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Posts Tagged ‘scholarships’

The Start of Scholarship Application Season

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

By Agnes Jasinski, Content Editor at Scholarships.com

Whether you’re just beginning to apply early decision to colleges on your list or are already on the campus of your choice, November is the perfect time to begin seeking out and applying for scholarships for the following year. Don’t believe me? Consult the National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA), an organization that works with scholarship providers to make them more effective in reaching out to potential applicants. They decided to name November National Scholarship Month to bring more awareness to the fact that if you’re not doing so already, the time is now to pursue scholarship award money.

The NSPA began celebrating National Scholarship Month in May of 1998, but switched to November last year to mark a more accurate start to scholarship application season. By spring, many scholarship deadlines have passed, and students have made or are close to making important financial aid decisions, such as how much they should be taking out in student loans for the following semester.

What better way to celebrate the occasion and make sure you’re taking out the least amount in student loans possible than with kicking off your scholarship search? A common refrain at Scholarships.com is “apply early, and apply often.” We don’t mean apply to each scholarship more than once. We mean apply as soon as that scholarship is available, and apply for as many scholarships as you can. We know the kind of time and effort it takes to apply to colleges, coming up with personal statements, and filing financial aid applications. Put that same energy into your scholarship search for the best payback, and you could be looking at generous rewards for your efforts.

The best way to get started is by conducting a free scholarship search that will match you with scholarships that you’re exactly eligible for. Almost everyone will find they’re eligible for at least a handful of scholarships, and most of you will find that you’re eligible for more scholarships than you’ll probably be able to apply for in the time allowed. A big scholarship myth out there is that you need to boast certain characteristics to land free money for college. Sure, it won’t hurt if your academic record is strong or if you’re a starter on your school’s basketball team, but there are scholarships out there that reward you just for being you. Consider that unique hobby or your left-handedness when you’re seeking out scholarships, because many awards are very specific in the kinds of students they’re looking to reward.

Agnes Jasinski is a Content Editor at Scholarships.com. Her articles on education have previously appeared in a number of print publications, and you can now follow her and the Scholarships.com staff at http://blog.scholarships.com/ for the latest financial aid and college news. For more tips on how to get the most out of your financial aid package, putting together your college applications and almost every other aspect of the transition from high school to college, visit http://www.scholarships.com/college-resources.aspx, a resource page that is kept up to date to keep you up to speed.

POSTED BY Bloggin' with Robin IN Article, College Scholarships, Financial Aid
11.10.09
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Creative Financial Aid Solutions

Monday, March 23rd, 2009


Strapped for Cash? Can’t afford your college tuition? Here are some creative ways to finance college even if your piggy bank is all but broke.

Become a public servant. The “College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007″ (I know, it sounds dull, but read on…) forgives college loan debt after  working in the public service for ten years. And you thought indentured servitude went out in the 19th century, hah!

Enrol in a Work-Study program. Possibly the only thing good to come out of this economic hullabaloo is the increased funding for financial-aid. Work-study programs are being awarded over 200 million, making them more accessible to more students. And hey, a part-time job might actually be good for your GPA. Studies show that students who work 10-15 hours a week have better grades than their peers without jobs, or who work longer hours. Research suggests it helps them budget their time better, and achieve their long-term goals.

Take a Gap-Year. Although you may have planned on their attending school in the fall, many universities see the benefit in taking a year off. Both Harvard and Princeton actively encourage “the gap year,” and most institutions will save the student’s spot if the deferral is for a good reason, like real financial difficulty or an educational opportunity.

Save the world for a scholarship. Programs like City-Year and AmeriCorps have students volunteer in cities across the country for one year in exchange for college scholarship awards when they finish. Participants are between the ages of 17-25 and receive a $4,575 grant towards their future education or existing loans. They also receive a monthly stipend, health-insurance, and a cell phone in order to help them meet their living expenses while they are volunteering. Some colleges even match or augment the award, adding to the scholarship.

Get rewarded for good grades. GradeFund, a new website, helps students find personal and corporate sponsors who agree to contribute a base fee per top grade (usually an A or A-) to go towards a student’s college tuition. Check out the websites to search for college programs with corporate sponsors. Or you could try getting a rich aunt, uncle, or long-lost, second cousin, once-removed to sponsor your academic genius.

POSTED BY Bloggin' with Robin IN College Loans, College Scholarships, College Tuition, Economy, FAFSA
03.23.09
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How to Write Scholarship Essays

Wednesday, June 18th, 2008

When it comes to writing a scholarship essay, you have to convince people why they should give you free money.

So you can’t just say you want the money so you can buy a new wardrobe for college, or simply because you deserve it.

You have to convince them that they should invest in you. Literally.

Here are some tips to help you write a winning scholarship essay.

  1. Analyze the Topic
    If they provide you with a specific topic or a question, think about why they are asking you to write about that specific subject. Write down the question, and figure out how many parts it has. Does the question suggest a structure or order, such as first describe your role in a particular situation, then why it had the following effect and what you learned from it. Think about why the judges asked this particular question or posed this topic. Recognizing that all questions are about you, how are the judges planning to get to know you through this essay?
  2. Analyze the Organization
    Think about what the scholarship is about. Who founded it? What is the mission of the organization? Why are they providing scholarship money? Who are the judges? What special points of view do they bring to the judging?
    Usually, you can find a great deal of background from the scholarship website or the printed material provided by the scholarship group. You can also call the organization and ask. Funders are usually eager to help applicants and it helps you visualize that you are writing a letter for individuals instead of a faceless organization. 
  3. Create Goals for the Writing
    Decide what you want to show in your scholarship application letter. For example, you might want to demonstrate personal traits in yourself that are similar to the personal traits of the person being named, use active phrases that show you are a vibrant, active person or show hoe your strong involvement in your community contributes to your successes.
  4. Develop a Theme
    You can use your goals outlined above to develop a theme. For example you might write that being a strong community member helps you have success, and support to succeed. You can use your experience as a club leader in developing a team approach and your decision to ask members of your family to be on your college team to proofread, edit and search for opportunities as ways to show that you value working relationships and your leadership style will be successful in inspiring group success.
  5. Outline Your Response
    Making an outline will ensure that you don’t go off target and that all your supporting arguments enhance your thesis statement. Outlining does not necessarily mean that your essay goes into a required chronologic order, for instance. Some stories are best told by starting in the middle, then describing how you got there and how you are going to go forward. The outline will make it easier for you to move around the timing of various parts of the story to get the most dramatic effect.
  6. Write
    We don’t want to give you too many rules here, because this is your chance to show your writing skills, critical reasoning skills and creativity. Showcase your own talents here and show the judges exactly what makes you unique.
  7. Proofread and Rewrite
    All good writers edit their work. Show it to your family and friends, take in their comments then improve on your first draft. Keep fine-tuning it until you have the best scholarship essay you can.
POSTED BY Reisa Resource IN College Scholarships
06.18.08
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