Friday, June 15, 2007

Efficient Essay Writing for the Uninitiated: Win Multiple Scholarships with one Good Essay

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!
For more information on scholarships and financial aid, visit Scholarships.com

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Create Success: Find Money for College at Scholarships.com

It's true, after you receive your first scholarship the sky becomes your limit. You've succeeded in gaining recognition and praise from someone other than a family member. Bonus cash aside, earning such recognition is an impressive achievement that should motivate you to continue achieving other great things throughout your life. Getting to college is just the beginning. Once you're there you begin deciding who you will become by focusing on points of interest in your life. Having a passion for your interest will always put you head and shoulders above the rest in class, in your social life, and in your career.

If you are just looking for easy money, the truth is, a scholarship may be difficult to obtain. But if you are attempting to distinguish yourself from your peers, set a standard for excellence, and ease the financial burden of college so that you can focus on your studies, you have a much better chance at succeeding. Before you begin your scholarship search remember that success is created, not found. Likewise, money is earned and, not surprisingly, typically follows success.

How to Create Success.

Research. Research the scholarship opportunities available to you. You should have a good idea about what your options are before you begin submitting. There are millions of scholarships available, but you won't qualify for all of them. Gathering information about your options should help you prioritize the offers in which you are interested.

Prepare. Research should give you an idea of the criteria for the scholarships for which you qualify. If you fall short in any areas like community service or extracurricular activities, get involved while you have the chance, and establish a background in these areas. Additionally, build your writing skills. This is critical because most merit scholarships require that you respond to an essay question or submit a writing sample. Prepare a couple of solid essays on vanilla topics like your future goals or interests. These are good practice, and you might even be able to use them for some of the scholarships for which you are applying.

Organize. Many scholarships will require you to submit the following articles:
  • Letters of recommendation from teachers or employers
  • A small photo
  • Cover letter
  • History of community service
  • School transcripts
  • An essay
Have these items compiled ahead of time so that when you find a scholarship you are interested in you are prepared to apply as soon as possible.

Submit. Submit your portfolios to the scholarship providers in whose awards you are interested. If you choose to send your application by mail, be sure that the address is correct. Follow the guidelines, and be certain that you meet all of the criteria for a specific scholarship so that you don't waste your time.

To start your scholarship search or to find more financial aid information, visit Scholarships.com

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Scholarships.com - Intel Science Talent Search

School's out and it's time to enjoy the summer, right? After all, you're a high school senior now. Unfortunately, it also means you need to think a little more about college. Don't stress because Scholarships.com is here to tell you about a $100,000 scholarship opportunity!

The Intel Science Talent Search is an annual competition where high school seniors compete for the top prize, a $100,000 scholarship. The aim of this competition is to encourage talented high school seniors to pursue careers in science, math, engineering and medicine. Even if you don't win first place, you can still place among the top thirty and go home with $5,000!

The competition involves preparing a research report and complete a research project in one of the following categories:
  • Behavioral and Social Sciences
  • Biochemistry
  • Bioinformatics & Genomics
  • Botany
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science
  • Earth and Planetary Science
  • Engineering
  • Environmental Science
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine and Health
  • Microbiology
  • Materials Science
  • Physics
  • Space Science
  • Zoology

So if you're considering studying science, math, engineering or medicine in college, don't let this opportunity slide by.

Application Deadline: November 14, 2007

Be sure to follow the rules and complete forms as required. Failure to do so may disqualify you. Details about this scholarship and others can be found on Scholarships.com.

Scholarships.com - Financial Aid Myth Busting

"Only students with a high Grade Point Average get financial aid."

This is a common misconception. While it certainly can't hurt to earn high marks in school, falling short of an A+ average does not mean you will wind up washing dishes 60 hours a week to pay your way through college. In fact, most federal student aid programs don't even consider a student's grades, provided he or she maintains a reasonable grade in their program of study. This doesn't imply that you should start shooting for D's—by all means aim for the stars, but don't feel as though you have to be a child prodigy to receive financial assistance for college.

"Applying for financial aid is time consuming."

Not so, in fact, it is probably one of the easiest ways that you are likely to ever encounter to receive free funding. If you are in need of financial aid, it is worth it. The process seems tedious; however, it doesn't actually require much of you. Let's be pragmatic for a moment—how long would it take you to save $20 thousand dollars on your own? Certainly far longer than the few months it takes to obtain thousands of dollars in financial aid.

"There isn't much aid out there, anyway."

On the contrary, student financial aid in 2005-2006 rose to over $130 billion. Though not everybody will receive a federal grant, the kind of aid you never have to repay, there are plenty of low-interest loans offered by the government. Other types of aid, like scholarships, are offered by all sorts of different organizations and most colleges provide some sort of financial aid package. Contact all of the colleges you may be considering attending and ask what type of financial aid you can expect to receive based on your personal situation. This could be a deciding factor when it comes time to choose a school.

"Financial Aid is only awarded to minorities."

While there certainly are some scholarships available exclusively to minorities, the money from federal student aid programs is not disseminated in this way. Funds are awarded based on financial need, not race, ethnicity, or gender. When you fill out your FAFSA, you will notice that information about your ethnicity is not even required of you. Everyone has the opportunity to receive financial aid.

"Billions in scholarship money goes unused each year."

This all too common misconception is perpetuated largely by certain fee-based professional scholarship search services. This is their way of trying to entice students into giving them money for something that can be found elsewhere for free. You’re not likely read this fallacy on any free website or publication. While there is plenty of financial aid out there, these folks would like you to believe there is a surplus of scholarship funds and only they have the information that can help you get it. Don’t forget to visit www.scholarships.com to conduct a free college scholarship search and to get more free financial aid information.

"Financial aid is only for exceptionally needy students."

Unless you fill out your FAFSA form, you will never know if and how much aid you actually qualify for. Thousands of students are awarded aid every year; it is possible to receive financial aid if you are in need but not necessarily needy. Financial aid comes in many forms, and the truth is that even a small award helps. Don't sell your self short of receiving aid from the government, submit your FAFSA as soon as possible.

"It's only financial aid if it's free."

The majority of financial aid the government divvies out is in the form of both grants and loans. Confused about the difference between a grant and a loan? When you think grant, think gift. When you think loan, think lent sum. Both grant and loans help you pay for college, therefore, they are both considered financial aid.

For more information on financial aid and scholarships, visit Scholarships.com

Scholarships Not Just for "A" Students Anymore

Often students think they don’t have much, if any, chance at winning scholarships if they haven’t achieved excellent grades in high school and I’m sure many scholarship providers do, in fact, prefer to invest in a student who has already proven themselves to thrive in an academic setting. Nobody is saying you don’t stand a better chance at some free college cash if you do happen to belong to three or four clubs and boast a 4.0 cumulative GPA or ace the ACT/SAT’s, but these are not the only criteria by which scholarship providers award cash these days.

Naturally, there are the odd-ball scholarships like the one for left-handed people or the one where you make a suit or dress out of Duck tape for your prom, but you probably already know of these, having read about them in almost every article written on scholarships over the last decade or so. In case you’re not familiar, though, the scholarship for lefties is only available to those planning to attend Juniata College in Huntington, Pennsylvania. The Duck tape one is actually a really cool scholarship contest that has no GPA requirements, offers a $2,500 grand prize and looks like a lot of fun. There are so many others out there, though, and you or your child/student could very well qualify for several or possibly dozens of them. Below are several types of scholarship that don’t necessarily favor the class brain.

Can you draw? Dance? Sing? Talent is the new brains
There are quite a few scholarships available to the more creatively inclined that don’t necessarily require good grades. Some may have a minimum GPA, but often they are a very attainable 3.0 or thereabouts rather than the “4.0, top-of-your-class” variety. I have seen drawing scholarships, singing auditions that could net a scholarship for the top performers and even scholarships requesting a video as an entry.

Write your own ticket. Essay scholarships could prove rewarding
You could pull down anywhere from $500 to $5,000 or more just for reading a book and writing an essay on it- some don’t even require reading the book! Most of these scholarships don’t have a GPA requirement, nor are they concerned with any of the other famous three-letter acronyms (ACT, SAT). As a matter of fact, the Resolve To Evolve Scholarship doesn’t have any GPA, SAT or ACT requirements and you could win up to $3,000 with your entry. Even if you don’t take the top prize, you could win $2,000 or be one of five $1,000 winners! Conduct a free search at Scholarships.com to see if you qualify.

Apply for a "Major" Scholarship
There are so many scholarships out there for students interested in pursuing a particular major, from Advertising to Zoology. Sure, it wouldn’t hurt to have a perfect 4.0, but you still may have a chance at thousands of dollars in free financial assistance, or maybe even a full-ride. Give it your best effort- make a case to the scholarship provider and show them why you are the best candidate.

Employers may pay more than just your salary
Often times a scholarship will be available exclusively to employees or their children or specific companies like Kraft or even those in specific types of careers or industries, such as police officers or steel workers.

Location, Location, Location
Sometimes, your zip code or high school may qualify you for a particular scholarship. There are a number of scholarships available exclusively to those living in specific counties or attending specific high schools. If there is one for your county or school, it’ll be in your search results at Scholarships.com

All of the above types of scholarships will appear in your search results when you conduct a free scholarship search online at Scholarships.com. We ask the most pertinent questions possible in a (roughly) ten-minute session so that you will see which scholarships are available to you. The more complete and accurate the information you supply, the more accurate and complete your search results. You may be pleasantly surprised to see how many scholarships you are eligible for, A student or not, and who knows? You may even end up winning a few.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Scholarships.com "Tell A Friend" Sweepstakes - Win $1,000

You could win $1,000 just for referring a friend to Scholarships.com.

As a Scholarships.com member, you've gotten free access to customized, detailed scholarship searches and other financial aid information. Tell your friends how they can do likewise and you'll both receive a chance to win $1,000! Just enter up to ten of your friends' email addresses, and for every one you refer who fills out a User Profile at Scholarships.com, you'll both be eligible to win the $1,000 prize. Your friends will thank you for telling them about Scholarships.com (and giving them a chance at the prize), and you'll be entered once for every valid referral you give.

For complete details, visit scholarships.com

Google Scholarships

Among other things, Google provides scholarships to encourage students of various backgrounds, genders and ethnicities to excel in their studies. In hopes that these programs will help dismantle barriers that keep women and minorities from entering computing and technology fields, Google offers the following scholarships:


  • Google Anita Borg Scholarship
    The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship was established to honor the legacy of Anita Borg and her efforts to encourage women to pursue careers in computer science and technology. The scholarship is offered in the United States, Europe, and Australia.

  • United Negro College Fund/Google Scholarship
    The UNCF/Google Scholarship Program provides scholarships to students attending UNCF member institutions and public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The program offers "last dollar" scholarships based upon unmet financial need for students majoring in computer science or computer engineering.

  • Google Hispanic College Fund Scholarship
    Hispanic College Fund Scholarships are given to Hispanic students who demonstrate both academic and financial need. The Google Scholarship Program offers funds to students studying computer science or computer engineering.

  • Google Global Community Scholarship for the Grace Hopper Conference
    Students outside the U.S. could apply for the Google Global Community Scholarship for the Grace Hopper Conference.

  • Google MESA Scholarship for the National Society of Black Engineers National Convention
    Students currently participating in a MESA Community College or Engineering Program are eligible to apply for a travel stipend to attend the NSBE Convention in Columbus, Ohio.

You can find more scholarships like these at Scholarships.com

Atlas Shrugged Essay Scholarship

Don't worry- there are still some opportunities out there for those of you who continue to wonder how you are going to pay for your post-secondary education. Here's an example of a scholarship most people will be able to enter - of whom several will be awarded $1,000 or more:
Annual Essay Contest on Ayn Rand’s Novel - Atlas ShruggedFor College Students
(Graduate and Undergraduate)

Contact
Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest, Dept. W

Address
The Ayn Rand Institute
P.O. Box 57044
Irvine, CA 92619-7044

Phone
949-222-6550

Fax
949-222-6558

Email Address
essay@aynrand.org

Application Deadline
September 17, 2007

Number Of Awards
48

Maximum Amount
$10,000

FIRST PRIZE: $10,000
3 SECOND PRIZES: $2,000
5 THIRD PRIZES: $1,000
20 FINALISTS: $100
20 SEMIFINALISTS: $50

Remember, there are millions more scholarships and grants at Scholarships.com, along with loan information and a huge resource section to help you deal with all phases of attending college.

And for tons more scholarship opportunities, just conduct a free scholarship search with us.

Beware Scholarship Scams

Scholarship scams are so common, that one could easily think they’re a new form of art. Don’t allow yourself to be duped by a scholarship scam artist; you’ll end up spending valuable time and unnecessary amounts of money for absolutely nothing. These scams are fairly easy to avoid as long as you recognize the warning signs which you’ll find in large clusters whenever you happen upon a scholarship scam.

Things to look out for:
  • A large processing fee and a small award. Or a processing fee of any size coupled with a small award, really. When you see this, most likely, the scholarship provider is offering the award solely for the purpose of collecting the processing fee. Chances are that most scholarships with a fee attached won’t pay up in the end, even if they have received enough income from the supposed “processing fee” to cover the cost of the award.
  • Scholarship databases that charge you to register. Scholarship information is and has always been public information. Stick to the reputable, free scholarship search services like Scholarships.com. Typically, scholarship search services that charge a fee claim to have awards in their database that you can’t get access to anywhere else. This is simply not true. Scholarship providers want you to learn about their scholarship, and as such, they make it as easy as possible to find information about their award.
  • An announcement that you have won an award for which you have not applied. Even in the 21st century this still isn’t possible, so don’t be fooled. You always have to apply for scholarships in order to receive them. If you receive an e-mail that says you have won a scholarship from an organization that you have never heard of, let alone applied to, ignore it. Such e-mails could easily be an internet phishing scam or some other type of ruse.
  • Companies who claim to do all of the work for you. You and only you can apply for scholarships. If a company requests compensation to apply for scholarships for you—don’t buy it. Scholarship offers typically request a fair amount of personal information, writing samples, and require a considerable amount of work that no one other that you can do.