Never Give Up!

by Nathan Savant
(Iowa, LA, USA)

Your first scholarship will not accept you. Neither will the next ten. The trick isn't finding some magical formula for a perfect paper or the psychologically best writing style to influence the minds of the people at the other end of the submission process. You aren't going to find some cheap trick that will get you through or some grand truth of life that you can express in your essay that will make you appear more desirable or intelligent. The only thing that you're going to find is what you have within you and how much you really want to be where you are.

The trick to getting accepted into that prestigious school, getting the scholarships to pay for it, and succeeding at your college career are all the same. You simply have to dig deep within yourself and find the willpower and motivation to make yourself a success. If you can find the strength of will to conquer your self-doubt, your confidence will win you a scholarship of some kind from somewhere. Someone will see the passion within your words and will reward your attempts. Easier said than done, I realize, but it’s the one universally true part of the application process for anything you may be applying for. Everything else is simple practice.

Read the guidelines carefully and submit your portfolio, essay, College Student Resume or whatever else in the way that best represents yourself. In most cases the winner isn’t the person who said the most profound idea, but the person who simply followed the directions and presented themselves the most professionally. It’s surprising what you can accomplish when you simply follow directions. After you’ve mastered that, the only thing left is to keep on trying.

Start early and get an application submitted to all those early-bird scholarships in January. Don’t forget, however, to keep applying well through the summer. Pickings become slim as time goes on, sure, but don’t let that discourage you. A few hundred dollars here and there is still better than nothing at all. Never take your eyes off of your goal. Never give up!

Read more tips 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 Nathan for some of the best advice for college students – never give up! There are many scholarships and grants for college, and if you are a high school senior, check out our list of scholarships by month. Scholarships for High School Seniors Good luck.

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Scholarship Motivation

by Luis Salgado
(Houston, Texas, United States)

A wise man once told me “ Applying for scholarships is hard; you must make it your second job.” So I did; I was constantly checking the school web site and asking my counselor if any new scholarships were available. It is all about persistence and how bad you really want it.

You must be confident. You need to be organized and have good time management. Your persistence makes sure you do not give up, and keep on trying. Being organized helps make sure you know where everything is at and you will not get confused with all the scholarships. Your time management makes sure you reach all the deadlines, and that you are on time for everything. Most important is your confidence; this ensures you can take the pressure. You must remember other students from other schools are competing against you so you must be confident in yourself that you have the skill to show you deserve it. Do not be afraid to lose, be positive and you can go far.

Many scholarships may ask you questions you might not know, do not give up. Do your research and do not be afraid to ask for help. Ask your teachers to revise your essays to be precise as possible. Scholarships require many things such as your transcript. This is to see how well you have done on your academics. Another is extracurricular activities. This is to show you are willing to join a team or organization, this all so shows you are good with other people, so join a after school activity or organization, it will help a lot.

Finally the most important item they ask for is letters of recommendation. This is to see what people think about you. Letters of recommendation are usually from school counselors and teachers, or job managers. Do not be afraid to ask for letters of recommendation, some people might find it rather flattering.

The harder scholarships are the ones worth the most. The organization giving you the scholarships wants to see if you can put in the effort. Writing a little essay can make the difference of the amount of money you can get. So do not always go for the easy ones.

One last thing is motivation. Motivation can come from different places, but the only place that matters is from within you. On does not wake up one morning and decide to do one. It takes self-motivation to wake up everyday and strive to do better than all the other students competing for the same thing you are; a future at college.


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 Luis for reminding students that when it comes to applying for that scholarship, motivation, organization and persistence are key. Best of luck to you.

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Initiative is all it takes

by Monita Holder
(Decatur, GA, United States of America)

During the time of having to start applying for scholarships and college applications is usually very stressful. Students usually get overwhelmed by all of college essays, questions, or which scholarships to even apply for, not realizing it’s not that bad. There is so much money out there for students to get, you just have to take the initiative to go and get it.

If you’re not sure on where to look ask your school counselor, your parents, or even Google! Students have to learn how to set goals, persevere and get through every obstacle. One way that I have helped my self is setting a date and amount of money each month of how much money I have to apply for by that date. This way I set standards and goals for myself that I know are attainable and reachable in my own time span.

Another good way to apply for scholarships is by thinking of things that you are good at or that is unique about you. A lot of people don’t know how many random and wacky scholarships there are out there for example just for being left handed you could get money! Even your favorite stores or restaurants might offer scholarships to high school students, you never know until you do your research. You should also make sure your parents apply for any and all government grants including FAFSA, you never know how much money you could get. In this economy money is so hard to come by do take every opportunity to apply. Find friends and sit down with them and apply make the process fun and exciting and not a burden, because at the end of the day no one wants to be sitting with a whole bunch of students loans on their back.

Read more Scholarships and Grants 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 Monita for sharing your essay on college scholarships and grants. You are so right that initiative is all it takes. Students should check out all the resources they can find, including our list of scholarships below. Best of luck to you.

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Diligence is key!!

by Adenike Miles-Sorinmade
(Douglasville, GA)

In today's economy one must be savvy, persistent and above all diligent! The land of financial aid possibilities can be a land of shortage or plenty. The plenty depends on a student's ability to be savvy in their research and diligent in their submissions and follow-up.

As a high schooler I've found that the plethora of social activities among my peers can detract from the time I should be taking to research opportunities to minimize the financial burden of college on my parents and supplement them through the use of scholarships and grants.

But free money doesn't come easy. One must spend countless hours researching ads, promotions, web-contests, college merit awards and the like. It is only through the diligence and persistence of “search and seizure” that a student can come out on top of their financial obligation to the school of their choice.

So far I have submitted applications to over 62 scholarship offerings ranging from simple applications to more complex essay requirements. In an effort to enhance my writing skills, each of my essay submissions are unique and of unrelated subject matters. This does require more time and effort, but the diligence and patience I apply to each of these projects will yield great dividends in the end. This approach leaves me both proud and with the advanced skills I need in order to be successful in college and beyond.

Given that my undergrad major will be pre-law, I know going in that I will be required to do lots of reading and writing. Therefore, this exercise will be a great tool for me as I begin the long journey toward my law degree.

I look forward to continuing to sharpen my skill of diligence and learn more skills along the way. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing the results of the deserving winner of this great award.

Read more Scholarship Hints from other students and parents who have been through the scholarship process.

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Comment from your friendly team at College Financial Aid Advice

Thank you Adenike for sharing your essay about diligence is key. Writing outstanding essays for scholarships is one of the best way to win awards. Best of luck to you.

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