I have always been a proponent of students starting to prepare for college as early as possible, not only by striving to excel scholastically, but also by learning all they can about the process of applying for and acquiring financial aid. Unless you are independently wealthy, a crucial step in the process of getting into the school of your dreams is learning how to win free money. You can begin your freshman year in high school by conducting a free scholarship search at www.scholarships.com and by perusing the site for additional financial aid information. Before you go out in search of loans, you need to realize there is free money out there, but a lot of people won’t put in the necessary amount of time and effort required to get it. Doing so could give you the edge you need, provided you are willing to do the work. The trick is to give your best effort, follow directions to the letter, and be as efficient as possible. Follow the steps below, and you might not have to pay for your college education for decades after you have graduated:
- The Multiple Entry Essay
Many scholarships require an essay. The majority of them will provide an essay subject or subjects, and most will only allow a limited number of characters or words per entry. Gather all of these scholarships in one place and compare them. Make a list of the scholarship providers to whom you might safely be able to submit the same essay without hurting your chances of winning. If you can enter a single essay multiple times, you will cut the amount of time you need to spend applying to each considerably. - Follow the Rules
By no means am I suggesting you should try to find a way out of doing a good job- just that you do a good job as few times as necessary so you can spend more of your time visiting colleges and doing the many other things you will need to do your senior year. If a scholarship provider feels you haven’t put forth the proper effort or ignored the rules, you may not have a shot at winning the award, no matter how good your essay. Pick the scholarship opportunity with the strictest rules and begin with that one. Next, add any criteria from the others to ensure you won’t be disqualified due to any procedural oversight. Now all that’s left to do is write an essay that will satisfy the requirements of all of them while giving you the best chance to win. - Don’t Know How to Write Essays?
Most of the scholarship providers to whom you will be submitting an entry have a website, and many use it to post previous winning submissions. Read these essays for inspiration. Take a cue from their grammar, sentence structure, the way they addressed the subject, etc. Get a feel for what scholarship providers generally seem to want in an essay, and then give it to them. If you have difficulty with spelling and/or grammar, don’t be afraid to ask for assistance from teachers, parents, and friends. They might be able to provide you with valuable pointers. - Make An Impression With Good Presentation
Believe it or not, some scholarship providers actually specify the font type and size as part of their scholarship essay requirements. If you have access to a computer and printer, take the time to prepare a type-written essay following any formatting requirements or guidelines set forth by the scholarship provider. If you have the time and know-how, create address labels for the envelope. Every little detail towards a clean and professional presentation will make an impression on the person reading your essay. - Which Scholarships Take Priority?
The obvious answer is, “Whichever scholarship is worth the most money.” But only assuming you haven’t put things off for too long. If it is February of your senior year in high school, see which ones still have deadlines you can make – there should still be plenty. It is imperative that you respect their deadline and get your scholarship application and/or essay in on time. Put those with the closest due date at the top of your list, and don’t bother with one if you aren’t confident you truly qualify and stand a good chance of winning it. Once you have finished the ones that are a “slam dunk,” you may still have time to go back and apply to the ones in the “maybe” category. If you start early enough (think October of your senior year), you will definitely be giving yourself an advantage. You might not be able to get an application for all of them yet, but the rules and requirements of some great scholarships may be available. You can use these to get an early start on your application or to get a feel for what scholarship providers will be looking for. Start early, and time won’t be an issue. You will be able to base priority strictly on the largest amount of money being offered and on confidence in your ability to win each scholarship. Good Luck!
