact the accuracy and federal accountability in determining where AI/AN citizens reside to provide such services.

The Decennial Census serves as a critical source of data for Tribes, helping them to understand where their citizens are located, including people who live outside tribal lands and those who identify as AI/AN in combination with another race. In other words, Census data helps to show the full demographic footprint of Indian Country — not just reservation populations. And it isn’t solely Indigenous populations that could be detrimentally affected. These proposed changes would jeopardize civil rights enforcement, redistricting, equal employment, and inhibit identifying disparities in health and environmental risks for all segments of the population.

Despite the magnitude of these changes for AI/AN communities and others, the U.S. Census Bureau has given the public only till October 13, rather than the typical 30 days, to provide comments. Native nations and tribal-serving organizations have been allowed an extended comment period until November 2. For the 575 federally recognized Tribes that have a nation-to-nation relationship with the federal government, these changes and the minimal comment period are violations of trust and treaty obligations.

First and foremost, the necessary tribal consultation for such a proposal should come before any changes are drafted, not in response to them. The Census Bureau’s own tribal consultation handbook commits the Census Bureau to consult and work with Tribes “before making decisions” and throughout policy development. The allotted comment period is too short to allow for meaningful review of complex changes. The federal government’s own definition for tribal consultation calls for it to be “meaningful” and “timely”. Second, the data currently collected by the Decennial Census contributes to the fulfilment of the federal government’s responsibilities to tribal individuals and nations. According to a statement from the National Congress of American Indians, the Census Bureau’s proposed changes exceed the scope of its delegated authority and violate negotiated trust and treaty obligations between Tribes and the federal government that pre-date the constitutional provisions cited in the proposed rule.

What can you do? All United States’ citizens can submit comments on the proposed changes through October 13. Please note that there is a comment section at the top of the linked page.

Tribal governments should not only review the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking but consider the resources shared by Native organizations focused on legislation, such as the National Congress of American Indians which has published talking points regarding the proposed changes. Tribes should not only submit a comment letter on the proposed changes by the November 2 due date but also write the U.S. Census Bureau to request more tribal consultation sessions, as only one for October 2 was initially scheduled.

Do not allow communities around the country to go unrepresented and therefore unserved by government programming, and do not allow the Census Bureau to mistake silence for assent.

American Indian College Fund Publishes FAFSA Outreach Kit to Support Students and Families

American Indian College Fund Publishes FAFSA Outreach Kit to Support Students and Families

Higher Pathways Partners to Disseminate in Dozens of Communities

FAFSA outreach kits are collections of ready-to-use materials designed to help Higher Pathways partners promote FAFSA completion at their schools.

FAFSA outreach kits are collections of ready-to-use materials designed to help Higher Pathways partners promote FAFSA completion at their schools.

Denver, Colo., October 6, 2026 — Beginning in mid-September, the American Indian College Fund (College Fund) began distributing Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) outreach kits to its Higher Pathways partners. FAFSA helps students determine their eligibility for financial aid to help pay for college. Students cannot receive federal financial aid without completing FAFSA. Higher Pathways partners include high schools, tribal educational organizations, and school districts serving Native high school students. These partners provide Native students with college readiness programming, resources, and activities designed to help them prepare for and navigate their college journey. The Higher Pathways Grant provides up to 60 schools and organizations with a $5,000 award, along with culturally relevant resources and programming that support college access and success.

Completing FAFSA is a critical first step in a Native student’s college journey. Knowing the cost of attendance and available financial aid allows students and their families to make informed decisions about higher education. Yet, FAFSA completion rates among Native students are often reported at lower levels compared to other student populations. Limited data collection means these numbers may not tell the full story. Strengthening systems that identify and track Native student FAFSA submissions can help higher education institutions better understand student needs, measure participation more accurately, and develop targeted support strategies to increase FAFSA completion and college access.

The FAFSA outreach kits are collections of ready-to-use materials designed to help Higher Pathways partners promote FAFSA completion at their schools. Each kit includes two informational posters with a FAFSA overview and types of financial aid, rack cards also featuring a FAFSA overview as well as instructions for creating a FAFSA ID, FAFSA completion stickers, and College Fund swag. Partners are encouraged to use these materials during FAFSA Nights, parent meetings, and other financial aid outreach activities.

About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 37 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided more than $24 million in scholarships and other student support for higher education in 2025-26. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $434 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of programs at the nation’s 34 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (Guidestar), and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit collegefund.org.

Journalists — The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.

Photo —  FAFSA outreach kits are collections of ready-to-use materials designed to help Higher Pathways partners promote FAFSA completion at their schools.