Easy Money for College

by Danielle
(Yorktown, VA)

Easy Steps to Easy Money for College - You would be surprised to know how much money is available to high school and college students. Some scholarships even go unclaimed because students do not take the time to find available scholarships.

Don’t wait for the money to find you, go after the money. Identify what you do best. Google your best attributes and attach “scholarships” to that attribute and you may find an abundant amount of scholarship opportunities. "Volunteering" ,“community service", “compassion” and “citizenship” are great attributes to Google.

Also look at big chain stores like Target, Kohls, Nordstrom and even J C Penny and will find they offer scholarships too.

Look into clubs you belong to, or your parent and grandparent clubs or civic groups. Many clubs offer scholarships to relatives or dependants. If you are interested in your environment, or are a person of minority, try to locate scholarships that define who you are.

Identifying the scholarships that you know you qualify for helps take the stress off of interpreting if the lists of qualifications meet your needs. Contact your bank or Credit Union to determine if they offer scholarships. Dentists, doctors and orthodontists sometimes offer scholarships to their patients as well.

Make sure your guidance counselor knows you are interested in scholarships. One may come across their desk and they may think of you as the person they want to recommend for a specific scholarship.

Ask several people to write a letter of recommendation for you. Relying on one or two people is like putting all of your eggs in one basket. If one person falls behind schedule, you have others who will complete them for you. Having these letters ahead of time helps you complete the application process quickly. Ask for several letters ahead of time from each person. Be prepared to provide teachers, administrators, civic leaders and other people a list of awards, clubs and activities to help them generate letters of recommendation. Provide these individuals with a list of everything you do and update the information as it changes. You want these letters to confirm your qualities, but they can also brag for you. These letters may help you seal the deal.

Complete a college student resume as well. A scholarship committee may be overwhelmed with a lot of information in an application or essay but a resume will define your important assets in easy to read lists. Attach the resume to every scholarship application. Always submit the application prior to the deadline and attach a cover letter as well. Submitting the application early may help your chances. Attaching a cover letter gives the committee a personal touch.

Most importantly, be honest and have one or two people read and edit your essays or application. People do not usually find their own mistakes.

Read more ideas about available Scholarships and Grants for College from other students and parents who have been through process.

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Comment from your friendly team at College Financial Aid Advice

Thank you Danielle for a great list of easy steps to easy money for college. Be sure to check out some of the scholarships on our website too. Best of luck.

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Are Scholarships Bringing You Down?

(by Nyia, Michigan)

Finding scholarships can be a hassle--you are on the internet for hours at a time searching " Scholarships for High School Students" and what do you find? PASSED DEADLINES! Now wait right there, I've got a few tips for you high school students on the verge of giving up on scholarships!

First Tip: DONT give up!

There is nothing in the world more pleasing than free money and an education. When searching for scholarships expand your search based on your own characteristics and interests. I have always heard “there’s a scholarship for everything!” No, it isn’t a hyperbole--THERE IS a scholarship for everything! Are you 6 feet tall? There’s a scholarship for that! What about interests? Like playing sports? Interested in a music career? Are you another J.K Rowling? There’s a scholarship for everyone! Your job is to find them and apply. scholarship searching can get extremely tough, creating a rhythm for yourself is the best option. Get the hang of going online and searching for scholarships. Learn time management, if you will be online for 2 hours, spend an hour on scholarships and an hour to surf the web.

Second Tip: More EFFORT more SCHOLARSHIPS!

Scholarship searching means being patient and understanding. Be motivated to apply for scholarships and hopeful that you will win! Many scholarships are a given, if you apply to a college there is a great possibility that you could receive a scholarship along with an acceptance letter. Colleges are in competition: accepting applicants means receiving thousands of dollars in tuition. Though a college may accept an applicant, it is ultimately up to the applicant whether or not they will attend. Which is where persuasion comes in! Pathetic right?! Colleges will persuade students with a ‘$1,000 University Scholarship’ which seems incredible! But remember, one scholarship only stretches so far. Keep up the hard work and effort, it pays off!

Final Tip: GRANTS!

Grants are just as great as scholarships! If you are not familiar with grants please take some time to become acquainted with them. Grants are a sum of money distributed through an organization or government for a certain purpose. Most students receive grants through the financial aid process or through the college they have applied for. Therefore, early admission (November, 1) is a MUST! Once you are admitted, you can go ahead and file for financial aid and begin receiving grants and loans if you must.

With all things considered, finding scholarships are a way for all students to get a chance at a higher education. Be persistent, scholarships will not search for you--you must search for them!

Read more stories about Easy Money for College from other students and parents who have been through process.

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Comment from your friendly team at College Financial Aid Advice

Thank you Nyia for sharing your tips about finding scholarships. Best of luck to you.

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