Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Knocking on Opportunity’s Door: Scholarships for Grad Students

Paying for four years of college is a steep bill, so steep in fact, that even if attending grad school would be profoundly beneficial, most students feel as though affording it is an impossible feat. Though grad school is not the best option for all students, for many (depending on their career choice), it can be the difference between a mediocre career and one that is fabulously fitted to your abilities. If this is the case, consider the many financial assistance options available before writing grad school off altogether—you may find that it is not nearly as impossible as you thought.

Grad Scholarship Categories

Grad school scholarships are much less common than undergraduate scholarships but they are out there. If you distinguish yourself in college by getting involved on campus, participating in your community, and earning the grades that match your social contributions, getting assistance for grad school is not as hard as it seems. The competition is tough when financial assistance is at stake, but there are also fewer students vying for the prize. If grad school will help you obtain the position that you want, boost your salary, and build your qualifications, by all means, pursue a master’s degree fervently and seek out scholarship opportunities.

Essay scholarships. Most essay scholarships can be applied toward any level of post-secondary education. The great thing about an essay scholarship is that if you find it early enough you have a unique opportunity to knock the socks off your audience. Find a peer or even a past instructor and ask for feed back on the piece that you are going to submit. Then make the changes. Essay judges are most likely no different than the people who surround you every day so their opinions are priceless. The more time you invest the greater the potential reward will be.

Employer sponsorships/ professional development scholarships. Already in lodged into a profession? Find out what incentives your employer offers for employees pursuing an advanced degree. Most employers offer some form of tuition reimbursement, possibly up to one hundred percent. If your employer does not have a sponsorship program, see if they have scholarship opportunities available for employees.

Major specific scholarships. Have you decided what master’s program you are interested in? If so, look for major specific scholarship opportunities. You will have a better chance at these scholarships because of your interest in the subject and your commitment to studying it.

Research grants. Do you have a degree related research project that you are interested in working on? If so, you may qualify for a research grant either through a university or an independent sponsor that has a vested interest in the topic you are pursuing. There is a network of support available for students committed to learning through the research process because no amount of classroom time competes with the invaluable knowledge gained through hands on experience.

Sweepstakes. However difficult they are to actually win, sweepstakes scholarships are still worth entering. Why? Because the chance to earn several thousand dollars towards your degree is worth the five seconds that you invest. Your chances of winning a scholarship sweepstakes are much much higher than winning say, the lottery, and participation is one hundred percent free. Additionally, there are few restrictions on eligibility requirements which means that even grad students can participate.

There are many scholarship and grant opportunities for graduate students at Scholarships.com, along with some great tips in our resource section!

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

National Peace Essay Contest

Now here's a great opportunity for today's youth to voice their thoughts and beliefs on resolving conflicts and building a lasting peace among nations.

The National Peace Essay Contest
  • Promotes serious discussion among high school students, teachers, and national leaders about international peace and conflict resolution today and in the future;
  • Complements existing curricula and other scholastic activities;
  • Strengthens students' research, writing, and reasoning skills; and
  • Meets National Contents Standards.

Contact:
United States Institute of Peace

Address :
1200 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20063

Phone:
202-457-1700

Email Address:
education@usip.org

Application Deadline:
February 1, 2008

Awards:
Potentially 53 Winners in all.
  • $10,000 1 National First Place Winner
  • $5,000 1 National Second Place Winner
  • $2,500 1 National Third Place Winner
  • $1,000 1 State Winner in each state plus 1 winner for U.S. territories, 1 winner for the District of Columbia, and 1 winner for American Students abroad.
Eligibility:
Open to all high school students (grades 9 - 12) attending school in the United States regardless of citizenship. Foreign exchange and visiting students attending high school in the U.S. may enter. Only U.S. citizens if attending high school in countries other than United States.

For complete contest details (essay topic, guidelines, rules, etc.), the United States Institute of Peace web site.

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

Monday, June 18, 2007

Scholarship Strategy: Creating a Savvy, Successful Approach

One of the best things about scholarships is that for the most part, they reward the applicants who put forth the most effort. Like teachers who can instantly spot a sloppy homework assignment, scholarship judges can identify poorly composed applications without lifting a finger. Depending upon the award and how many students participate, the process of eliminating underqualified students can be competitive at best, and downright ruthless at worst. You may already be thinking "They won’t pick me, so why waste my time?" The answer: the financial assistance that is obtainable through scholarships is worth it, even if you don’t receive an award from each and every scholarship that you apply to.

Most of the students who succeeded in earning scholarships did so for two reasons:

  1. They met the criteria outlined by the scholarship sponsor.
  2. They approached the application process strategically and were selective in their pursuit of scholarship opportunities. It’s that simple.

There is no magic recipe that will help you win a scholarship. What there is, however, is a time tested strategy that many students find incredibly helpful in organizing their scholarship search. The students who apply these techniques usually come out ahead in the end.

Make a list. Gather the information for all of the scholarship offers that you are qualified to apply for. The latter part of this suggestion is essential—do not spend valuable time applying for scholarships for which your GPA, major, community involvement requirement, or any other criteria does not meet the standard. There are likely hundreds of awards for which you specifically qualify, so focus your attention on those. Read through your list and eliminate all awards that you are not qualified for.

Assess each individual opportunity. This will take time, but in the end your investment will pay off. After narrowing down your list so that it only includes the scholarships that are most relevant, consider the following categories:

  • Deadlines. How long do you have to complete the scholarship?
  • Difficulty of preparation. Considering the deadline, do you have time to thoroughly prepare for this award?
  • Award amount. How much is the award worth? If it is only worth a couple hundred bucks, consider whether or not you are willing to spend your time on it. Keep in mind that every little bit does help and that you have a greater chance at receiving slightly smaller awards as opposed to full tuition grants, simply because they are less competitive.

Prioritize your opportunities. Now that you have determined the value of the scholarships that you have selected based on when the deadline is, preparation required, and the amount of the award, create a rating system. A simple way to do this is to rate each scholarship with a ( + ) or (– ) sign next to the award. For example, an award with three plus signs is a scholarship for which you must apply. The deadline is far off, average preparation is required, and the reward it $2000. On the other hand, a scholarship with two minus signs might cause you to reconsider before taking the time to apply. It could be that amount of preparation required simply exceeds the amount of effort you are willing to exert because the scholarship award in only $100.

Begin applying. Alright, you’ve determined what scholarships you are actually interested in applying for. Chances are your list is a good bit shorter now, and much more feasible. Begin submitting to the scholarships that you have ranked highest in priority. Good luck!


Check out Scholarships.com for more scholarship strategies and search tips.