Are you expecting your child to use scholarships to help fund her education? If so, you need to take an active role in your child’s scholarship strategy and help her create a solid plan. Before you begin, however, it’s important that you set realistic expectations. Very few students receive enough scholarships to cover all of their expenses, so be sure you have a plan that includes other funding, such as savings accounts, 529 plans and income from other sources. The most important thing is to start early; waiting until senior year puts your child at a disadvantage and may reduce her college options. I suggest implementing a plan in the fall of your child’s freshman year of high school, as this will help her develop good habits over time and increase her chances of winning. Here are a few suggestions for helping your child create an effective scholarship plan. Read the rest of this entry »
Each year, a new crop of scholarship hunters venture into the world of college financial aid seeking their fortunes. Some are well-armed and have formulated a plan to navigate the scholarship jungle safely; they have reasonable expectations and understand that it will take a great deal of work if they want to succeed. Others, however, are not so savvy. They have devoured every piece of advice found online and may even believe a good portion of the scholarship myths that still litter the Internet. These ‘newbies’ are usually the ones who can be found on forums early each spring complaining about how they are not eligible for scholarships, either because of their skin color, grades or their parent’s income. Don’t get me wrong, I do feel for these misguided students, but they really should get their facts straight before launching into a tirade on Twitter or Facebook. Here are five of the most common complaints or misguided comments I have seen recently, and the facts that dispel each of them. Read the rest of this entry »
In the past, I have written several posts advising students on how to write a scholarship essay, debunking scholarship myths and how to know if a scholarship program is legitimate. Although these articles give students the basic foundation they need to successfully navigate the world of college scholarships, I find that many still want to know one very specific thing… How do students win a scholarship? There really is no black and white answer, as most providers have their own set of criteria for choosing a scholarship winner, but students may want to consider these suggestions to increase their chances of making it into the finalist pool. Read the rest of this entry »
Winning free money for college is every student’s dream. Nobody wants to graduate from college with a boatload of student loan debt, and the more money you have available, the more options you have for college. Unfortunately, scholarship providers aren’t going to just hand you a pile of money because you ask for it; earning college scholarships actually takes some effort on your part. Why? It’s simple. Providers want to know you are going to put forth the effort in college and not waste their money, so most require an essay or some other time commitment from you to see if you are serious about your education. If you aren’t willing to spend an hour or so completing their application, providers assume that you won’t be willing to focus your time on your studies, either. Fortunately, I have a few tips that can help you reduce the time needed to find and apply for scholarships, without compromising the quality of your submissions. Read the rest of this entry »
I have been a fan of ‘The Walking Dead’ since the first episode. When it first aired, I anticipated a lot of blood and guts (I wasn’t disappointed), but figured I would grow tired of it after a few episodes. What I didn’t expect to find was a television show that was well-written and characters that were so diverse that I would be drawn in deeper each week. Now, three seasons later, here I am counting down the days until it starts again (Is it October yet?). Along the way, I began to realize that this series was offering me so much more than just a buffet of brain-munching zombies; it was actually teaching me some valuable lessons about life and how to win scholarships. Sounds crazy, right? Not really. Just give me a few moments of your time and I’ll show you how ‘The Walking Dead’ can teach you how to not only stay alive during a zombie apocalypse, but also snag some free money for college, too. Read the rest of this entry »
Scholarship competitions are stepping outside of the traditional paper entry forms and online applications. No longer are students limited to impressing judges through 500 words or less, or relying on their transcripts to propel them to the finalist pool. Social media has opened the door to a whole new world of scholarship competitions. Although Facebook is a very popular arena for companies and organizations to host their programs, many are now turning to YouTube, as well. YouTube provides a forum where students can think outside the box and truly showcase their talents and creativity. For some, the idea of a two-minute video application can be intimidating, especially if they are not familiar with how to create, edit or promote their video entry, but it’s not as complicated as it may seem; virtually any student with a video recorder (or webcam) and a laptop can produce an amazing scholarship video. Students simply need to follow these easy steps. Read the rest of this entry »
January is widely recognized as a ‘new beginning’ for many people; a chance to wipe the slate clean and start again, but in the world of scholarships, January also signals the start of the ‘money’ game. Over the next few months, many scholarship programs have upcoming deadlines and students will be busy trying to get their share of the stash. Those who are unprepared may find the process a bit overwhelming and give up hope. Even worse, some may rule themselves out of the game before even taking a turn at bat. It’s really unfortunate that so many students enter the scholarship game ill-prepared or unwilling to even give it a try. Read the rest of this entry »
According to a recent article in U.S. News and World Report, over 350 colleges provided financial aid to at least 50 students on their campuses last year. Among the top five colleges, which included Harvard University and Yale University, international students averaged financial aid award packages totaling more than $50,000 each. Even with those generous amounts, many international students still find it difficult to secure financial aid to help fund their studies. Unlike American students, who have access to federal student aid, most international students are limited to scholarships and/or private student loans, but finding these resources can take some work. If you are an international student, who is planning to enroll in a U.S. school, check out these websites for advice on applying to college and finding available financial aid. Read the rest of this entry »
At a recent college fair, I encountered several students who decided that searching for scholarships was a complete waste of their time. I was amazed! Intrigued, I asked students why they had such a lack of enthusiasm for free college money, only to find that many had bought into those old scholarship myths that just won’t go away. Even some of the parents chimed in with excuses, which were all based on complete falsehoods. I’m not sure why these myths were first created. Maybe they were a way to dissuade students from applying for scholarships or maybe they just sounded like good excuses for slacking off. In either case, it’s time for them to vanish like old Halloween candy. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the top 10 scholarship myths that seem to be circulating these days. Read the rest of this entry »
According to the most recent survey from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), only 12.8 percent of all undergraduate students receive a private scholarship. For a student seeking free money for college, those numbers do not provide much encouragement. The simple fact is that there are more students seeking financial assistance than ever before, but not enough programs to help meet the demand. Fortunately, many civic groups, companies, and even private citizens are stepping up by starting their own scholarship programs. It’s really not that difficult and you don’t have to be a billionaire, either; it just takes a desire to help students attain their dream of a college education and a few simple steps to get the ball rolling. Read the rest of this entry »
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